Yes, glycolic peel treatments may have side effects on some patients, particularly those with extremely sensitive skin.

What Is A Glycolic Peel?

Chemical peels are categorized into three main types: deep chemical peels, medium chemical peels and superficial chemical peels. Glycolic peels fall under the superficial chemical peel category because they only treat the top layer of the skin.  Superficial peels are also called lunchtime peel because of the convenience of the procedure and with treatment time averaging less than an hour, even during your lunch break.

Benefits of the Glycolic Peel

As mentioned earlier, glycolic peels only affect the outermost layer of the skin, thus making it possible for you to renew your skin without having to worry about long recovery periods. Glycolic peels are performed primarily to lessen your skin's roughness as well diminish the appearance of fine lines and minor discolorations. Not only do glycolic peels help improve skin conditions associated with aging, but skin afflicted with acne can also benefit from glycolic peels.

In order to obtain the maximum benefits of a glycolic peel, it is recommended that you complete a series of five to seven treatments.

Side Effects of the Glycolic Peel

Although glycolic peels are lauded for their effectiveness and minimal complications, they are not completely without their side effects. In general however, deep chemical peels are more likely to result in complications as compared to superficial chemical peels. It is important to note however that all kinds of chemical peels make your skin more sensitive to sun exposure. Thus it is important to always protect your skin with a good sun block product everyday after undergoing a chemical peel.

Right after your glycolic peel, you will notice that your skin will be redder than usual and you may experience scaling for about three to seven days. In general however, only one day of complete healing is required after a glycolic peel.