CHEMICAL PEEL
IN BARCELONA

What is a chemical peel and what is it for?

Peeling treatment (chemical peel) is a technique used to increase collagen, reduce dark spots, improve texture and overall appearance of the skin by applying specific chemical solution that targets problem areas.

Sometimes it helps to give a little boost to natural processes. Human skin continually exfoliates, shedding dead cells and replacing them. But it does not always do so as quickly as we would like. That is when treatments like chemical peels can speed up the process.

Periodic exfoliation of the skin helps stimulate cellular activity and can be used to treat a variety of skin problems: from age spots to acne, enlarged pores and pre-cancerous growths. At Sants Institut de Barcelona we offer peeling treatments that exfoliate either lightly, moderately, or aggressively, depending on the chemical used.

What is a chemical peel?

Most people do not think of their skin as an organ, but it is, the largest organ in the human body. Our skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the fat layer. Chemical peels deal mainly with the epidermis, blistering the top layer, but can also penetrate the dermis layer. The skin's surface loosens and eventually sloughs off, allowing new, unblemished skin to take the place of old, dead, damaged cells. Chemical peels are an easy, non-invasive option for skin rejuvenation. Cleopatra was an early advocate of chemical peels. She used sour milk, which contains lactic acid, as an exfoliating agent. The Romans also used tartaric acid found in grapes.

What skin problems can be treated with chemical peels?

Chemical peels do not treat deep facial lines and cannot tighten loose, sagging skin. But they are excellent for fixing these skin problems:

• Sun damage
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Pigmentation problems
• Age spots
• Acne and acne scars
• Freckles
• Skin blemishes