Which Chemical Peel Is Right for You?

Chemical peels don’t sound like the most appealing skin treatment but don’t let the name put you off. 

A professional medical-grade peel could be your secret weapon for smoother and brighter skin. 

There are many different types and strengths of chemical peel, making it a versatile treatment for a range of skin concerns. But it also makes it challenging to know which peel is right for you. 

In this post, you’ll earn all about the different types of chemical peels so you can find out which is best for your skin type. 

What Are Chemical Peels?

Chemical peels are one of the most popular cosmetic treatments in Australia. A trained clinician applies a chemical solution to your skin.

The solution is left for a certain time before being neutralised and removed. 

The chemical solution penetrates the top layers of the dermis, causing the skin to peel to the desired depth. As the skin peels, sun damage, impurities, and dull skin are lifted away. 

Older skin cells are naturally replaced with smoother, fresher, younger-looking cells. 

What Are the Benefits of Chemical Peels?

The deep exfoliation achieved with a chemical peel offers several benefits, including:

Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Chemical peels are a powerful anti-ageing treatment. By peeling away the top layers of skin, a chemical peel removes the dead skin that has settled into wrinkles and fine lines. Smoother and younger-looking skin replaces the older, dull skin, making fine lines and wrinkles appear less prominent. 

Get a Brighter, Glowing Complexion

Depending on the type of chemical peel, you may be able to achieve significant results from a single treatment. Medium and deep chemical peels have strong collagen-boosting properties that help to restore springiness and leave you with youthful, glowing skin. 

Treat Acne-Prone Skin

Chemical peels help to remove dead cells and other impurities that clog pores and cause acne to form. By lowering the skin’s pH level, some peels also destroy the bacteria that causes pimples and inflammation. 

If you want to learn more about the causes of acne and the best ways to treat it, read our guide to achieving acne-free skin.

Make Skincare Products More Effective

A professional chemical peel removes the top layers of skin, allowing the active ingredients in topical products to penetrate the deeper layers. As a result, you’ll find your anti-aging products become more effective.

Types of Chemical Peels

There are many different chemical peel types, and some are more suited to specific skin types than others. All our peels are the most effective if done over the course of 4-6 treatments, 2-4 weeks apart. 

Lactic Acid Peel

A lactic acid peel is a gentle superficial peel that lightly exfoliates the skin, dissolving dead skin cells and impurities. It can help to reduce pore size and age spots that make your skin looker tired and dull. This type of peel is suitable for almost all skin types and has no downtime. 

Salicylic Acid Peel

Salicylic acid is a well known cosmetic ingredient that is great for exfoliation. This type of peel can be an excellent treatment for acne-prone skin. The salicylic acid dissolves the dead skin cells and impurities that cause pores to clog and lowers the skin’s pH level. 

Glycolic Peel

This peel ranges in strength to gently exfoliate the upper layer of the skin to gently and yet effectively treat sun-damaged skin, wrinkles, and brighten the skin. The glycolic acid has a strong collagen-boosting effect, stimulating the body to produce new proteins and making the skin appear smoother and younger-looking. 

Timeless/Vitamin A Peel

This versatile peel is primarily used as a superficial peel to target thinning of the skin and a dull complexion. It can also be administered in higher concentrations to target wrinkles and fine lines. Suitable for most skin types.

Jessner Peel

The Jessner peel is an effective treatment for oily skin, enlarged pores, and pigmentation. It’s a combination of salicylic acid, lactic acid, and resorcinol that provides a superficial to medium strength peel. Jessner peels can be tailored to your unique skin type. 

TCA Peel

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels are one of the most popular non-invasive treatments for sun-damaged skin, photo ageing, and pigmentation. It can also be used to reduce the appearance of mild scarring. However, due to the strength of the TCA peel, this treatment is suitable only for lighter skin types. 

Which Chemical Peel Is Right for My Skin?

There are lots of different types of chemical peel. The medical-grade peels we offer at b clinic can be categorised as superficial, medium, and deep peels depending on the strength of the solution and how deeply they penetrate the top layers of skin. 

The best way to determine the right peel for your skin type is to schedule a consultation with one of our trained clinicians here at b clinic. 

We’ll examine your skin, listen to your aesthetic goals, and recommend the right strength and type of peel for you. Beautiful healthy skin is just a peel away.

For a limited time only, you can also get 20% of all skin peels at b clinic.

Book a Free Consultation Today

How Many Peels Will I Need?

You may notice immediate improvement following a single chemical peel treatment, but the best results are achieved over a series of peels. Here at b clinic, we usually recommend a series of 4-6 peels depending on the peel type, your skin type, and the results you want to achieve. 

Are There Any Side Effects?

Side effects depend on the type and strength of the chemical peel. Generally, superficial peels have no downtime, while deep peels may require you to avoid certain activities and take it easy for a few days post-treatment. 

Deeper peels produce a stronger exfoliation that causes the top layer of skin to visibly peel in the days following treatment. You may also experience redness and mild skin irritation that feels similar to a sunburn. 

This is a normal part of the post-treatment process and is the desired effect to achieve the best results. 

During your free consultation, your clinician will explain what to expect following treatment and advise you on the ways you can manage any potential side effects. 

Can Chemical Peels Make Skin Worse?

A chemical peel will rarely cause a skin condition to appear worse. Redness, mild swelling, and peeling are part of the healing process following a peel and should subside within a few days of treatment. 

It’s important to choose a reputable clinic with experienced practitioners. If the wrong type of chemical peel is used or applied in too high a concentration, it may cause damage to the skin. In some cases, this could lead to hyperpigmentation or scarring. 

Do Chemical Peels Reduce Wrinkles?

Yes. Some types of chemical peel can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and other visible signs of ageing. This is because the chemical solution causes a controlled micro-wound, removing the top layer of skin and allowing smoother, younger-looking new skin to grow in its place. 

Chemical peels are a well-established anti-ageing treatment. Multiple clinical studies show how chemical peels can help you to achieve younger-looking, wrinkle-free skin. 

Professional vs. At-Home Chemical Peels

The main difference between an at-home chemical peel and a medical-grade professional peel is the strength of the chemical solution and the results you can expect from the treatment. 

Professional chemical peels use a higher concentration of acid compared to commercially available products. You can expect more noticeable results from a professional treatment.

You should be careful with any chemical solution you apply to your skin, even in low concentration commercial products. 

A trained clinician can advise you on the best type of peel for your skin. This is especially important for people that have skin types more prone to potential side effects. 

How Long After a Chemical Peel Can I Breastfeed?

Although the chemical solution does not enter your bloodstream during the treatment, we do not recommend chemical peels if you are currently breastfeeding. 

There is very little research into the risks of chemical peels during the breastfeeding phase, so we prefer to be cautious and advise clients to avoid elective treatments until after they have completed breastfeeding.