Are You a Candidate for a Peel?

If you simply want to smooth and refresh tired-looking skin, you're likely a candi­date for a light peel performed at a qualified surgeon's office. Likewise, if you have dark or black skin, your best choice is a light peel, because it is less likely to cause any pigmentation change. Most people can work these peels into their schedules with minimal time off from work.

If you're fair-skinned, you may also be a good candidate for a medium peel. For medium-toned or dark skin there is some risk of irregular pigmentation, however. Be aware that healing can take up to two weeks, so you may want to plan a short vacation around your scheduled procedure.

Modified deep peels are recommended only for people with fair skin - they are not advisable for medium, dark, black, or very oily skin. Recovery may take one to two weeks, with redness lasting up to six months.

Preparing for Your Peel

	Choose an aesthetic surgeon who specializes in the procedure you desire. A well-trained and highly competent surgeon should be kind, warm, and professional. The surgeon and his or her staff should be easy to talk to.Your entire experience should be a positive one. - Dr. Kriston Kent

If you are using Retin-A ™ (retinoic acid) or a similar product as part of a skin care regimen, you should stop using it for two to three days prior to your peel. The technician doing the peel should be made aware of your Retin-A use since it will affect the penetration of the peel solution. Otherwise, cleansing is the only preparation needed for a light peel. You simply wash your face with the cleanser provided at your doctor's office when you arrive.

For a medium peel or modified deep peel, your doctor may recommend that you pretreat your skin for several weeks with a prescription cream such as Retin-A.This exfoliates the skin and allows the solution to penetrate more deeply. Your doctor will instruct you on whether you need to discontinue using the Retin-A before your peel. If one of your problems is dark spots or blotchiness, a bleaching cream, hydroquinone, might also be added to boost your skin's pretreatment conditioning. This cream suppresses the melanin in the skin, causing dark spots to lighten. Using the cream also lessens the risk of pigmentation problems after the peel. If you tend to get cold sores, your doctor will prescribe prophylactic (preventative) antiviral medications to suppress any new outbreak, which might spread from the lips into a treated facial area.

Before a modified deep peel, you'll need a medical checkup. Any deep peel patient who plans to undergo intravenous sedation should be checked for heart or renal (kidney) problems since the procedure carries a slightly increased risk for those with heart or kidney problems.

Stop smoking for at least a week before your appointment, and avoid alcohol. Both will impede healing - smoking constricts blood vessels and alcohol dehydrates your tissues, which need their natural fluids for repair. Start taking your antibiotics as instructed.These are prescribed because a modified deep peel leaves dermal tissue exposed, and as with any wound to the skin, it's important to prevent infection. Arrange for someone to drive you home afterward and help you for 24 to 48 hours; you may be light headed from the residual anesthesia.

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