Facial Rejuvenation

	Face Lifts
	Eyelid Surgery
	Cheek & Chin Implants
	Brow Lifts
	Lip Augmentation
	Botox
	Photo Rejuvenation
	Facial Peels
	Dermabrasion

Facial Peels

While laser skin resurfacing is the option most used today for facial imperfections treated for years almost exclusively by chemical peels and dermabrasion, these techniques continue to have their places in the plastic surgeons practice.

Without making a single incision, surgeons can erase wrinkles, acne scars and sun spots. Depending on the intensity of the peel and the chemicals used, the results can be quite dramatic, or they may be so subtle that the patient's face simply looks cleaner, smoother and refreshed. While chemical peels do not involve the use of a scalpel, it is crucial that the physician, or in the case of the lightest peels, the esthetician, be experienced and knowledgeable about how the patient's skin will react to the chemical solution.

There are three basic strengths of peels. The phenol peel is the deepest, or strongest. While CO2 laser skin resurfacing as all but replaced the need for phenol peel, it still can help men and women with light skin and deep lines. The phenol peel requires a longer recovery period--about a week to ten days indoors--and costs more than the other peels. But it offers patients the most dramatic results and the benefits of the peel are permanent. The trichloracetic acid, or TCA, peel is second in intensity to the phenol. It, too, can offer dramatic results; however, patients often return to work a day or two after the peel. Glycolic acid peels, those commonly offered in salons and done by licensed skin-care specialists, are the weakest. These peels can be great fixer-uppers for the those whose skin imperfections are mild. They are affordable, and when administered by an experienced doctor or aesthetician, they are safe.

How facial peels are done

The concept of a phenol peel is simple: by applying a solution containing a concentration of 55 percent phenol, the surgeon causes the epidermis, which is the top layer of skin, to gradually fall off. Since the phenol peel affects the full depth of the skin, it can erase deep wrinkles. Phenol peels can be performed on a section of the face, such as around the lips or on the forehead, as well as on the entire face. Patients usually undergo the procedure in an outpatient setting or in the doctor's office.

Trichloracetic acid peels are administered in the same fashion as phenol peels. They are considered medium-depth because the chemical does not reach as far into the dermis and the results are more superficial. Patients can return to work within three to four days and they look like they've had a sunburn and their skin is in the process peeling. Results from TCA peels can last for years, but these peels are generally not as long lasting as phenol peels.

Still milder alternatives to the phenol and TCA peels are glycolic acid peels, which can be used to rid many patients of troublesome surface lines, wrinkles and aging spots, without resulting in the longer recovery periods of the other peels. These can be done during a lunch-hour visit to the doctor's office and the patient can put her makeup on immediately and go out into the sun. Salons and non-medical professionals can dispense these acids at lower and less effective concentrations. The higher concentration products--up to 50 percent--are found only in doctors' offices, and need to be used under a doctor's supervision.

A patient's skin type and coloring are more important factors for determining a good candidate for a chemical peel than a patient's age or sex. Men and women of all ages can benefit from facial peels. Highly pigmented skin, characteristic of Africans and Asians, is generally not good for phenol or TCA peels, as very dark skin can become lighter or blotchy after the procedure. The lighter the skin, the better. Patients with faces full of freckles might lose some of their freckles if they have a peel. Women, who tend to have thinner skin than men, usually heal faster than their male counterparts. Nevertheless, men can get very good results from peels.

Combination cosmetic solutions

Peels smooth the skin--they will not eliminate excess or sagging skin. However, peels can be performed along with other procedures, such as a face lift, to tighten the skin. The patient's commitment to skin care, using natural skin care products, becomes very important in keeping the patient's skin looking young. Dr. Korpeck's in-office, full-time aesthetician offers one-on-one consultations and a full line of skin care and nutritional products, individually tailored to compliment each person's skin type.