I’ve been super excited to write about this treatment mostly because of how underrated it is. As you all know, I have acne prone skin and I can honestly say that subsequent chemical peels spread about a month apart have really helped control my breakouts.

Let’s start with the basics, shall we?

A chemical peel is a medical grade facial – meaning only a medical provider can administer it – that effectively exfoliates various layers of the skin depending on the depth.

Chemical peels utilize different acids to target specific skin concerns.The chemical peels that I’m normally treated with are more mild acids like a mandelic acid or a Jessner peel which includes lactic acid, salicylic acid, and resorcinol.  Both of these peels are effective yet provide very minimal downtime due to the larger size of the acid molecules.

A few common acids used are (from weakest to strongest):

Mandelic

Jessner

Glycolic

Pyruvic

Trichloroacetic (TCA)

The process of getting a chemical peel is broken down into 3 main steps – prepare, apply, and neutralize. The provider talks you through the whole process asking how you are feeling throughout and assessing your skin for any signs of frosting or blanching. While frosting occurs due to the acid drying on the skin, blanching is a more serious complication that can result in a deeper penetration of the acid therefore more downtime and usually more peeling. The brighter the area where the skin turns white, the deeper the peel has penetrated.

While a chemical peel may be intimidating at first, it is well worth getting over the initial fear in my opinion. The next few days after the treatment I always notice visible results as my skin is brighter and smoother while improving skin clarity and tone! It also undeniably keeps my acne breakouts at bay.

The best thing about a chemical peel is that it can really be customized to your skin’s needs – whether that be redness, hyperpigmentation, or acne. Each acid has a completely different affect on the skin and can be tailored to your skincare needs and goals. But the more frequently you get them, the longer lasting results you will notice.

Watch below as I take you through my own experience getting a chemical peel – in this case, a Jessner peel.

Just remember: amazing things happen when you step outside your comfort zone!