Do chemical peels hurt?
Short answer? Nope!
When done correctly, chemical peels shouldn't hurt at all. If a peel is painful, something's wrong. What you might feel is some tingling or warmth on your skin that lasts just a few moments before fading away naturally. Think of it like a slight fizzy sensation, totally manageable and normal.
What Actually Happens During a Peel
Most peels involve multiple "passes" (basically, layers of product applied to your skin). The number of passes depends on your experience level and what your skin can handle. For most people, that's about 4 passes. If you're more experienced and your skin is prepped for it, you might work up to 6.
Here's how it typically goes for a first-timer:
We'll start with a quick chat about what you're hoping to achieve. Maybe you want to tackle some acne or fade dark spots. Then we'll cleanse your skin thoroughly before applying the first layer of peel.
When the peel touches your skin, you might notice that tingly feeling kick in. Your skin adapts pretty quickly, though, and we've got some tricks to help it along, like fanning your face to cool things down or doing light tapping motions on spots that feel more active. Usually, within a few seconds to a couple of minutes, the sensation mellows out.
Then we repeat the process for each pass until we're done. The final step is always SPF, which is super important after any peel.
And that's it! Most people are surprised by how chill the whole thing is.
Why Get a Chemical Peel Anyway?
Chemical peels are basically a really deep exfoliation.Way beyond what your at-home products can do. They're great for:
Treating acne and reducing the look of acne scars
Softening fine lines and signs of aging
Evening out discoloration and pigmentation issues
Improving overall skin texture and appearance
Why Fall is Perfect for Peels
Here's a bonus: Autumn is actually the best time of year to get a chemical peel. Since there's less intense sun exposure, the downtime is easier to manage, and your skin can heal without as much worry about sun damage.
Pretty straightforward, right? If you're dealing with any of these skin concerns and want something more effective than your routine, a peel might be worth looking into.
