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Chemical peel

What is it?
Acid solution is applied to the skin, removing blemishes and wrinkles.

Timings
Depending on depth, takes from 10 minutes to 1 hour to apply. Effects last from a few months to 10 years.

Cost
£60-£2,000+.

What is a chemical peel?
For more than 3,500 years, women have been using a range of substances – from sour milk, fermented grape skins and alabaster to mustard poultices – to improve their complexions. Today, different acids are used to remove the outer layers of the skin and improve its appearance. There are three types of peel:

Superficial peel
The most commonly used, it removes the outer layer of cells, lightly exfoliating the skin to give a healthy glow.

Medium-depth peel
This penetrates further into the skin to reduce small wrinkles and acne scars, and to even out skin colour and tone.

Deep peel
Not widely available, it penetrates the lower dermal layer of the skin to remove or lessen deeper wrinkles, lines and scars.

What a chemical peel can do.
Peels are most often used to improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin on the face or backs of hands. They are also effective on some spots and blemishes and acne scarring.

What a chemical peel can't do.
Peels can't alter the size of pores, improve sagging skin or remove deep scarring.

What happens during treatment?
As with any cosmetic treatment, you should consult a qualified practitioner before deciding to go ahead.
The procedure varies, according to the depth of peel:

Superficial peel
This is a quick and easy treatment. The face is cleansed and peel painted on and left for two to ten minutes. Mild stinging may occur. The peel is then washed off and neutralised.
The skin will look pink afterwards and may show faint white discolouration or blotches which fade in one or two hours. There are no after-effects, and you can go straight back to normal daily life.
Repeat the treatment weekly for four to six weeks, and maintain the effect with a monthly peel.

Medium-depth peel
The skin is cleansed and peel applied evenly. The treated area turns whitish grey over several minutes. Cool saline compresses are then applied to neutralise the acid in the peel. The face may swell when the peel is applied, and burning or stinging lasts for about an hour after treatment.
Recovery takes a week or more, depending on how quickly you heal (older skin heals more slowly). In the five to six days after treatment, the skin may turn dark brown, with white streaks. It will itch and begin to peel, after which the skin is bright red, fading to fresh pink over the next three to six weeks.
Repeat the treatment monthly until you achieve the effect you want, and then maintain it with a peel every 6-12 months.

Deep peel
Local anaesthetic is injected to freeze the face. You may also be sedated. The skin is cleansed and a strong peel applied and left on for around 30 minutes before being neutralised.
Patients often feel unwell after a deep peel, and experience moderate to severe pain lasting several days. The face swells in the first two days and it can be very itchy during the healing process. It takes around two weeks before the face is healed enough for you to be seen in public.
One treatment can produce dramatic results and the effects last for 10 years. Results
After a superficial peel, the skin immediately looks brighter and more radiant.
With the moderate and deep peels, you won't see the results until the skin has peeled off, then healed. It's important to follow the after-care instructions you'll be given, to help the skin to heal successfully.

Risks
Chemical peels probably won't be recommended if you have a history of skin scarring, any abnormal pigmentation, facial warts, Afro-Caribbean or Asian skin, red hair and freckled skin, or have used certain acne treatments within the last year.

Superficial peel
New skin may have too much pigment which will turn to brown blotches in sunlight (hyper-pigmentation). Using a high factor sunscreen at all times helps prevent this problem. A rare side-effect is skin infection or cold sores, in patients with a history of these complaints.

Medium-depth peel
Hyper-pigmentation can occur even if you use sunscreens. Brown blotches can be treated with bleaching creams. The red face can sometimes last longer than two to three months. Permanent scarring is a very rare risk.

Deep peel
The red face can last three to four months, and small raised cysts or white spots can appear and last from a few days to many weeks. Scarring is quite common early on after a deep peel, but this heals over time. Areas of skin may lose pigment permanently, and appear noticeably whiter than the surrounding skin. Hyper-pigmentation is another possible problem, and it's vital to wear high protection sunscreen whenever the delicate new skin is exposed to the sun.

Where to get treatment
Superficial peels can be applied by medical staff, or by beauty therapists who have been trained to use them.

For medium and deep peels, you should find an experienced practitioner, and discuss possible side-effects in detail before going ahead. Medium-depth peels are usually applied by doctors whilst deep peels are only administered by dermatologists or plastic surgeons.

Cost
Superficial peels are available from £60 for one session.

Medium-depth peels start at around £500 for a course of four.

Deep peels are £2,000 plus, depending on the size and type of area treated. Alternatives to a chemical peel.
Anti-ageing cosmetics containing fruit acids, or retinol, could improve the skin's appearance. Make your own masks from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Giving up smoking and drinking, taking regular exercise to improve circulation, having a healthy diet, and using sunscreen all help prevent deterioration in the skin's condition.

Liposuction help and info
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Organisation
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
c/o The Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PE
Advice Line: 020 7405 2234
E-mail: info@baaps.org.uk
Website: www.baaps.org.uk

Offers information about aesthetic plastic surgery; its website features a search facility for accredited surgeons.

Links
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
www.ash.org.uk
Informative and detailed website about smoking-related diseases. Has various facts and publications to read, along with guidance and support about how to quit smoking. Smoking has a negative effect on the skin.

Active Retinol
www.smartskincare.com/treatments/retinol.html
Looks at retinol/vitamin A and the effects it may have on skin cells, pointing out that most creams with retinol have no effect at all.

The Consulting Room
www.consultingroom.org
Good UK site that provides a wide range of impartial and independent cosmetic and medical information, and demystifies the world of cosmetic treatments.

Skinsite
www.skinsite.com/info_alpha_hydroxyacid_peels.htm
Has some useful information on what to expect from a chemical facial peel.

Books
Turn Back the Clock Without Losing Time: A complete guide to quick and easy cosmetic rejuvenation by Rhoda Narins and Paul Frank (Crown Publications, 2002)
Examines the benefits and risks of procedures such as chemical peels, laser treatments, liposuction and botox injections.
Get this book from Amazon

The Lowdown on Facelifts and Other Wrinkle Remedies by Wendy Lewis (Quadrille Publishing, 2002)
International beauty consultant, who regularly writes for the Evening Standard, gives the low-down on every available treatment, from anti-ageing creams to facial peels, from laser treatment to surgery. She looks at how much it costs and where you can get it.
Get this book from Amazon

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