Are you looking for a chemical peel good for dark skin? Many people want to know if there are any skin peels that can help with discoloration and hyperpigmentation, but since discoloration comes from sun damage and aging, there really aren’t many chemical peels that target those issues directly. If you’re looking to get rid of discoloration or prevent more from happening in the future, you may want to consider using lasers or other light-based treatments.
You may find it hard to access the right information on the internet, so we are here to help you in the following article, providing the best and updated information on Is chemical peel good for dark skin, Amazing Chemical Peel Benefits You May Have Not Known. Read on to learn more.
Is Chemical Peel Good For Dark Skin
Exfoliating agents such as professional chemical peels, enzymes and at-home skin care treatments are a great option in treating hyperpigmentation for all skin colors, especially darker skin tones. Most quasi-medical or laser treatments are too invasive for skin of color and actually can cause more hyperpigmentation in the end.
Chemical peels are the best and safest way to reduce brown spots and hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones. However, treating SOC with chemical peels without a pre- and post-treatment regimen, and chemical peels that are too deep or done too frequently can potentially cause hyperpigmentation (brown spots) or hypopigmentation (white spots).
Chemical peels are great for Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), Melasma and some brown spots. The darker skin you have, the more prone you are to these conditions. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation can a be caused by acne/pimples, burns, scratches, excessive dryness and other minor skin traumas, as well as chemical peels and different types of lasers.
Melasma (seen mostly in women) is usually caused from hormone (birth control pills + pregnancy) shifts or imbalances and inflammation/sun exposure. No matter what your skin color is, always start conservatively with any skin-care treatment or product. It is easier to increase the strength gradually than to begin too aggressively and have to reverse post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. We call these progressive peels.
Prepping with a pre-home care regimen before a peel is an absolute must for skin of color. Gradually and gently preparing the skin will give it time to adjust and avoid post-peel complications. It can be as simple as having a gentle wash with a low percentage alpha hydroxy acid and an quality SPF. Sunblock / sunscreen is not all created the same and it is not as simple as purchasing a “45SPF”.
Occasionally, we recommend skin lighteners too, depending upon the severity of acne and hyperpigmentation. However, lightening agents, especially those containing prescription and non-prescription hydroquinone (HQ), can contain thick, pore-clogging ingredients that provoke acne.
Rather than overexposing skin with a high percentage chemical peel, I suggest starting with progressive peels. Progressive peels are superficial and do not cause immediate exfoliation. They are also good for preparing for more aggressive, medium depth peels with mild sloughing. Progressive peels are usually performed every two weeks, but I advise once a month in skin of color clients to avoid over-stimulating the skin and potentially causing hyperpigmentation.
I always send my clients home with 1% over-the–counter (OTC) hydrocortisone lotion to apply post-peel three to five days as an insurance policy to help stave off hyperpigmentation. It helps to reduce inflammation, which can trigger hyperpigmentation and acne breakouts. It also makes for a good spot treatment for acne.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Whether hydroquinone, also known as bleaching cream, is safe for the skin is a serious and important debate. Over time, hydroquinone can become less effective and cause ochronosis (skin darkening), especially in darker skin tones. Although rare, I do recommend 2% hydroquinone in my practice, but never as a long-term indefinite part of anyone’s, especially skin of color clients, skin-care routines. I use other more “natural” lightening agents that typically take longer to see results, but are safer and tend to be longer lasting.
Hydrocortisone (not the over-the-counter ones at the drugstore) is not to be used for long periods of time. It can thin the skin and exacerbate skin disorders like acne, rosacea, and perioral dermatitis. With mild, progressive peels, this light cosmeceutical formula of Hydrocortisone can sometimes double as a moisturizer and temporarily help hydrate post-peel dry and acne-prone skin.
Amazing Chemical Peel Benefits You May Have Not Known
Smoother, younger-looking skin is hidden just beyond the surface—literally.
Why not peel back old, damaged skin to reveal a healthier layer underneath?
In 2018, chemical peels were among the most popular minimally-invasive procedures. With over 1.38 million procedures requested, chemical peels are third behind Botox and soft tissue fillers.
Today, more people are choosing this treatment option to experience numerous chemical peel benefits. It’s not solely for movie stars and celebrities, either! With a single treatment, you’ll start noticing the difference.
Ready for younger-looking, softer skin? Keep reading to discover the seven benefits of getting a deep chemical peel!
1. Give Your Skincare Products a Boost
During your treatment, a dermatologist will apply a solution of chemicals to the surface of your skin. When removed, the chemical peel will take dull surface skin cells along with it.
Shedding the topmost layer of your skin will tell living skin cells to multiply and move to the surface. This signals your body to boost collagen production, which will improve your skin’s elasticity. The reaction increases natural hyaluronic acid production, too.
As a result, your skin will begin to look and feel younger.
Smoother skin appears more radiant. It’s also more receptive to skincare products.
After a chemical peel, you’ll notice your skincare products will perform better. Now there are no longer dead skin cells at the surface of your skin. This makes it easier for your products to penetrate the skin’s surface and get to work!
2. Easy Exfoliation
At the beginning of your treatment, a professional will first thoroughly clean your skin. Then, they’ll apply a chemical solution (such as glycolic or salicylic acid) to a small area of your skin. Most chemical peels have a gel-like consistency.
This layer creates a controlled wound. You’ll feel a slight burning sensation, which lasts about 10 minutes. When the chemical solution is removed, new skin will take the place of old skin.
This process allows the chemical peel to reach deeper than other solutions.
One of the reasons many people request a deep chemical peel is to experience smoother-looking skin. Chemical peels also improve your skin tone and texture.
After removing dead skin cells, the peel will also deposit skin-healing ingredients into your skin. Now you’re exfoliating and giving your skin a boost.
If you’re looking for a skincare treatment that will leave your skin feeling like silk, try a chemical peel.
3. Minimize Sun Damage
A chemical peel benefits patients with hyper-pigmentation as well.
Hyper-pigmentation causes some patches of skin to appear darker than others. While normal, increased skin pigmentation sometimes occurs if you’re suffering from another condition. For example, Addison’s disease sometimes produces hyper-pigmentation.
Requesting a mild chemical peel can help heal your sun spots, freckles, and other pigmentation problems. Sun damage can also age your skin, causing fine lines and blotchiness.
With a chemical peel, you can ease these symptoms by treating your wrinkles to appear younger!
4. Control Melasma
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentary disorder that’s often resistant to certain treatments. While a common, chronic form of skin hyper-pigmentation, melasma can negatively impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.
In some cases, melasma is caused by hormonal surges. Patients who are pregnant may notice an increase in melasma during and after their pregnancy. While taking a birth control pill can help balance hormones and melasma, there still isn’t a permanent cure for this condition.
Many patients treat their melasma with sunblock and hormone management.
Other patients have found that a chemical peel benefits their melasma as well. If you’re noticing an increase in pigmentation problems, try a chemical peel for dark spots.
5. Soften Fine Lines
There are three main types of chemical peels you can choose from, ranging from mild to deep. Each formula can help treat different skin issues. The best option for deep scars and wrinkles, however, is a deep peel.
Unlike other peels, which may require more than one treatment, a single deep chemical peel often provides results after one session. However, you’ll need longer (about six to 12 months) to heal after a deep peel.
Deep peels are popular among older consumers.
These peels can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles near the forehead, eyes, and mouth. For moderate lines, a medium-peel is also effective.
After a medium or deep peel, make sure to protect your skin from the sun. Wear a hat and a layer of SPF sunscreen. Otherwise, you could permanently change your skin’s texture or color.
Protecting your skin after a deep chemical peel will also help prolong the treatment’s results.
6. Reduce Acne Marks
Some chemical peels can help ease your acne breakouts. They can also help reduce scarring from skin blemishes.
Chemical peels unclog your pores and remove blackheads from the surface of your skin.
At the same time, they’re also able to deposit ingredients into the skin that help your post-pimple marks fade away.
The best chemical peel for acne will contact salicylic and lactic acid. Salicylic acid also lingers in your skin’s pores. This allows the acid to keep the pores clear over a period of time.
You can also ask about acids like trichloroacetic acid to help scars fade away.
Unlike resurfacing lasers, choosing a chemical peel will require no downtime. It’s also safe for all skin tones. A surfacing laser could also result in an acne flare-up, so a chemical peel benefits acne-prone skin better than this alternative treatment.
7. Easily Customizable
The market for chemical peel facial rejuvenation is expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2026. One of the reasons for this popularity is the fact that chemical peels are low-risk. They’re safe for every skin color and don’t come with a risk of hyperpigmentation.
Doctors can also mix and match different acids to address specific skin concerns.
Since chemical peels are easily customizable, you don’t have to worry about a one-size-fits-all approach to your skin!
Chemical Peel vs. Laser Treatment: Which Is Best for You and Your Skin?
From acne scars, wrinkles, dark spots to uneven skin tones, chemical peels, and laser treatments have been claimed as the “magic” treatment that can powerfully rejuvenate your skin and reveal smoother and younger skin.
Though both resurfacing procedures share the goal of combating aging signs and improving the overall skin appearance, the question is which one is right for you.
The answer depends largely on your preferred level of intensity, your skin concerns, time, and cost consideration.
Procedures & Level of Intensity
Peels and lasers come in different levels of intensity and can be tailored to each patient’s need or skin condition. The varying levels of intensity allow you to get your desired results while minimizing potential side effects.
Chemical peels use acid solutions of varying strengths to remove the top layers of the skin. There are 3 types of peels: superficial, medium, and deep peels.
- Superficial peel: gentle and utilize mild acids to lightly exfoliate the skin.
- Medium peels are more intrusive and can target the middle and outer layers of skin.
- Deep chemical peels are the stronger, using the most powerful acids to penetrate and remove the damaged skin cells.
Nowadays, most peels work superficially or at a medium level. Super-deep chemical peels are most often replaced by lasers.
Laser resurfacing treatment emits beams of light to penetrate the skin and target either pigment, hemoglobin, or water in the skin.
- Targeting pigment: eliminates age spots, dark spots or sun spots
- Targeting hemoglobin: reduces redness, scars, stretch marks.
- Targeting water: treat wrinkle and fine lines.
There are two types of lasers: ablative and non-ablative
- Ablative lasers: are more intense and vaporize the skin to provide the best results.
- Non-ablative lasers: are less intrusive and heat the skin without destroying it. Multiple sessions are needed for the best results.
The laser allows for a more precise removal process.
Benefits
There is some overlap in the benefits of chemical peels and laser treatments. Both procedures remove old skin to promote new skin growth. These two treatments are commonly used to treat
- Acne Scars
- Hyperpigmentation
- Fine Lines and Wrinkles
- Sun damages (age spots)
Laser treatments are superior to chemical peels in how controllable and precise it is. It’s easier to just target an acne scar or a few spots on the skin with a laser. The laser is also better for deep collagen remodeling. If you are trying to address wrinkles or sagging skin, lasers will be a better option.
Skin Tones
People with darker skin tones are more suitable for chemical peels in regard to hyperpigmentation issues.
Dark skin tones are often prone to hyperpigmentation issues because of an increased amount of melanin in the skin. Chemical peels use an acid solution to stimulate collagen production that better penetrates darker skin and treats pigmentation.
Cost
On average, laser treatments are more expensive than chemical peels. The exact prices vary depending on many factors including treatment types, anesthesia used, the expertise of practitioners, etc.,
Chemical peels begin at $100 for the most basic peels and can range up to $4000 for full-face peel, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeon.
Laser skin resurfacing with ablative lasers can cost around $2000 and non-ablative treatments are around $1000.
Which Treatment Is Best for My Skin?
First of all, you should understand the exact skin tissue you’re trying to address. If the condition can only be addressed by one of the treatments exclusively, then you have your decision. If the condition can be treated by either procedure, consider the pros and cons of each option.
Pros and Cons of Laser Treatments
Pros:
- Target more precisely the treated area. As the depth, energy and treated skin areas can be easily controlled with a laser, the procedure can be individualized to each person.
- Fewer treatments with a lower risk of scarring.
- Address multiple skin problems at the same time
- More useful with deep wrinkles and sagging skin
Cons:
- More expensive. Ranging up to $2000 for a single session.
- Require more than one treatment to see results.
The efficacy of the laser treatments depends a lot on the knowledge and skill of the practitioners.
Pros and Cons of Chemical Peels
Pros:
- More useful in treating acne, uneven skin tones, and textures, large pores.
- Cheaper. An average cost of about $700.
Cons
- A series of chemical peels might be needed to achieve the best results.
- Unlikely to significantly improve deeper scars or wrinkles.
At the end of the day, it’s always important to have a consultation with a skin expert to determine your treatment options and treatment plan. Sometimes, a combination of the procedure with alternating sessions will be recommended. During your initial consultation, the provider can examine your skin types, skin tones, discuss your aesthetic goals, and budget to help you inform the best decision.
Am I a good candidate for chemical peels or laser treatment?
Chemical peels and laser treatments are not recommended if you:
- have an active infection in the treated areas.
- have a history of keloid or hypertrophic scars.
- have darker skin tones (certain types of chemical peels and laser resurfacing treatments don’t work)