The age spots, blemishes and acne scars on your facial skin are removed with the help of facial peel. Facial peels are cosmetic treatments with certain chemicals that help to fade skin discoloration. Also known as chemical peels, these cosmetic treatments work by removing the outer layer of dead cells on the skin and exposing the fresher and younger skin lying beneath the dead cell layer. Facial peels are also a popular skin lightening technique. Chemical peels are even effective in removing mild wrinkles and fine lines.

Chemical peels are best suited for people with fair skin and light hair.

Types of facial peels
Light chemical peels – Hydroxy acid peels
Light chemical peels are done with glycolic acids. There are two types of glycolic acid peels – alpha hydroxy acid peel (AHA) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or salicylic acid peel. The exact dose of the hydroxy acid depends to the exact nature or extent of the skin damage. Hydroxy acid peels are suitable for treating mild skin imperfection. It could heal sun-damaged skin and reduce fine lines and mild acne scars. Light chemical peels could unclog pores and are therefore suitable for preventing acne.

AHA occurs naturally in several fruits, sugarcane and milk. AHA peels might contain glycolic acid found in sugarcane, citric acid found in lemon and orange, malic acid present in apple and pear, tartaric acid found in grapes and lactic acid obtained from milk.

Light acid peels with alpha or beta hydroxy acids are free from adverse side effects. They are usually safe for the skin.

Medium chemical peels – TCA peels
Medium chemical peels are applied for treating wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, superficial blemishes and scars. You should visit dermatologists for this cosmetic treatment. Medium chemical peel uses trichloroacetic acid (TCA). To enable the acid to penetrate deeper into the skin, dermatologists might use TCA of 50 percent concentration. The TCA chemical peel produces a superficial crust after the treatment, which flakes off within a few days, revealing a new healthier skin layer.

Deep chemical peels – Phenol peels
Deep chemical peels or phenol peels use carbolic acid for treating severe sunburned skin, scars, wrinkles and precancerous growths. Deep chemical peels might keep your skin free from wrinkles for several years.

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