My Skin Has Sun Damage: Can a Chemical Peel Help?

You may love being outside in the sun, but over the years, all of that sun exposure causes changes in your skin. If you’ve worked outside or go to the beach or the pool regularly when the weather’s good, you’ve likely seen the accumulation of changes. They’re accentuated as you age. 

At A Beautiful You Medical Spa, board-certified physician Kenneth Thompson, MD, and our expert medical aestheticians work together to rejuvenate your skin to keep it looking fresh and youthful. And, yes, a chemical peel can help resolve sun damage. 

How does the sun damage my skin? 

Collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep your skin soft and silky, break down more quickly with extensive time in the sun over a number of years. Without an adequate supply of these proteins, your skin begins to show fine lines and wrinkles.

The loss of collagen and elastin means your skin loses its softness and elasticity. The texture of your skin may thicken and become hardened with a leathery quality. Lines in your skin can become sharp grooves. 

Sun exposure over a number of hours also creates a reaction in your body that produces melanin, a dark pigment. It’s nature’s way of trying to protect your skin. You experience it as a tan. Sometimes the cells producing melanin start sticking together. These appear as brown or dark spots on your skin. 

Finally, too much sun can cause precancerous spots with rough, scaly skin. The condition is called actinic keratosis. 

How can a chemical peel help my skin? 

A chemical peel treats all of the problems that sun damage causes, so it’s a terrific solution if you have a variety of skin imperfections from too much sun, including:

• Dark spots
• Uneven skin tone and texture
• Fine lines
• Scars that stand out
• Dull-looking skin

We use only the highest quality chemical peels, individualized for your specific needs. We assess your skin condition and recommend one of three peels: light, medium, or deep.

We thoroughly cleanse your skin, then apply the chemical solution, which contains specific acids geared to your skin’s needs. The solution stays on your skin for a few minutes. We give you a cool compress if you need it for any discomfort. Then we remove the solution. 

The chemical peel creates micro-wounds in your skin cells. This process triggers the production of new collagen and new skin cells. The solution causes the top layer of damaged skin to flake off in the days after your procedure. 

In a few days, as the old skin cells die, you see healthy new skin that has replaced your blotchy sun-damaged skin.

Recovery time is different for light, medium, and deep peels. We give you written post-peel instructions. With a light peel, you can expect redness and flaking for 3-7 days. With a medium peel, recovery is 7-14 days. A deep peel requires 14-21 days for your skin to heal. 

Call our Memphis, Tennessee, office or request an appointment online today for a skin rejuvenation consultation.