What risks are linked to deep peels?
Read the risks before you read anything else about a deep peel. The passages below come from one primary document about chemical peels, and they name two risks.
What the document says
my.clevelandclinic.org names a change in skin color: "In certain skin types, there’s a risk of a temporary or permanent change in the color of your skin." It also names scarring: "There’s also a low risk of scarring in certain areas of your face and certain individuals may be more prone to scarring."
Reading them as directives
Tell your provider your skin type and anything you know about how you scar. Both passages say the risk depends on the person, so those two facts decide how much each risk applies to you. The passages are written about chemical peels in general, so ask how each one applies to a deep peel.
Steps before you agree
- Write down how your skin has healed after past injuries.
- Ask the provider which skin types they consider at risk of a color change.
- Ask which areas of the face they consider at risk of scarring.
- Ask what they would do if the skin did not heal as expected.
- Read the Chemical Peels overview and a review of evidence and considerations for chemical peels with your questions in hand.
A narrower study
A split-face study of trichloroacetic acid and phenol spot peels for freckles shows how one peel comparison is reported.
If the answers are unclear
Near Saline, Michigan, do not sign a consent form for a peel until you can state the two risks above in your own words.