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Phone 512.401.2500 | Fax 512.401.2501
2745 Bee Caves Road, Suite 101
Austin,
Texas
78746
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Question:
What is an AHA peel?
Answer:
AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid. Lactic acid and Glycolic acid are examples of AHA. These peels can be different strengths and can be applied for longer intervals to produce a varying level of peel. They are usually a superficial epidermal peel performed in the office to improve skin tone and texture and allow for better penetration of serums.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’ve seen a lot of over the counter facial peels. How are these different from chemical peels at a doctor’s office?
Answer:
A chemical peel offered at a doctor’s office includes ingredients which are not available over-the-counter. These ingredients will be targeted at the specific concern of the patient and will allow for a deeper treatment with more comprehensive results. We also perform surgical strength peels in which the entire epidermis and a portion of the dermis is removed to allow for an even greater degree of improvement. These are performed under anesthesia.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I love the results I’ve seen online with chemical peels. I’ve got some sun damage and minor wrinkling. Can this be improved with a chemical peel and would I need to have repeat treatments to maintain the results?
Answer:
There are many options to improve sun damage and minor wrinkling. Good skin care is the first step and we prefer PCA Skin Care. We can then further improve the skin with multiple different therapies including light chemical peels, Fraxel laser, intense pulse light, fractionated CO2 laser or deep chemical peel. Selection of the procedure depends upon the degree of aging and photodamage as well as the patient’s tolerance for recovery time. A good SPF moisturizer should be used everyday to prevent any further damage to the skin.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
Is a skin pinch a good option if you have loose skin underneath your eyes? Is this considered part of eyelid surgery or a different procedure altogether?
Answer:
A skin pinch can be a good option for reducing the skin under the eyes. It is considered part of an eyelid procedure in our practice. More often however, we use a chemical peel or laser to tighten the skin under the eyes, as redundant skin is often associated with excess wrinkling.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
These days almost everything is digital and high tech-even in the aesthetic world. Is a chemical peel done by mostly surgical instruments or is it hands on like a facial?
Answer:
A peel is performed by taking a solution and applying it to the face using an applicator. Applicators vary from cotton balls to Q-tips or even paintbrushes. There is not a high tech applicator that I am aware of.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
What is a salicylic peel? What does it do?
Answer:
Salicylic acid is a light peel used to remove dirt and oil from the skin as well as to remove a portion of the epidermis. It is most often used for patients with acne as it has antibacterial properties and tends to clear up active acne.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
What type of skin most benefits from a chemical peel?
Answer:
Chemical peels or most useful for patients with skin of European descent. Patients with darker skin types cannot tolerate heavy chemical peels because of pigmentation problems. Darker skin types also tend to have thicker skin and have less wrinkling. Chemical peels are very useful to treat pigmentation abnormalities as well as wrinkles.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
What is a TCA peel?
Answer:
TCA stands for trichloroacetic acid. We usually utilize a solution called Jessner’s as a preparation for the TCA. The strength of the TCA we use is 35%. There is usually an IV sedation given then the peel solution is then applied. The solution penetrates and causes peeling of the skin in the mid dermal level resulting in improvement in pigmentation irregularity as well as wrinkles. Weaker strengths of TCA can also be used in the office for lighter peels.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’m from Round Rock and looking to have some type of chemical peel. What types of chemical peels do you perform?
Answer:
We perform a variety of chemical peels in the office to address different skin conditions and recovery time allowances. These are performed by a registered nurse and usually have one to 3 days of recovery. We also perform a surgical strength peel, trichloracetic acid, under anesthesia and is utilized for more significant pigmentation or facial wrinkling. This requires 10-14 days of healing time.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
What is the difference between dermabrasion and a chemical peel? How does each treat the skin?
Answer:
Both dermabrasion and chemical peel are different means of resurfacing the skin. A chemical peel was performed by applying an acidic solution to the skin which penetrates and causes the skin to peel. Different levels of solution can be applied to cause differing levels of correction and improvement. These differing levels entail varying length of recoveries. Dermabrasion is a mechanical sanding wheel which removes the outer layer of the skin. It can also be done to different levels however, in general it is used for significant scarring or deep wrinkles. The recovery from dermabrasion is usually significant and while the results can be impressive it has the highest risk of scarring and loss of pigmentation.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
