Will Chemical Peels Bring out Sun Damage?

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads can seriously improve surface sun damage and UV related pigmentation. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.
Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Peels definitely remove sun damaged skin layers and do not directly cause sun damage, but by temporarily removing the protective upper stratum corneum layer of the skin it can make skin more susceptible to sun burning and therefore sun damage.  A good sunscreen and hat for 6 weeks or longer after a peel usually helps prevent most sun damage from occurring.

The outer most layers of the skin is the most sun damaged so peels remove this outer most layers and allows healthier skin to come up and replace it.  The more peels you do, the better your skin looks as a rule.

Chemical peels remove sun damage and decrease the likelyhood of skin cancer. That is one of the main reasons for having peels. Peels do not just "exfoliate". You can do that with a rough towel. Peels actually remove damaged cells and allow new healthier skin to replace them.

Great question. I will not go into the scientific terms of the effects but there is always a risk of this occurring. Seek in person advise from boarded doctors in your area.

From MIAMI Dr. B

Peels stimulate the basal layer of the upper part of the skin, the epidermis, to make more cells in that area. That happens due to the fact that the epidermais has lost its top layer. The basal layer also sends signals to the second layer of the dermis so that fibroblasts make and lay new collagen in the area. regular peels get rid of sundamaged skin as the those cells are peeled off and newer more robust and freshly made ones are made.