If I had a physician strength peel on my face and upper chest, how long do the rejuvenating effects last? Is the skin reddened afterwards and for how long?
Answer:
The rejuvenating effects of a deeper chemical peel are essentially permanent and long-lasting because the architecture of the skin under the microscope actually behaves and looks like younger skin. However, we do continue to age and the changes in the overall appearance of the skin with regard to sun-staining and wrinkles are long-lasting. So, the short answer to this is that I think that the benefit typically lasts patients about ten years with a deeper chemical peel even as the aging process continues, because we have moved back on the conveyor belt of aging approximately ten years. The skin typically looks like a bad sunburn for about one week – ten days. At the seven-ten day point, we allow patients to use a cover-up or foundation that has sun protection. Typically all of the redness resolves in approximately two-three weeks for most individuals.
Posted by Dr. Williams