Chemical Peels for Surface Scars

A chemical peel can look like the cheapest line on a scar treatment menu, which makes it an easy add-on to accept without asking what it will do.

Before saying yes, weigh what a peel can do for surface scars, what the healing involves, how often peels are repeated and who is told to think twice. Those four points also make a fair comparison with a bigger-ticket option.

What a peel does to a surface scar

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery says chemical peels improve the appearance of mild scarring by using a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of old skin. The new skin that replaces it is usually smoother and less irregular in appearance. For acne scars, the society gives the same account, saying the new skin is usually smoother and less scarred in appearance.

The word to notice is mild. The guidance describes an improvement in appearance, and it ties that improvement to mild scarring. A menu that lists a peel next to deep scar work without that distinction is worth a question.

What the procedure feels like

The society describes the steps. The skin is cleansed, and then one or more chemical solutions are applied. These applications produce a controlled wound, enabling new, regenerated skin to appear. Most patients experience a burning sensation that lasts about five to 10 minutes, followed by a stinging sensation.

Because the peel is a controlled wound, ask the provider which solution is planned and how deep it is meant to go, since the guidance treats light and deeper peels differently in the sections below.

Healing and downtime

Afterward, the society says, patients experience a reaction similar to sunburn in the treatment area. Patients may experience redness, followed by scaling within three to seven days. They may also have swelling. Following medium and deep peels, blisters will crust, turn brown and peel off within seven to 14 days.

For a reader pricing an add-on, the healing days are part of the cost to weigh. Ask what they will involve before booking. The society's page on chemical peels for scars describes the aftermath in more detail.

How often peels are repeated

The society says light peels may be repeated in one- to four-week intervals, while medium-depth peels may be repeated every six to 12 months. The gap between those two schedules is large.

A package that promises a series of peels should say which depth it uses. A series of light peels and a single medium-depth peel are different purchases, and the guidance suggests they are repeated on very different timetables. Ask what the schedule is and what the price includes at each visit.

Cost and candidacy

The society says chemical peels offer a relatively inexpensive option for improving the appearance of scars. It also says fair-skinned and light-haired patients are better candidates for the procedure, and for acne scars it calls peels a good choice for fair-skinned individuals.

Cleveland Clinic adds a caution. It says superficial peels can generally be used on all skin types, but a darker skin tone carries a greater risk of a darkening of the skin after treatment, a condition called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. A low price does not settle whether a peel suits a particular reader. Ask about this risk by name, and ask how the provider would handle it.

The society's overview of chemical peels covers the peel depths and their uses in more detail.

Who is told to think twice

Cleveland Clinic says sags, bulges, deep scars, deep facial lines and more severe wrinkles don't respond well to chemical peels. It says that if these are your concerns, other cosmetic procedures, such as carbon dioxide laser resurfacing, a face lift, brow lift, eye lift or soft tissue filler, will be better options.

It also says chemical peeling may not be recommended for people who have a history of abnormal skin scarring, who have extra coloring in their scars, who have skin conditions or take medications that make their skin more sensitive, or who can't stay out of the sun for the healing period.

Each item on that list is a question to put to a provider before paying. A cheap peel that does not fit the scar is not good value, however low the price looks.

Matching the peel to the scar

The guidance describes a peel as a relatively inexpensive option aimed at mild scarring, and Cleveland Clinic says deep scars don't respond well to it. Match the peel's depth to the scar, ask how many visits are needed, plan for healing and sun avoidance, and confirm the risks that apply to your own skin tone and history. A general page on scars and stretch marks is a useful cross-check on any menu.