Peelings
What are peelings?Peelings are chemical solutions which allow the skin of the face to be improved and smoothed by removing its outer layers damaged by pathological events (scars, acne, precancerous lesions, etc.), by hyperpigmentation or by the effects of the ageing process (wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity or tone, etc.).There are various types of peelings which are divided into:
Which blemishes can be corrected by superficial peelings?Superficial peelings, derivatives of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc., allow the most superficial wrinkles of the face and the hands to be removed, the skin to recover elasticity, the small skin marks to be removed, the acneic skin and the post-acneic scars to be improved.Which blemishes can be corrected by intermediate peelings?Intermediate peelings, derivatives of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and used in various concentrations, allow the less superficial wrinkles of the face to be eliminated and the skin marks and the small keratoses to be removed.Which blemishes can be corrected by deep peelings?Deep peelings, which are derivatives of phenol and are used in various concentrations, allow the deepest wrinkles of the face to be eliminated, the skin to be completely renewed, the skin marks (even the largest ones) and the precancerous lesions to be removed and the post-acneic scars and marks to be improved, thus achieving a remarkable rejuvenation of the face without resorting to cosmetic surgery (it is the so-called non-surgical face-lift).
What kind of anaesthetic is given?The treatment with superficial and intermediate peelings does not require anaesthesia, while deep peelings need local anaesthetic with sedation and are performed in outpatient care or with one-day hospitalization.How long is the treatment?The treatment with superficial and intermediate peelings lasts few minutes and should be repeated several times after a few days, whereas the treatment with deep peelings lasts about one hour and requires occlusive dressing.Do significant after-effects occur after the treatment with chemical peelings?When superficial peelings are used, the only after-effects are a slight flush that persists for 1-2 hours and, sometimes, some small scabs that will disappear after 3-4 days.When intermediate peelings are used, besides the initial redness, exfoliation will occur which will end after 6-7 days. In case of deep peelings, instead, the treated area will be puffy and oedematous, will show desquamation and, 7-10 days after the treatment, there will be the complete rejuvenation of all skin layers. What are the risks and the complications of this treatment?The cosmetic treatment with chemical peelings is normally very safe. However, it is a delicate procedure whose complications (pigmentation anomalies, infection and anomalous scars) are rare but may occur and can be easily resolved only if the intervention is performed by a specialist in plastic surgery.If you wish to take this subject further, we advise you to visit the peelings FAQ page, acne FAQ page, alla wrinkle reduction FAQ page and scar reduction FAQ page, where you will find the answers to the most frequent questions asked by the patients. |
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Chirurgia-plastica-estetica.it Prof. Mario Dini Chairman and Director of Plastic Surgery Dept. - University of Florence |
