How much downtime can I expect from chemical peels of different depths?

Chemical Peels are an amazing treatment to reduce the appearance of fine lines, brown spots and congested pores.  There are many different strengths of peels available.  A peel with minimal downtime is the PCA Sensi Peel.  This peel is often done with Microdermabrasion and the results are amazing!  You will have an immediate glow and slight flaking will possibly occur 2-3 days later whicah will only last a couple of days.  You can return to work the same day as the peel and nobody will know you've had anything done.  This is why we refer to this treatment as the lunch time peel. This treatment would be a good choice for you.  Hope that helped.

Chemical peel technology has changed over the years. Since few people want to endure downtime, skin care companies are responding with peels that bypass the traditional heavy peeling.You may want to consider Enerpeels, which work beneath the top layers of the skin. Which specific peel formula that is best for you will depend on the condition of your skin, your skin problem and your ethnicity.If your skin concerns are minor and more superficial, a non-chemical option such as Hydrafacial or SilkPeel could work for you as well, as neither have downtime or recovery past some short term pinkness.

In our office I would recommend the Illuminize Peel® by SkinMedica®. This peel is wonderful for first-time, chemical-peel patients, patients with mild skin imperfections or patients that are looking for brighter, more radiant skin with no downtime. This peel is appropriate for all skin types. 

There are a wide variety of chemical peel solutions that vary in strength and effectiveness based on the active ingredient. The more superficial peels such as the glycolic acid or salicylic acid peels often have minimal or no downtime. These are sometimes referred to as "lunchtime" peels, because you can have this performed at lunch and go right back to the office for the afternoon without anyone realizing you had the peel performed! However, these can still sometimes produce redness and/or mild flaking of the skin for a couple of days. The stronger medium to deep depth chemical peels -- such as TCA peels or phenol-croton oil peels -- typically require anywhere from 5-10 days of "social" downtime as the peeled skin flakes off and is replaced with a new layer. In general, a deeper peel will have longer downtime, but will typically also offer a more dramatic result. The selection of which peel would provide the best result depends on your specific concerns. I recommend scheduling a consultation with a board-certified physician who has extensive knowledge regarding skin care and facial aesthetics in order to determine the best solution for you. Take care!

There are many different types of chemical peels. A TCA peel will have the longest downtime, usually 7-10 days. The lightest Skin Medica peel will have no downtime. 

Thanks for your question. With mid-depth peels (TCA, Vi Peel, Jessner) you can expect to start peeling 2-3 days after the treatment and peel for around 4-5 days. The most obvious days of peeling being 2-4  days post treatment. You can certainly get superficial peels like lactic and glycolic that have minimal if any downtime. Depending on what your skin type is and what you condition you are trying to improve a light depth laser treatment like Fractional C02 may be a better treatment to get on a friday and return to work monday with mild redness that makeup can cover. Please make sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.  Best of luck.