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No peeling after peel?

Its four days after a medium strength chemical peel and my skin isnt peeling. I had a light peel a couple months ago and i peeled. I'm calling the dr today but why arent i peeling? My skin didn't even become red. I felt the solution stinging my skin but nothing now.

Doctor Answers 4

April 18th, 2016

No peeling after peel?

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If you are looking for something deeper (with peeling) I highly recommend doing a retinol peel. Regular peels at my office (no matter the strength) will not make your skin peel afterwards. If you get red after a chemical peel it might be only right after. Your skin is supposed to look great after a peel and glowing. You get the benefits of beautiful skin without irritation, dryness, or flaking The full results do take a couple of weeks, and I do recommend doing a series of three or four for lasting results. Frequency: Every 4 to 6 weeks.

At my practice the Retinol Peels (also named the vitamin A peel or retinoic acid peel) deliver a stronger concentration of acids, followed by a high dose of retinol, or vitamin A, to maximize ingredient penetration and absorption of the anti-aging actives. Frequency: A few times a year. This peel does have a downtime of 5 to 7 days. Your skin will not start to peel the next day but rather the day after, keep moisturizing and make sure to protect your skin from the sun.



Learn more: http://www.dennisgrossmd.com/services/treatment/chemical-peels/

Dennis Gross, MD


New York Dermatologist
4.7 out of 5 stars 11 reviews

April 16th, 2016

Peeling and results

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You don't necessarily have to see full blown peeling to have good results.  The texture and pigmentation can be improved even without significant peeling.  It is usually takes several peels to see the overall beneficial results of the peels and improve your skin.

Learn more: http://www.michelegreenmd.com/chemical-peels

Michele S. Green, MD

Michele S. Green, MD
New York Dermatologist
5.0 out of 5 stars 87 reviews

April 14th, 2016

I didn't peel after a medium strength chemical peel at the office

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I suspect that you skin was not cleansed of oils or the topical numbing cream adequately and as a result you had minimal penetration of the peel solution. Essentially the result was a superficial peel where you cannot even see peeling. 
The other possibility is that the peel solution used was not a medium depth peel solution and therefore the results were not as predicted.
I recommend you call the doctor and discuss what could have gone wrong and once the skin is back to normal have it redone if you have faith in the physician or request a refund and go elsewhere.
This is why it is very important to seek a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to perform your procedures rather than a physician who is just working at a spa, etc.
Best of luck to you and the good news is the only harm was probably time lost and your wallet. 
Sharon J. Littzi, MD

Sharon J. Littzi, MD
New Canaan Dermatologic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 reviews

April 12th, 2016

Peel results can vary

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Thank you for your question. The success of the peel is not always related to the amount of visible skin peeling. The condition of the skin at the time of the peel can alter the degree of skin flaking. You can still see improvement in overall skin texture, tone and pigment without visible skin peeling. I am glad you are speaking directly with your doctor who can discuss this further with you.

Lucia S. Olarte, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.