So many people suffer from acne at some point in their lives, it is not surprising that many patient visits to a dermatologist are related to this skin condition is some way. While acne occurs most frequently during teen-age years, some adults are also coping with this problem on a long-term basis.

Using Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are recommended in treating acne because they remove the skin's surface layers and expose the layers below, which are unaffected by the condition, and the risk of complications is low. Before beginning treatment, you should discuss the status of your health, your medical history, and the outcome you expect with a cosmetic surgeon. Your physician will base all recommendations on the color of your skin, the sun damage you may have suffered, the amount of oiliness in your skin, and the seriousness of your condition.

As a rule, chemical peels benefit those who suffer from acne scars or superficial acne, and they also help to reduce wrinkles and improve skin pigmentation. They are often combined with dermal fillers, microderabrasion, and laser resurfacing, according to the patient's particular needs.

The various types of chemical peels in use today, depending on the seriousness of the patient's condition, include the following:

• Phenol is used in the most serious cases, and because of intense facial swelling afterwards, recovery takes a while.
  
  
• Trichloroacetic acid is recommended for those who need a medium-depth chemical peel, and it is used to treat blemishes and fine wrinkles. Patients notice an improvement in their skin in approximately a week.
  
  
• Alphahydroxy acid is a light chemical peel, and it is popular with patients because no recovery time is needed. For approximately 24 hours, some redness or flaking of the skin may occur, but the results are usually evident after that.