What is an Acne Peel?

An acne peel is a procedure, typically performed by a dermatologist, involving the application of chemicals to the outer layer of the skin for the improvement of acne. In some cases, these peels may also be beneficial for acne scarring, depending on how deep it is. An acne peel might additionally help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and skin pigmentation problems. Dermatologists use different types of chemicals for acne peels, including AHA, BHA, and TCA. Phenol is another very strong chemical that may be used for some acne peels.

To perform an acne peel, a dermatologist usually applies the specific chemical chosen for the procedure to a patient's face. The chemical is left on for a varying length of time, depending on its strength and the severity of the patient's acne. Most of the time, these procedures are outpatient. The recovery time of the patient depends on the strength of the chemical used and how long it was left on the face. Milder chemicals might take a week or less to recover from, while stronger chemicals could take several months. Additionally, the price of an acne peel tends to be more when the stronger chemicals are used.

AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid. In most cases, acne peels that utilize AHA are the least expensive, because this particular chemical is not as strong as some others that are often used. AHA can usually improve existing acne and other surface blemishes that do not extend past the outer layer of the skin. It usually isn't very effective for treating very deep wrinkles or acne scarring. Most people who have this type of chemical peel will notice an improvement within a few months, but it may be necessary to have it done more than once before the desired results are achieved.

BHA is another type of chemical regularly used for acne peels. It stands for beta hydroxy acid, and it is a little stronger than alpha hydroxy acid. This type of chemical can help a lot with skin pigmentation problems and most wrinkling. Recovery time tends to take a little longer than when AHA is used, but the results are usually better. TCA, which stands for tricholoracetic acid, is a much stronger type of acne peel that is occasionally used for the treatment of severe acne scarring. TCA procedures tend to be much more expensive and require more recovery time, possibly up to a few months.

The strongest type of acne peel that dermatologists administer are phenol peels. These penetrate deeply into the surface of the skin and can help a great deal with severe acne scarring and very deep wrinkles. Unlike with other types of acne peels, phenol peels are not typically done more than once. The chemical is strong enough that in many cases patients must be sedated prior to the procedure. Additionally, it might take up to six months for a person to fully recover from a phenol peel.