Better Skin Through Chemicals

In New Jersey, that title sounds like a slogan for a Newark chemical company. But here in Little Silver, we mean it as chemical peels, which basically force your outer skin to exfoliate. Chemical peels remove dull, dead skin, revealing new, smoother, younger-looking skin beneath. We provide different degrees of chemical peels to suit the different goals of our patients.

What can you treat with a chemical peel?

Most of our chemical peels at Dr. Hetzler’s are done on the face, but they can also be used on the neck and the backs of the hands. Here are the skin issues they can address:

• Lessen the appearance of wrinkles caused by sun damage and aging
• Treat certain types of acne
• Minimize fine lines, especially those under the eyes and on the corners of the mouth
• Reduce the appearance of freckles, age spots, and melasma
• Improve the overall appearance of the skin

Types of chemical peels

It can sound harsh but the goal of all chemical peels is to destroy certain parts of the skin to encourage the growth of new skin cells. With more than superficial peels, there is noticeable skin peeling that lasts from a day to two weeks. The duration depends on the penetration and type of the chemicals used in the peel.

• Superficial peels— These are mild peels usually done with acids derived from fruits, called glycolic acids. Superficial peels may have some light peeling over the next day or two, but nothing extreme.
• Medium peels— These peels usually involve trichloroacetic acid. They penetrate more deeply into the skin, causing a second-degree burn on the skin. There will be peeling and crusting with medium peels as the skin begins the process of rebuilding.
• Deep peels— Phenol acid is used in deep peels, which are the deepest penetrating peel. They are only used on the face to avoid scarring elsewhere. These peels involve the most crusting of the skin and require the longest recovery time. Patients usually need to take at least one week off work, and will need to be very diligent about blocking their peeled areas from sun exposure. Deep peels also deliver the most skin rejuvenation.

If you want to peel away some of the old dull skin and reveal brighter, younger-looking skin beneath, call Dr. Hetzler at our Little Silver offices, (732) 219-0447, and ask about our chemical peels.