Chemical or mechanic peeling of skin
The Peeling is a skin abrasion, done through acids, sandpaper or laser. Aims the renewal of the skin, from the removal of of the most superficial layers (epidermis and/or derme superficial). With this removal, the skin is renewed from the deepest layers, stayed with rejuvenated aspect: with less spots and wrinkles.
The depth of the peeling depends on the kind of acid or technique utilized. The more aggressive it will be the acid, the deeper will be the peeling, with consequent better results and bigger risk of complications.
The superficial peelings provide a light layer removal, withdrawing barely the most superficial wounds of the epidermis. By they will be less aggressive, do not need rest or recuperation, being able to the patient come back to the activities in the same day.
The medium peelings cause an intense removal of skin layers, needing 7 to 14 days of recuperation. They are more aggressive and effective that the superficial peelings, withdrawing spots and wrinkles of medium depth.
The deep peelings (fenol or CO2 laser) cause to the formation of crusts, which takes until 21 days to fall. They are the more aggressive peelings, needing anesthesia to be done. Due to the reach the deepest layers of the skin, these kinds of peelings provide the best results, but also the biggest chances of complications.
The most recent laser of the market - named Fraxel - promises results of deep peelings, with smaller time of recuperation and without formation of crusts.
In case of of the skin sandpaper, the doctor is who controls the depth of the peeling, being able to vary since the superficial to the deep one.
All medical procedure can have complications. They will be minimized by the correct evaluation of the skin and by the choose of the kind of peeling. As said previously , the deeper the peeling is, the bigger is the risk of complications, the dark/clear spots, scars and infection. Patients with dark skin or orientals present bigger risk of complications than the well clear skin.
The prudent evaluation of the kind of skin and the choice of the peeling are fundamental to avoid complications. Other measures are also fundamental, like prepare the skin for 14 to 30 days with specific creams and avoid the sun before and after the procedure.
Patients that present some illness of skin or active infection should not be submitted to the peeling. Patients that have inactive herpes should be previously treated. People that made use of medicines based on isotretinoína (acutane, roacutane) in the last year are also contraindicated.