Medium-depth and deep chemical peels

Abstract

Chemical peeling, also known as chemoexfoliation or dermapeeling, is performed to improve the skin's appearance as it reduces the wrinkles caused by aging and the features of photoaged skin. Although the best results are obtained with deep peels, the medium-depth peels allow to obtain excellent results without the dangerous side effects of deep peels. Medium-depth peelings are performed with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at 35-50% alone or at 35% in combination with Jessner's solution, 70% glycolic acid, and solid CO(2). TCA must be applied with a cotton-tipped applicator or saturated gauze pads with smooth strokes. After application, a dry gauze pad must be used to blot the excess TCA from the skin. Postoperative care of 35% TCA peeling consists of cleansing during the following days. Habitually, medium-depth peelings with TCA alone or in combination have no complications. Sometimes, as a consequence of the patient's type of skin, the practitioner's lack of experience or other circumstances, complications such as hyper- or hypopigmentation, erythema, hypertrophiyc and keloid scars, infections, and milia may occur. Deep peeling with phenol has two modalities: unoccluded and occluded Baker's formula phenol. Unoccluded phenol peels is similar to the medium-depth peeling with Jessner's solution + TCA at 35%, but it has the disadvantage that it may produce cardiac and renal complications. This kind of peeling must be applied more slowly, and it is specific for the eyelids in full-face deep peeling. Afterpeel care is the same as that of medium-depth peeling. Complications of deep peelings can be cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic scars, infections, prolonged erythema, pigmentary changes, cutaneous atrophy, and exceptionally toxic shock syndrome.