The Obagi Blue Peel is a very powerful procedure to improve texture and pigmentation of the skin. In my practice, Blue Peels are only done after a patient has been pretreated with the Obagi NuDerm system for at least 8 weeks prior to the peel. This prepares the skin to heal quickly and well afterwards. The peel is done in the office, without anesthesia although some patients take an oral pain medication beforehand, but most do not need even that. The procedure is done within minutes and after application, an ice pack is used to immediately cool the skin.I do many Blue Peels and while the patients do not love the actual procedure, every one has gotten through it and all have been really pleased with the results.
Chemical peels are an important part of the cosmetic armamentarium. Chemical peels utilize acids (glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinoic acid, trichloroacetic acid) to coagulate the epidermis and parts of the dermis. They effectuate an improvement in overall skin quality and resiliency. Chemical peels are well tolerated in a clinic setting if they do not extend deep into the papillary dermis. Deeper peels often require local anesthetic, conscious sedation, or even general anesthesia. The basic theme is that the deeper the peel, the more anesthetic is required. There are ways to minimize pain. Raffy Karamanoukian, Los Angeles If you are considering a chemical peel, do not compromise on anesthesia. Proper anesthesia is an important part of keeping these procedures safe and ultimately reduces the incidence of complications. A blue peel is a deeper peel using TCA. Depending on the depth of treatment, a deep or medium-depth peel will require some form of anesthesia. I usually prep my blue peel patients with topical Melarase before the peel.
