Chemical Peel for Acne Scars Q&A

Acne scarring occurs due to inflammation from acne blemishes. The acne pores begin to swell and a breakdown begins to occur in the wall of the pore. Acne blemishes come in all shapes and sizes, some are small and the scars created are shallow and can heal quickly, while the interior of other blemishes spill into the surrounding tissues can cause much deeper scars that are not as easy to heal.

Acne scars take on two main forms either by the scar which develops when there is a loss of tissue, resulting in an indentation on the surface of the skin, or the scar develops on top of raised surface of the skin. 

A popular method commonly used to help reduce the unsightly appearance of acne scars are chemical peels. The potential benefits a chemical peel can offer anyone who may be dealing with stubborn acne-prone or acne-scarred skin include:

● Smoother texture and tone
● Lightening of any dark sports
● Unclogging of pores helps to prevent future breakouts from occurring

Chemical peels work to remove the top layer of the surface of your skin, which then allows the healthy new skin underneath to become present. Chemical peels don’t just work for acne scars or acne-prone skin, they work to maintain and rejuvenate the skin.

This exfoliation process that is completed with a chemical peel kills and removes dead skin cells at the surface of the skin, and then stimulates the body’s natural response to start producing collagen to help fill in the acne scars.

The chemical peel procedure is quite simple and usually takes anywhere from 30 to 45 mins to complete. Our chemical peel for acne scars includes a pre-peel cleanser which helps to remove any trace of makeup or built-up oil and residue from the skin. Once cleaned, we will wipe with an acetone-based alcohol to prevent any uneven penetration from the chemical peel. Our chemical peel is then applied in three easy stages.

Stage 1: Apply our first step of layers, this part can be re-applied up to 3x, and this will depend on the desire penetration rate your specialist is trying to achieve. It will be left to dry on the skin for an average of 10 minutes.

Stage 2: Another application will be applied, and will dry on average of 5 minutes.

Stage 3: Last application, and this application will also be left to dry for an average of 5 minutes.

These stages will offer the penetration needed to help rejuvenate and exfoliate the skin to help treat any acne scars you may have. 

During the procedure, you shouldn’t feel any pain or irritation, you may feel a bit of a burning sensation or tingling sensation, this is all completely normal when receiving a chemical peel treatment.

What to expect after a chemical peel will differ from each patient; however, these are the most common:

● Side effects from a chemical peel which may include
● Redness, tingling, or burning
● Dryness, irritation and mild swelling
● Skin will begin to flake and peel on day two or three
● Breakouts will look slightly darker until they fade
● Side effects begin to subside around the five-to-seven-day mark
● Skin will peel
● One treatment can offer many great benefits and fantastic results
● Your specialist may suggest you skip any makeup until any skin irritation has subsided
● Adjust your skincare routine based off your specialists’ recommendations
● Continue to wear sunscreen daily
● Avoid high temperatures and overexertion, as it can cause redness, tingling and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
● Skin break outs are common after, but they do clear up within days after and your skin will look even healthier than previously
● The results can take time, one treatment may not be enough to combat your acne scars, talk to one of our specialists today about treatment options specific for you

The number of peels a patient will need will differ from each patient to the next, as each individual will have certain issues they want to deal with as well as the severity of the acne, acne scars and the pigmentation left over by the acne. For more information, please call us or schedule an appointment online! We are conveniently located at 2967 South Union Street, Opelousas, LA 70570. We serve clients from Opelousas and surrounding areas of Eunice LA, Lafayette LA, Crowley LA, New Iberia LA, Jennings LA & Baker LA!