Chemical Peels in Philadelphia

Yes, when applied by professionals like those at About Face Aesthetics, chemical peels are highly beneficial for your skin. We can safely and effectively address your skin concerns with our medical-grade chemical peel options.

Our professional chemical peels in Philadelphia contain powerful concentrations of trichloroacetic acid (TCA), glutathione, and retinoic acids—ingredients that create a “controlled injury” to the skin. This “peels” away dead skin, activates the body’s natural healing response, and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, proteins that create firmer, tighter, healthier skin.

When used incorrectly, these ingredients can cause permanent scarring, chemical burns, or post-inflammatory pigmentation—dark spots that appear after treatment. Never attempt to apply a professional-grade peel yourself.

Entrusting your skin in the hands of our expert providers, who always take a safety-first approach, minimizes these risks while restoring your skin.

Professional chemical peels in Philadelphia and those applied at home have differences in the included ingredients, product concentration, and the skin concerns they address.

Most at-home chemical peels contain just 5% to 10% concentration of active ingredients—usually salicylic or glycolic acid. While these skincare acids can exfoliate dead skin, reduce inflammation, and unclog pores, the remaining 90% of the solution is water, moisture-boosting ingredients, and calming agents.

These additions dilute the chemical peel for a safer at-home application, diminishing its overall efficacy. These peels can help with maintenance—only removing the uppermost skin layers—but won’t address deeper scarring or textural concerns.

Professional chemical peels, applied by our medically trained providers, can include glycolic and salicylic acid alongside more potent ingredients such as trichloroacetic (TCA) or retinoic acids.

These chemicals penetrate deeper into the skin, yielding significant improvements in hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, and collagen production. The concentration of ingredients can range from 20% to 70%—a significant increase from that of at-home peels.

Additionally, professional chemical peels should only be used in clinical settings. Our About Face providers undergo medical training and lead with a safety-first approach, minimizing risks such as chemical burns or permanent scarring. Professional peels are more powerful, the results are far more noticeable, and the application requires an expert hand.

Chemical peels in Philadelphia can be good for a huge variety of skin imperfections. Some of the common complaints we treat with chemical peels include dry skin, poor tone and texture, acne, acne scarring, and so much more.

When it comes to how long the results of your chemical peel last, you’re the master of your own destiny. Your at-home habits are the most important factors in optimizing and extending your results from chemical peels in Philadelphia.

Following your appointment, our About Face experts explain our post-care guidelines and answer any questions you may have about protecting your skin. Patients should regularly apply a gentle moisturizer and avoid laser treatments to combat the top 3 factors that shorten your results.

Follow these guidelines for the longest-lasting results:

• Avoid Prolonged Sun Exposure: While it’s no secret that sunburns negatively impact your skin’s health, most clients ignore the risk of general sun exposure. UV rays can trigger melanin production, leading to sun spots, age spots, or hyperpigmentation.
• Stop Unhealthy Habits: External beauty is a reflection of your inner wellness—unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking or high sugar intake can damage your skin. These factors speed up the breakdown of collagen, the protein that maintains your skin’s structure and firmness. Our professional chemical peels in Philadelphia stimulate new collagen production, but unhealthy habits can dull that restoration.
• Change Poor Skincare: Skincare doesn’t begin and end with your visit to About Face Aesthetics. Prolonging your results continues after your chemical peels. While our experts recommend pausing products with intense active ingredients post-treatment, reintroduce these products once your provider has approved them. Incorporating a gentle retinoid or antioxidants into your routine prolongs the regenerative benefits of your peel.

Yes, a lot of our patients see great results after just one peel! Several of our peel options deliver an immediate glow, while others take only one peel to flake off the dull, dead skin and reveal the fresh surface below.

About Face Aesthetics offers a variety of chemical peels in Philadelphia, each with its own varying strengths and purposes.

Skinmedica Illuminize Peel

• The Illuminize Peel delivers an instant glow with no downtime.
• This chemical peel service is suitable for all skin types.
• Those with a wide range of skin imperfections will notice a visible improvement.
• Great for skin that is dry, congested, dull, discolored, acne prone, aging, etc.
• Enhance your skin’s glow and radiance
• Improves skin tone and texture.
• Recommended for first-time chemical peel patients, or those looking for immediate results with no downtime.

Skinmedica Vitalize Peel

• The Vitalize Peel is the most popular SkinMedica peel.
• Smooth your skin’s texture and enjoy a glow.
• For anti-aging, Melasma, sun damaged, and acne-prone skin.
• Made of a proprietary blend of ingredients to help rejuvenate the skin.
• Visible improvements are achieved after one treatment; however, the best results are attained after a series of treatments.
• The Vitalize Peel combines resorcinol, lactic, salicylic, and retinoic acid (at the provider’s discretion)
• Provides dramatic improvement in texture and tone.
• The renewal process stimulates a 55% increase in collagen production.
• Safe for all skin types.
• Minimal downtime. (There may be 2 to 3 days of flaking.)

Skinmedica Rejuvenize Peel

• Strongest Skin Medica peel
• Provides deep rejuvenation and significant skin correction.
• Tighter, younger, clearer skin will be noticeable after one chemical peel service.
• The best results are usually achieved after a series of 3 to 6 treatments.
• The Rejuvenize Peel is an effective treatment for those with sun damage, Melasma, pigment changes, and acne scarring.
• Multiple layers of damaged skin peel away with each application.
• With anti-irritant properties, there is a reduction of skin irritation typically associated with other peels.
• Despite the strength of this peel, it is well tolerated with minimal downtime. (There may be up to 4 to 5 days of flaking.)

SkinCeuticals Pigment Balancing Peel

• SkinCeuticals one-step pigment balancing peel can all erase freckles, acne scars, brown spots, and sun damage.
• Especially wonderful for darker skin tones, the ingredients in this treatment are designed to target hyper-pigmentation.
• Promotes accelerated skin renewal.
• Results are visible after the first treatment, with optimal results achieved after 4-6 treatments. (Individual results may vary.)

Perfect Peel

• The Perfect Derma™ Peel is safe, effective medium-depth chemical peel service for All Skin Types & Ethnicities.
• This product is almost painless, with no pre-peel skin preparation and little downtime.
• The Perfect Derma™ Peel is the only peel with the powerful antioxidant Glutathione, which lightens and brightens the skin, while slowing the aging process and preventing wrinkles.
• Improve the overall clarity, tone, and texture of the skin.
• Reduce or eliminate hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and Melasma
• Improves acne and reduces acne-related scarring.
• Stimulate the production of collagen, resulting in firmer, more youthful skin.
• Reduce the appearance of pore size.
• Powerful ingredients include TCA, Kojic Acid, Retinoic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Phenol, Vitamin C, and antioxidant Glutathione.

SkinCeuticals MicroPeel

• This enhanced chemical peel service offers immediate hydration, exfoliation, and brightening results with zero downtime.
• Includes glycolic acid for gentle, effective exfoliation.
• Includes lactic acid for hydrating and giving a “red carpet glow.”
• Includes phytic acid for additional brightening, with antioxidant properties to fight free radical damage—ideal for reducing the appearance of pores and blemishes.
• These peels are wonderful for improving the appearance of epidermal lines, pigmentation, and pore size.
• Safe for women who are pregnant / breast-feeding with your OB/GYN’s approval.

BioRePeel

• Little to no downtime
• Summer safe
• Safe and effective for all skin types
• 35% TCA chemical peel
• Targets hyperpigmentation, acne, skin texture, skin tone, and improves overall clarity

Following our pre-care and post-care advice will help ensure successful results from all of our options for chemical peels in Philadelphia!

What to Do

• Use sunscreen with at least SPF 30
• Use a gentle facial cleanser
• Use moisturizer as often as needed to relieve dryness, tightness, and itching
• Apply sunscreen throughout the day—once in the morning is not enough to protect you!

What to Avoid

• Exposing yourself to direct sunlight for 1 week
• Using Retin-A, retinol, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), or bleaching creams
• Facials, facial hair removal, microdermabrasion, and laser treatments
• Scrubbing your skin with exfoliating products or washcloths