Give Your Face a Fresh Look with a Chemical Peel

Every year in the United States, doctors perform well over 1 million chemical peels, helping women and men refresh their skin’s appearance and improve its overall health too. In fact, peels are one of the top five most-popular minimally invasive cosmetic treatments, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Chemical peels are popular for a couple of big reasons: They’re very versatile and they’re very effective for treating sun damage, age-related changes, and even acne scars. In fact, the ASPS calls a chemical peel “one of the most cost-effective ways to improve the appearance of your skin.”

At Meridian Plastic Surgery in Meridian, Mississippi, Lee Thornton, MD, FACS, and Mark Elliott, MD, FACS, offer a variety of chemical peels to help patients look and feel their absolute best. If you’re ready to enjoy smoother, fresher-looking skin, here’s how a peel could help.

How chemical peels work

Chemical peels use special solutions to gently loosen the upper layers of skin where scarring, discoloration, roughness, and other damage occurs. Peels vary in the type of chemicals they use and in how long they’re left on your skin.

Offering different types of peels ensures you can get the treatment you need for your concerns and your goals. Dr. Thornton and Dr. Elliott tailor each peel to the patient’s needs for the best possible results.

During your treatment, the doctor applies the solution to your skin, allowing it to remain in contact with your skin for a set period of time. Then, the peel is rinsed off and neutralized. We may apply moisturizers or other solutions to your skin afterward to help it look its best.

Many peels leave a residual redness afterward, similar to a sunburn. Most peels cause skin sloughing, usually within a few days of the peel, revealing fresher, smoother, softer skin underneath.

One treatment, many issues

Chemical peels can treat many different skin concerns, which is one reason why they’re so versatile and so popular. Some of the most popular issues that can be treated include:

• Uneven skin tone
• Skin roughness
• Scars, including acne scars
• Wrinkles and lines
• Sun spots and age spots
• Sun-damaged skin

Chemical peels can be used on their own, or they may be combined with other treatments, like microdermabrasion, to prepare the skin and enable the peel solution to reach deeper layers of skin. Most peels can be repeated for a cumulative effect.

In addition to rejuvenating the skin on your face, chemical peels can be used on your back, shoulders, and chest, which can be especially good for anyone with acne scarring or sun damage in these areas.

Winter is a great time for a peel

You can have a chemical peel at any time of the year, but winter is an especially good time for this type of skin rejuvenation. That’s because after a peel, you need to limit your time in the sun to help your skin heal and maximize the effects of the peel. Even though we tend to have mild winters in Mississippi, the sun’s rays are weaker, and most of us spend far less time outdoors. 

Winter is also a time for heavier clothing. That means if you’re having a peel on your shoulders, back, or chest, those areas are less likely to have sun exposure that could interfere with your outcome.

The last couple of years have been stressful for everyone, and stress takes a toll on your skin. The new year is a great time to commit to better-looking skin with a chemical peel tailored for you. 

To schedule your peel at our office, call 601-693-7742 or book an appointment online today.