Chemical peels have been around for decades. They have been used for brightening the skin, adding luster, sheen, evening out pigmentary irrregularities and softening the appearance of fine scars and wrinkles. Depending upon the intended depth of penetration, peels are commonly divided into superficial, medium, and deep.
Lunchtime peels fall into the category of superficial peels, and as the name implies can be done in about ten to twenty minutes, i.e. during a lunchbreak. Nowadays, they often make up a part of a variety of rapidly performed, in-office procedures that may be performed together in one sitting, such as Botox injections, the use of fillers and volumizers, and radiowave treatments for skin tightening and eliminating "broken" blood vessels. For this reason, I prefer to categorize superficial peels, as well as these other techniques, under a more encompassing category of "lunchtime beauty fixes."
Typically performed in a series of between four to six or more, spaced at two to four week intervals, superficial peels or lunchtime peels are particularly effective for lightening skin, giving it shine, fading brown spots and smoothing the skin. Even some fine lines and crepeyness may respond. Alpha hydroxyacids, particularly glycolic acid, in varying concentrations, and beta hydroxyacids, namely salicylic acid, are the most common agents used for lunchtime peels. Occasionally, there may be some mild redness or flaking for a couple of days afterward. But, downtime is minimal or negligible for most, which is another advantage, and the vast majority of people return to work immediately following treatment.