Chemical Peel Season: Exploring the Phenol Peel

With the change in weather and the nice crisp air, peel season begins. While we can continue safely to perform superficial chemical peels during the summer weather it is much safer to save the deep peels for the cool weather when the sun is fading faster in the day. All peels make the skin more sun sensitive for a period of time, but the deeper ones cause sensitivity for a longer period of time. When I left surgical practice, it was my goal to find solutions that were not surgical for common problems. I traveled to Barcelona to learn the technique with Dr Philippe Deprez.

Sun damage and the effects on the skin both precancerous and aging are problems that can be helped with chemical peels. These techniques have been around for hundreds of years and even date back to Egyptian times. Many improvements have taken place since for both efficacy and safety. Many fear the chemical peel, but when used appropriately, it can be one of the most successful routes to improved skin health and appearance.

We have many options available but today I will focus on phenol. In the early sixty’s practitioners began using phenol for chemical peels. There was significant improvement in skin texture and pigmentation as well as tightening. Phenol was associated with some early complications, the most significant loss of pigmentation. Since the peel solutions have continued to evolve and safety has improved.

The best patient for phenol has more sun damage and associated visible aging. In fact, the more sun damage one has the better the result. This treatment is not just for those looking for improvement of the appearance of the skin but also for those with significant sun damage and precancerous changes. 

Who is a good candidate for phenol? If your have wrinkles and texture changes associated with aging and sun exposure and want to improve your skin health and appearance, you are a potential candidate for chemical peel with phenol.