| Procedure: |
Restore wrinkled,
blemished, unevenly pigmented, or
sun-damaged facial skin, using a
chemical solution to peel away
skin's top layers. Works best on
fair, thin skin with superficial
wrinkles. |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours for
full face. |
| Anesthesia: |
None; sedation &
EKG monitoring may be used. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Full-face phenol peel may require
admission for 1 to 2 days. |
| Side Effects: |
Both:
Temporary throbbing, tingling,
swelling, redness; acute sensitivity
to sun. Phenol: Permanent lightening
of treated skin; permanent loss of
ability to tan. |
| Risks: |
Both: Tiny
whiteheads (temporary); infection;
scarring; flare-up of skin
allergies, fever blisters, cold
sores. Phenol: Abnormal color
changes (permanent); heart
irregularities (rare). |
| Recovery: |
Phenol:
Formation of new skin: 7 to 21 days.
Normal activities: 2 to 4
weeks. Full healing and
fading of redness: 3 to 6 months
TCA: New skin within 5 to 10 days. |
Duration of
Results: |
Phenol:
permanent, although new wrinkles may
form as skin ages. TCA: variable
(temporary). |
