Chemical peels can help improve the appearance of the skin by treating both superficial to mid depth lines and skin discolorations.
Dr. Vaca uses trichloroacetic acid peels (TCA), which when properly and safely administered, will penetrate the superficial and middle layers of the skin, resulting in a brighter and more even skin complexion.
TCA chemical peels can be performed as in office procedures or in the operating room, and are often performed in combination with other surgical procedures.
Chemical peels work by penetrating and denaturing targeted layers of the skin. The treated skin layers will then gradually peel off and the new layer of skin will regenerate from below.
When properly and safely performed, a TCA chemical peel penetrates and treats the superficial and mid layers of the skin - therefore, a TCA peel will treat patient concerns limited to these areas of the skin including superficial lines and superficial skin pigmentation concerns.
A TCA chemical peel does not treat the deep layer of the skin (reticular dermis) and therefore these deeper layer skin concerns will not be treated.
While risks of a major complication are thankfully rare, risks can include skin hypopigmentation (pale appearing skin), undercorrection, and skin burns and scarring if the peel is performed too deep. This is why being conservative is key; many patients will benefit from several successive TCA peel treatments for optimal results (instead of 1 aggressive treatment) to minimize the risk of complications.
Mid-depth TCA peels are not recommended in patients with darker skin tones due to an increased risk of hypopigmentation in these patients.
Temporary redness and peeling is a normal part of the healing process and resolves within 2 - 3 weeks.
Occasionally, skin resurfacing procedures cause underlying herpes virus skin sore flares. Therefore, all patients are instructed to take antiviral medication for a total of 5 days, beginning 48 hours prior to skin resurfacing procedures.