The effect of time and the environment on our skin is, unfortunately, inevitable, resulting in sun damage, enlarged pores, fine lines and wrinkles, and more. Thankfully, there are procedures available at Stein Plastic Surgery that can refresh your skin, reverse sun damage and signs of aging, and restore youthful radiance to your appearance. One of these is chemical peels.
*Individual Results May Vary
How Do Chemical Peels Work?
The idea behind the chemical peel is that by removing the topmost layer of damaged and aged skin, we can renew our appearance by stimulating new skin cell growth and collagen production, reverse sun damage, improve acne or acne scarring, and turn back the clock on lines and wrinkles. Chemical peels have undergone significant refinement from the harsh peels available when they first became popular in the 90s. Today, different strengths of peels are available from light or medium peels that refresh and rejuvenate your complexion for a few days or weeks to deep peels that, because of the level of skin layer remodeling, improve your skin’s appearance for years.
Light peels penetrate the outermost layers of the epidermis, and act as an exfoliant to remove damaged, dry, or dull skin cells, revealing healthier cells beneath. Medium peels absorb through a few more layers of the epidermis, which can improve superficial textural impurities and acne scarring and minimize fine lines and light wrinkles.
Double board certified physician Dr. Adam Stein specializes in deep peels, which use phenol, the strongest acid approved for chemical peels, to penetrate farther into the dermis. Because these peels cause a more intense level of injury to the skin to stimulate healing and rejuvenation, they require extensive specialized training to administer and are usually performed with local anesthesia with oral sedation or under general anesthesia. The phenol peel more successfully removes age spots, wrinkles, and sun damage, and drastically improves the texture and tone of the skin for far longer than lighter peels.
Am I a Good Candidate?
The type of chemical peel that’s best for you is often determined by your skin’s Fitzpatrick level. Those who have darker skin tones are not considered candidates for a deep chemical peel, as the acid lightens pigmentation of the skin. A consultation with Dr. Stein will help you determine which chemical peel is right for you.
What is Recovery Like?
The lighter the peel, the faster your recovery. A light peel may leave your skin slightly reddened and tender for a few days with little to no skin flaking. A medium peel may cause some flaking and your face, neck, or hands may feel similarly to a sunburn for up to a week. With a deep peel, the top layers of skin will peel away and you may experience some crusting as you heal. Most deep peel patients recuperate for 1 week before returning to work.
How Much Do Chemical Peels Cost?
Because of the range of depths of chemical peels, their price can widely vary. Overall cost also depends on the expertise of your provider, geographical location, and options chosen with the type of peel you’re having done. Light peels range between $100-$200, whereas medium peels go a little deeper, at $200-$600. Deep peels may go as high as $3,000-$5,000 (especially those involving anesthesia and recovery monitoring). The American Society of Plastic Surgeons averages the cost of chemical peels at around $673.
A chemical peel is a great way to improve your overall skin tone, texture, and pigmentation and stimulate collagen and elastin for firmer, more youthful skin. Let your skin’s radiance shine through with a chemical peel at Stein Plastic Surgery.
“The most AMAZING staff and doctor!. Dr. Stein was able to listen to me and perform exactly what I was wanting to achieve. The staff is beyond kind and helpful. People warned me that Dr. Stein is a weird guy, I didnt think he was the most extroverted person; however, he is incredibly gifted and professional.” *
Take the Next Step
Ready to learn more about chemical peels? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Stein at Stein Plastic Surgery based in Raleigh, NC today! Simply fill out the form on this page or give us a call at (919) 261-7099.
*Individual results may vary.