Chemical Peels in Thornton

Common Questions

Do chemical peels hurt? We hear this question a lot, and we get it, thinking about putting acids on your skin sounds scary. The answer: Sometimes.

Everyone’s skin, pain tolerance, concerns, and issues are different. What stings to one person might not even be noticeable to another.  The peels that tend to sting a little more are only left on the skin between 1-3 minutes, so it’s a quick treatment that is usually well-tolerated.

Concerns about pain is one of the reasons we love and use VI Peels. All VI Peels have an ingredient called phenol in them. This is a great acid for several reasons, it can penetrate down to the dermis, the second layer of skin, so it’s very effective in targeting issues like acne scarring and deeper wrinkles. But the main reason we love it so much is that it provides some anesthetic properties as well, meaning that it slightly numbs the skin when applied. VI Peels are applied in layers, with 4-6 layers in the typical treatment. Most of our clients say the first layer of the VI Peel is a little tingly, about a 3 on a 1-10 scale, and the rest of the layers are a 0 to 1.

Will I peel a lot? It depends on the peel used. With VI Peels, peeling is common. The full healing process is about 7 days, with days 3-5 being the most intense. A lot of our clients will get a peel on Wed or Thurs so they can peel over the weekend. By day 6, there is usually just some light flaking around the hairline and sometimes on the neck.

With other peels flaking or peeling is less common but does sometimes happen. Like we said, everyone’s skin is different and it’s impossible to predict how someone will respond to a treatment. The most common thing we hear is that our clients feel a little tight, dry, or scaly for a few days, with some very mild flaking.

I didn’t peel, does this mean the treatment didn’t work? No. Not everyone will peel, and just because you peeled before doesn’t necessarily mean you will peel every time. Numerous factors like skin hydration levels, amount of skin damage present, general skin health, depth of the peel used, etc. all impact the amount, if any, of peeling. Regardless of what you see on the surface, chemical changes and results are still happening in the skin and will contribute to the overall results of the treatment.

How long does it take to see results from a peel? You will see the initial results in about 7 days. You should notice your skin looks brighter, and smoother with a nice glow. Full results will be seen around 30 days because this is the average rate that our skin cells turnover. For our clients who are looking to address bigger issues like acne scarring or hyperpigmentation like sunspots or melasma, a treatment series of 3-6 peels is often needed. We especially love combo treatments like microneedling and peels for these skin concerns.

How often should I get a peel? For general skin maintenance we recommend a peel once per quarter. While in a treatment series, you will get a peel once per month, once you complete the series, we recommend maintaining your results with peels once per quarter as well.

What concerns will a chemical peel treat? Nearly everything. Active acne, acne scarring, rough texture, congested pores, sun spots, melasma, dullness, fine lines, wrinkles, and mildly loose or sagging skin.  

How do I know which peel to book? Great question. Some of our clients are well versed in which peel they want, so we have them all listed out. But we understand the majority of people aren’t sure, so we recommend scheduling the general Chemical Peel appointment. Regardless of the peel scheduled, we always do a complete intake to answer any questions, talk about skin concerns and treatment goals and ensure that the appropriate peel is performed.

If you’re curious about chemical peels, but not quite ready to commit, we recommend scheduling a general consultation. We can talk more about the process and answer your questions more thoroughly.

What’s the difference between a VI Peel and one of the other chemical peels? VI Peels are medium depth peels, which means they penetrate deeper than the other peels we use. This allows for fewer treatments to achieve the desired results. We can get you where you want to be with any of the peels we offer, the factors that we take into consideration when choosing the peel are your skin type, skin concern, goal, budget, tolerance for downtime, and skin sensitivity, amongst other things.