Chemical Peel - Glasgow

There are many different types of skin peel treatments, although they can all be grouped according to how deep they go into the skin — Superficial Peel, Medium Peel, and Deep Peel. Optimal results depend on skin types and choosing the appropriate acid skin peel treatment for the conditions being treated.

The chemicals (or acids) used for exfoliation can range from lactic acid for mild chemical peels to carbolic acid for deeper chemical peels. One of the most popular solutions for a medium depth peel is glycolic acid, which is effective for fighting acne scars. Salicylic acid peels, like glycolic peels, are also a good option for acne scarring because they clean the dirt in the pores that usually leads to acne.

Below are the traditional chemical skin peel treatment options:

A facial chemical peel treatment is similar to exfoliation, except it uses chemicals in place of a physical scrub and can have a far more dramatic result. For example, it can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

This chemical exfoliation is a liquid solution that removes the top layer of the skin, or more depending on the severity of the case. How deeply the exfoliation goes depends on which skin peel is chosen.

The chemical skin peels work by causing a controlled injury to the skin, which removes damaged or dead skin cells and stimulates new collagen and, as a result, new skin growth in the weeks to come. The collagen can also tighten the skin, which further reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The skin undergoes a phase of self-repair in removing the dead cells and emerges at the other end in a better condition than it started.

The risk of side effects and complications depends on the depth of the peel: deep skin peels have a high risk of complications, whereas superficial skin peels are relatively low risk.

Following a superficial chemical skin peel, your skin will remain red for the first 24–48 hours. Around 3 or 4 days after the treatment, you will likely notice some light peeling, similar to the effect of having very dry skin. Most people are able to tolerate this whilst going about their day-to-day activities, so chemical face peels usually have no downtime.

Medium and deep chemical skin peels could cause more serious side effects. Possible complications with deeper skin peels include redness that can last for several months, mild scarring, and loss of pigmentation. Other possible side effects of deep chemical peels for acne or evening the skin tone are bacterial, fungal or viral infections, as well as heart, kidney, or liver damage if you are over-exposed to carbolic acid, although it would be rare for these effects to happen with modern chemical peeling techniques.

The risk of these complications is a big reason why we prefer offering alternative treatments to chemical skin peels. Another reason is that we have found advanced laser treatments such as BBL and HALO to produce results that are more impressive compared to chemical skin peels using acids.

While we may not offer chemical peels in Glasgow, we are committed to helping our patients achieve their aesthetic goals of having a more youthful appearance and rejuvenated skin. We offer several cutting-edge laser skin treatments that are effective alternatives to a chemical peels treatment.

BroadBand Light (BBL) offers a remarkable alternative to chemical peels for hyperpigmentation, rough skin texture, and active acne. By harnessing the power of different light filters, a BBL laser treatment effectively eliminates acne-causing bacteria from deep within the pores. With this treatment, there is minimal downtime and any temporary pinkness or redness typically subsides within a few hours.

The Sciton BBL devices feature a range of light filters, which means we can tailor the laser treatment to your skin type to ensure you achieve your aesthetic goals. Compared to a facial peel treatment, this procedure is more precise and effective at treating active acne and uneven skin pigmentation.

For optimal results, a BBL treatment is often combined with a HALO laser treatment.

HALO Laser Treatment

When it comes to treating skin imperfections, HALO laser technology is a fantastic alternative to a chemical peel for pigmentation problems, reducing pore size, and smoothing fine lines or textured skin. The Sciton HALO laser delivers precise controlled injuries to the top layer and deeper layers of the skin to stimulate superficial and deep skin rejuvenation that will eliminate irregularities within just a few sessions.

By opting for a HALO laser treatment instead of a carbolic or glycolic acid chemical peel, you also get results that can typically last for several years.

During your consultation at our clinic to discuss our alternatives to facial skin peels in Glasgow, we will discuss your expectations and advise you on which treatments are best for your unique requirements.

For cutting-edge alternatives to a chemical skin peel in Glasgow, book your appointment with Dr Darren McKeown at McKeown Medical.