When dealing with chemicals, the last thing you want is a bad experience, especially when those chemicals are being applied to your complexion. If you’ve decided to get a chemical peel to refresh your face, it helps to know what steps you can take to properly prepare your skin for this treatment and to guarantee the best results.

Since you’ve already got an appointment set for your peel, you’ve more than likely already done a consultation with a physician. Keep in touch with your physician and ask any and all questions about the process you may have. Discuss your medical history as well as what medication you are currently using. Your doctor may ask you to discontinue any current medications for a few days or even weeks prior to your chemical peel. It is important that you follow all your doctor’s directions and advice.

If you are a smoker, quit or cut back as much as possible at least one month before your scheduled peel. The presence of nicotine in the body can actually slow down the skin’s healing process as well as increase the likelihood for infection. Be sure to tell your doctor that you are a smoker during your consultation and follow any advice given relating to this subject.

Your doctor may prescribe you medication that will help your skin prepare for the chemical peel treatment. Such medications include Retin A, AHA cream, and/or Hydroquinone. Depending on your skin’s needs, you may have to use these medications well before your schedule peel - sometimes as early as a month or more. This stage serves to properly prep the skin for treatment by thinning the skin’s surface layer. This allows the ingredients in the chemical peel to effectively penetrate into the skin for optimal results.

Since the chemical peel tends to cause redness, crusting, flaking, peeling and stinging, you may want to schedule your peel for a day when you don’t have to go into work. The appearance of peeling and red skin may not be one you’ll want to flaunt at the office. These side effects tend to go away after a few days.

In order to maintain the best results, most doctors will recommend a series of about three peels, scheduled in one-month intervals. Afterwards, most patients tend to go back to start the process all over again every 6-12 months. Other precautionary measures you’ll want to take up in order to prepare for your peel include: avoiding the use of facial scrubs, facial masks, tanning products on the face, staying out of the sun, and not plucking, bleaching or waxing any area of the face.

In terms of follow-up care, your doctor may suggest certain treatments to do at home to enhance the results and boost the skin’s healing and regenerative process. Cryotherapy and hydrating facials are common follow-up routines for chemical peels. Cryotherapy involves the use of dry ice that removes flaking, peeling skin and enhancing the healing process. Hydrating facials are recommended four days after the cryotherapy treatment to soothe, protect and moisturize your skin.

Related Articles
	Facial Laser Peel Treatment. Is it Worth it? If you have ever considered getting a facial laser peel treatment done, you probably had questions about the procedure and whether it would work for you. If so, you’re not alone. Many people who have considered a facial laser peel procedure want to know whether or not it will help with a specific   ...Read more		TCA Peels: What They Do and How They Do it If you would like to improve the overall smoothness of your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, a TCA peel may be right for you. TCA stands for trichloroacetic acid and is considered to be what is called a medium chemical peel. Basically, a solution of TCA is applied to your   ...Read more