Gentle peel, medium peel & deep peel– Explanations : Doctor POIGNONEC plastic surgeon in Paris
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What is a medical peel?
Aesthetic peel is a technique which concerns the skins marked with the scrambled complexion. It consists in applying on the epidermis an exfoliating liquid intended to make the skin peel to stimulate it.
Peel has had its hour of glory and no longer has the attraction of novelty. However, it is still frequently used for its ease of use. Peels destroy the superficial layer of the skin, from the epidermis to the superficial dermis depending on the desired purpose.
They use plant or chemical substances which, depending on the strength of their active product, their concentration or their duration of application, will act on the patient’s face.
Is peel suitable for all skin types?
There are three types of medical peels :
Depending on the type of skin of the patient, the doctor decides to opt for a superficial, medium or deeper peel.
How does superficial peel work on the skin?
The fruit acid peel treats acne, removes stains and gives radiance to the complexion, it restarts the production of collagen which helps to reduce wrinkles and tighten pores
The “gentle” peel :
If the doctor decides to opt for light treatment. In this case, glycolic acid is used.
Is the treatment painful?
The inconveniences are rather infimes despite the appearance of redness or small healing scabs in the days following the operation. The doctor treats the entire surface of the face. The patient feels picotements with the gentle peel and a heating with the medium peel or deep peel.
Gentle peel : what are the possible risks and complications?
With light or superficial mild peels with fruit acids, complications are exceptional: they rarely cause pigment disorders, on the contrary, they have a rather regulating and refreshing effect on the complexion. The toxicity of peel depends on the product used, more or less strong.
The “medium” or “deep” peel :
For a treatment with a medium peel, use trichloroacetic acid and for a deep peel, the phenol.
The “medium” trichloroacetic acid peel illuminates the complexion and reduces wrinkles, fine lines and dilated pores, pigmentation spots, dilated pores, scars and inflammatory acne.
The ” deep ” peel with phenol liquefies the epidermis and completely renews it, rejuvenates the dermis by increasing the thickness and elasticity of the skin, which gives it a lifting power. Under local or general anesthesia, the strongest peel, uses a chemical solution of phenol applied to the skin of the face and neck. Deep treatment lasts 1 hour. The consequences of a “deep” peel require ten days of isolation after which the patient reappears as if he had several years less.
How to recover after your medium or deep peel
After a medium or deep peel, the skin peels.
- Expect a week off work, to renew if you need two sessions.
- The skin appears pink and remains momentarily fragile, like a baby’s skin: a treatment based on protective and healing creams is prescribed.
Source peel : Best extract from the book « La chirurgie esthétique, les solutions et les conseils de mon chirurgien » © Ambre Publishing | The author : Dr. Sylvie POIGNONEC - Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon, located in the heart of Paris, specialized in plastic, aesthetic & reconstructive surgery
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The ideal treatment by peel with fruit acids & trichloroacetic acid
- For the gentle peel, plan a cure of 3 sessions at 15 days interval.
- For the average peel one or two sessions spaced 15 days.
Medium and high peel : what are the possible risks and complications?
Indeed, although peelings are carried out for essentially aesthetic reasons, they nonetheless constitute a cutaneous, epidermal and dermal aggression, which implies the risks linked to any medico-surgical act.
- Microbial infection.
- Acne outbreak.
- Milium grains (small white cysts)
- Hyperpigmentation (especially on dark skins), early and almost always transient, it is often the result of premature exposure to the sun.
- Hypopigmentation, often permanent, appears more rarely and later.
- Persistent redness.
- Healing disorders and hypertrophic scars are possible but rare. They testify to excessive destruction, scratching, failure to respect the fragile reepidermisation at the beginning of the healing process, infection poorly or late treated.
- Allergy : products used for skin disinfection or skin care can also cause allergies, so it is important to consider all the allergies the patient has had in their lifetime.
- Pain during the first days, diffuse sensation of heat or burning in the treated area. A prescription for analgesics will be made by the doctor.
- Insufficiency of result, especially because of the importance of the defect to correct: in these cases, your surgeon will warn you of the interest of a new treatment after a delay of one year minimum.
Fortunately, real complications are rare following a proper peeling. In practice, the vast majority of treatments go smoothly and patients are fully satisfied with the results.
Source : French Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery S.o.F.C.P.R.E
All in all, we must not overestimate the risks, but simply become aware that a medical-surgical act, even a seemingly simple one, always involves a small proportion of risks. Using a qualified practitioner ensures that they have the training and skills required to avoid these complications, or treat them effectively if necessary.
Mis à jour le: 21 June 2018 [MàJ]