Beauty Doc Blog

A chemical peel is a largely cosmetic procedure and whether or not a patient is a good candidate depends in many ways upon the individual patient.  The ideal candidate with one who has minimal sag or excess skin, but has fine lines and rhytides.  Those patients who have fair complexions are more suited to chemical peels because of the possible inflammatory effectives that can arise from hyperpigmentation in darker colored skin.  Generally when hyperpigmentation occurs after deep chemical peels it is in those with lighter skin and can be avoided thorough use of a lighter or more superficial peel or by peeling the adjacent areas lightly to blend areas.  If a deep peel is required however, the patient should be informed of the possibility of hyperpigmentation and the need to avoid sun exposure.

Deep Resurfacing Should Be Considered for Those With Multiple Lesions

A deep resurfacing procedure should be considered for those individuals who have multiple lesions and splotchy complexions after being treated with nitrogen or with dry ice.  An alternative method of treatment is 5-florouracil, but many patients have problems with this treatment, particularly on the face.  Skin cancers including invasive skin cancers should be treated surgically.

Contraindications Or Candidates Who Are Not Suitable

Those who should not have the procedure are those with hypersensitivity to peeling agents, any of the peel components or the sedatives that are used.  Also the presence of facial cancers such as pemphigus or a facial melanoma would make a candidate unsuitable. Skin cancers should be found and removed surgically prior to treatment in most cases, but carcinoma in situ an actinic keratoses are able to be treated with deep chemical peels as well as laser peels.

Some Say Chemical Peels Only Work Well With Caucasians

There are some professionals who believe that chemical peels should only be used with Caucasian patients, and that darker skin should not be exposed to the chemicals used. However, if post inflammatory hyperpigmentation can be controlled there are very few reasons not to perform the procedure.

Deep Phenol and Cardiac Arrhythmias

Deep peels covering an extensive area using phenol can be harmful to those who have cardiac arrhythmia so those who have a history of heart problems should take that risk into consideration when considering a chemical peel. As with all medical procedures the patient or potential patient should be examined thoroughly and should be made aware of all of the potential risks, pros and cons of the procedure.