What it is
A chemical peel is controlled chemical exfoliation. A medical-grade solution is applied to the skin for a specific dwell time, the surface layers are dissolved at a calibrated depth, and the skin sheds and remodels over the following days. The new surface is smoother, more even in tone, and has triggered a measurable response in the underlying dermis.
Peels are categorized by depth — superficial (glycolic, lactic, salicylic), medium (Jessner, TCA), and deeper formulations. Depth is matched to the indication. A patient with surface dullness needs a different peel than a patient with melasma or fine lines, and the difference is not cosmetic.
Chemical peels are one of the oldest tools in dermatology because they work. They are also one of the most often misused — the wrong agent on the wrong skin type produces hyperpigmentation, scarring, or no result at all.
How Dr. Brown approaches it
Peel selection at Esvie starts with the patient’s Fitzpatrick type, skin barrier integrity, current topical regimen, and the specific concern. A patient with melasma on a Fitzpatrick IV is not a candidate for the same peel as a patient with photodamage on a Fitzpatrick II — the agents and depths are different, and the consequences of getting it wrong are different.
For surface texture and dullness, a superficial glycolic or lactic acid peel — minimal downtime, repeated in a series. For melasma and pigmentation, agents that target tyrosinase and melanocyte activity, often paired with a topical regimen between sessions. For fine lines and photodamage, medium-depth TCA. For active acne and comedones, salicylic.
Dr. Brown performs every peel herself. Pre-peel and post-peel topical regimens are part of the protocol — the peel itself is one component of the work.
For deeper resurfacing concerns — significant wrinkling, advanced photodamage, or atrophic acne scarring — Dr. Brown will recommend CO₂ resurfacing or microneedling RF instead. Chemical peels have a ceiling; she will say so before recommending a series.
What to expect
Day of treatment: Topical numbing is applied for some peels and not others depending on depth. The peel solution is applied in timed passes; expect a stinging or burning sensation that lasts seconds to a few minutes per pass. Cool compresses and a fan are used through the procedure. Skin will be pink to red afterward.
Days 1–2: Skin feels tight, looks slightly bronzed or dry. Continue gentle cleansing and a bland moisturizer. No retinoids, acids, or active ingredients.
Days 3–7: Visible peeling and flaking, particularly around the mouth, nose, and cheeks. This is the treatment working. Do not pick, pull, or accelerate the peeling.
Week 2: New skin is fully visible — smoother texture, more even tone, and brighter surface quality.
Weeks 3–4: Underlying remodeling continues. For melasma and pigmentation, results build across a series of three to six peels spaced four to six weeks apart.
Candidacy
Good candidates have texture concerns, pigmentation, melasma, sun damage, mild fine lines, or active acne — and want a non-device treatment with predictable downtime. Chemical peels are versatile across most skin types when the agent is matched correctly.
Not a candidate with an active herpes simplex outbreak in the treatment area; antiviral prophylaxis may be required for patients with a history of cold sores. Not a candidate with open wounds, active infection, or a recent aggressive resurfacing treatment in the area. Not a candidate within six months of finishing isotretinoin. Pregnancy and nursing limit which peel agents are appropriate — Dr. Brown will tell you which options remain.
If your goal is significant collagen remodeling or treatment of deep wrinkling, peels alone will not get you there. Microneedling RF or CO₂ resurfacing is the more appropriate tool, and Dr. Brown will say so plainly.