People often get confused when it comes to chemical facial peels, as there are so many different treatments available depending on the strength and depth of the peel. A chemical peel basically works as an exfoliator, eradicating dead skin cells and allowing the new skin to come to the surface. This can be incredibly beneficial for treatment of aging skin, fine lines and wrinkles and acne scarring.

Depending on the severity of your condition, there are different treatment strengths available from varying sources and at varying costs. The depth the peel penetrates the skin is based on -

• the acidity level

• the percentage strength (eg. 20% glycolic for a mild peel)

• the amount of time it is left on the skin

Mild Chemical Peel

Mild peels only penetrate the epidermis (the outer layer of dead skin) and as such are much more superficial and require less downtime than the stronger options. These are generally glycolic acid cream-based products, and what you would regularly receive in a day spa administered by an aesthetician. For milder skin conditions or imperfections, you would definitely still receive great benefit from these treatments, and should notice a difference in your skin's brightness, softness and smoothness with little to no recovery time required.

Most of your 'at home chemical peels' would also fall under this banner based on the strength of their ingredients. In saying that, some of the best chemical peel products I've used have been ordered online and have been a fraction of the cost of a spa treatment, so do your research!

Moderate to Strong Chemical Peel

Stronger peels are generally administered at medical spas, as a doctor is required on the premises before these treatments can be used. These are able to penetrate into the dermis (living part of the skin) and as such can have much greater and longer lasting impact on your skin condition. These treatments are very common for moderate acne scarring, and in fact worked wonders for mine a couple of years ago.

One of the more popular and commonly known moderate peels are TCA peels (Trichloroaetic Acid) and are available at most medical spas. They will generally leave some redness and peeling for a few days but normally nothing drastic enough to keep you away from your daily routine.

Strong Chemical Peel

Phenol peels are the strongest chemical peel solution available, and they can only be administered by a plastic surgeon. They are considered somewhat of a last resort, so definitely look into some of the milder alternatives before jumping into the deep end.

In some cases they can be quite painful and some are even performed while the patient is under the effects of an anaesthetic. You may also need to have up to 10 days of recovery time while your skin heals and the new skin is allowed to come to the surface. But now onto the good stuff.. Phenol chemical peels can create a vast improvement in the appearance of your skin, with the effects still visible for up to 20 years. A single treatment, although very expensive, is generally all you’ll need to see a dramatic improvement in the ageing of skin, acne scarring, freckles and skin hyperpigmentation removal.

Chemical peels are an extremely effective treatment for skin conditions which are too deep for regular topical products to reach. Do your research as to which is the best chemical peel for you, one that suits your requirements and your budget, and you should hopefully be able to avoid the pitfalls that can sometimes occur.