How safe are chemical peels? Experts weigh in

With all eyes on the bride on her special day, there are no prizes for guessing that she will want to pull out all the stops to ensure that her skin looks flawless. Top of the list is smooth, radiant skin, and getting rid of fine lines, dullness, pigmentation, spots or scars—the list goes on. The good thing that allays all these fears is chemical peeling—a method that helps reduce signs of ageing and boosts skin rejuvenation.  

Carried out under the supervision of a skilled professional, typically a dermatologist, these peels can be applied on all areas of the body including the neck, chest, hands, face or bikini area. Additionally, one can also treat acne, severe skin discoloration, age spots, poor complexion, and sun-damaged skin with the help of peels. 

What are the types of peels and what do they do?

Light chemical peels: a light chemical peel removes the top layer of epidermis, called dead skin. This kind of therapy can be used once every four weeks to address minor skin issues like fine lines and wrinkles, light hyperpigmentation, small acne scarring, uneven skin tone, and dull skin.

While the skin will appear red, dry, and slightly irritated after a minor chemical peel, the healing process only takes up to seven days. 

Medium chemical peels: the middle layer of the skin, middle dermis and upper epidermis layers are removed by medium chemical peels. This is a wonderful option if you need a more thorough chemical exfoliation to repair obvious skin damage, like acne scars, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, or dry or damaged skin. Medium grade chemical peels are safe to perform every four to six months.

The treated skin will appear red and puffy after a medium chemical peel. One may notice scaling on their skin. The treated regions will recover in seven to fourteen days, following which post care steps, prescribed by the dermatologist, is essential.

Deep peels: deep chemical peels remove considerably more skin cells. This is used to get rid of more severe wrinkles, open pores, scars, considerable hyperpigmentation and skin drooping. Noticeable effects are possible after just one session.

The skin will feel extremely red, swollen, and sometimes itchy after a deep chemical peel. After the chemical peel, the bride-to-be will also need to apply an ointment on the skin several times per day for two weeks. New skin will eventually grow after this time.

When should a bride-to-be opt for a chemical peel?

If you come for the treatment with enough time leading up to the wedding day, then you can choose from a range of medium peels. 

If you have just a few weeks gap, it’s recommended to opt for surface rejuvenating, barrier repair and antioxidant peels. 

And if there are hardly any days left, then peels are not the preferred choice of treatment and it’s best to opt for medi-facials for the face and peels for the body, only if needed. 

Dos and Don'ts 

Various peels having different percentage of Glycolic Acid, Modified Jessener, Triple Peel, Lactic Peel, Melanostop, Equator Peel, and Bio Micro are recommended to have the desired result. 

Do not bleach the face close to your peel session and discontinue using home actives at least two days prior. You can resume home care only once the skin has settled.

Above all, are peels safe?

The results of a chemical peel are permanent if you follow the post care tips prescribed by your dermatologist. Also, you likely won’t require any other salon facials or pre-bridal facials once you undergo a chemical peel. 

When preparing for a major event like a wedding, where treatments must be scheduled in advance, it can be challenging to decide which skin treatment or procedure to consider and when. A month or two prior to your wedding shouldn't be the time to experiment with chemical peels.

Inputs by Dr. Ipshita Johri, MBBS, Dermatology and aesthetic consultant and laser specialist Founder of Skinfinity Derma and Dr. Meghna Gupta, Dermatologist and Founder, Delhi Skin Centre