Chemical Peel

Procedure	Restore wrinkled, blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical solution to peel away skin's top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin with superficial wrinkles. Chemical Peel (Phenol and Trichloroacetic Acid [TCA])
Length	One to two hours for full face.
Anesthesia	None; sedation, and EKG monitoring may be used.
In/Outpatient	Usually outpatient. Full-face phenol peel may require admission for one to two days.
Side Effects	Both: Temporary throbbing, tingling, swelling, redness; acute sensitivity to sun. Phenol: Permanent lightening of treated skin; permanent loss of ability to tan.
Risks	Both: Tiny whiteheads (temporary), infection, scarring, flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores. Phenol: Abnormal color changes (permanent); heart irregularities (rare).
Recovery	Phenol: Formation of new skin: 7 to 21 days. Normal Activities: 2 to 4 weeks. Full healing and fading of redness: Three to six months. TCA: New skin within five to ten days.
Duration of Results	Phenol: Permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin ages. TCA: Variable (temporary).