Chemical peels should be performed by licensed professionals who have been specially trained to do the procedure. There are risks associated with this procedure, such as redness, crusting, and scarring, but usually these side effects are only temporary.
If you have heart problems or a family history of heart disease, you should consult with your primary care physician before getting a chemical peel to make sure that it is safe for you.The reason that you should go to your regular doctor with this question and not to the person who is performing the peel is because your regular doctor will have a better understanding of your health and background, and he or she also will definitely not have any ulterior motives when making the judgment as to whether or not you should go ahead with the procedure.Also, if you have frequent cold sore breakouts, you should be warned that you may have a moderate to severe outbreak following your chemical peel.While this is not a major risk, it is something that you should consider because you may not want to deal with a breakout if you have professional or personal obligations.
In order to reduce your side effects after a chemical peel, you should make sure to follow all of your post-peel instructions. Your plastic surgeon should give you these.You will most likely be told to stay out of the sun and to keep your skin moisturized with a moisturizer than contains sunscreen, at least SPF 15.Your doctor may also advise you to start using Retin A as a pre-treatment to your chemical peel.Depending on your skin type and the degree of your skin problems, you may be advised to use Retin A for over a month before getting a chemical peel.While this may be unwelcome news to you, it is best to follow the doctor's orders explicitly so that your peel yields the best possible results.If you are getting your chemical peel so that you will look great for a special event, make sure that you get it done at least two weeks in advance so that any redness or swelling has stopped in time.
