How Long Do Chemical Peels Take?

If you want to refine the overall appearance of your skin, then Chemical Peels in San Antonio may be a perfect option for you. These age-old facial treatments can exfoliate your skin to reduce the appearance of scars, blemishes, and uneven tone or texture. Learn more about peel treatments before you schedule your first appointment at Westover Hills Dermatology in San Antonio, TX.

How Long Do Chemical Peels San Antonio Take?

In general, you can complete a chemical peel treatment in 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of peel you are using. While the peel portion of your treatment may only take a few minutes to complete, your treatment may also involve cleansing the skin and treating the skin with a soothing, hydrating serum or applying sun protection afterward.

What Should You Do Before Treatment?

Before a peel treatment, you may need to make minor adjustments and your everyday skincare so you can achieve the best results possible. For example, about one week before your treatment, you need to avoid any exfoliating products on your skin, such as salicylic acid, retinol, and vitamin C. Avoiding these exfoliants will prevent skin sensitivity and hyperpigmentation.

Before your appointment, you should also avoid laser treatments and wax treatments for at least one to two weeks. It’s also ideal if you reschedule your appointment if you’re having psoriasis or eczema flare-up.

What Should You Do After Treatment?

After your appointment, you must take good care of your skin so your results can develop as desired. For example, for the first 24 hours, you should avoid makeup, irritating skin care products, hot water, steam, and excessive sweating. During the first week, you may also need to continue avoiding chemical exfoliants until your skin is less sensitive.

For the first one to two weeks after your treatment, you should wear SPF 30 or greater when you’re outside. This means wearing sunscreen even when it’s cloudy to prevent UV damage on newly exposed skin cells. Gentle moisturizers and aloe vera may be ideal soothing products you can use on your skin.

How Quickly Will You See Results?

Usually, you will be able to see early results from your treatment within about one week of your appointment. Results will be visible as dead skin cells shed from the surface of your skin. Your results will continue to improve new skin cell turnover as you have subsequent treatments.

Because the results of this treatment are gradual, most people will need a few consecutive treatments to achieve their desired results. For pigmentation concerns, two to four consecutive treatments may reduce sun damage, blemishes, and uneven skin tone. For scarring and fine lines, you will notice the best results after three to five consecutive treatments.

Can You Enhance Your Results?

Enhancing your results is all about taking good care of your skin after your treatment. For the most part, this means selecting skincare products that are compatible with your skin type and skin concern. For example, if you have acne-prone skin, then using skincare products that can kill acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation on the skin surface are ideal options.

You can also enhance your results by adopting healthier lifestyle practices. Your skin will thrive when you lead a healthy lifestyle. This means drinking enough water to maintain the moisture in your skin, eating whole fruits and vegetables to provide your skin with nutrients, and reducing alcohol and tobacco intake. Regular exercise can also help cleanse the toxins from your skin.

How Frequently Should You Have Treatments?

The frequency of your treatments will be determined by the type of peel treatment you are using. Light peels can be scheduled every four to six weeks for most people, while medium peels can be scheduled every six to 12 weeks. For deep peels, you may only need to have the treatment once a year or once every few months, depending on your specific skin concerns.

What Type of Peel Should You Use?

Chemical peels San Antonio are designed with all types of acids and strengths to meet the precise needs of your skin. For example, TCA peels, lactic acid peels, glycolic acid peels, and salicylic acid peels are all common treatment options to improve the tone in texture of your skin. Ultimately, selecting the correct peel for you will depend on your skin concerns.

Light peels can usually address superficial concerns such as oily skin, rough skin, dry skin, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, and dull skin. For concerns such as fine lines, scarring, sun damage, acne scars, and melasma, medium peels are usually the best option.

Are You a Good Candidate?

Because chemical peel treatments are so customizable, the vast majority of people are good candidates for these treatments. However, you may not be an ideal candidate if you’re currently pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have used oral medications for acne such as Accutane in the last six months, or if you are currently experiencing skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.

Improve Your Skin Tone and Texture With Peels

There’s only so much your at-home skincare products can do to improve the tone and texture of your skin. Fortunately, using acids to slough away dead skin cells from your skin surface can vastly improve the appearance of your skin. Get in touch with Westover Hills Dermatology in San Antonio, TX to schedule your first appointment today.