Complications of Chemical Peels

Complications of Chemical Peels

No matter where the treatment takes place, at home or at the dermatologist’s office, the risk of complications can exist when doing a chemical peel.

A few of these are listed below. This list, however, should not be considered all-inclusive.

Some Tingling or Burning

Some tingling or burning is normal; however, it should not be so uncomfortable as to cause major discomfort. If this occurs, tell your doctor immediately, or if you are doing a home chemical peel, proceed directly to the instructions for removing the solution.

Skin Infections

It is possible for acid peels to cause small sores or open wounds. And, anytime the skin is broken, the risk for infection is there. Keep your hands away from your face while the skin is in the peeling process. Use triple-antibiotic ointment as directed to keep skin moist and help protect from infection. If an infection occurs, seek medical help as soon as possible.

Cold Sores

If you are susceptible to cold sores, it is possible that a chemical peel will cause you to have an outbreak. If this happens, treat the cold sore as you normally do, if indeed you do treat it, but use a cotton swab or cotton ball to apply the cold sore medication so that it will not get onto your healing skin. If these worsen, or it seems as though the frequency has increased greatly, you may need to consult your health care professional.

Hyper-pigmentation

This is the fancy word for a darkening of the skin. This can sometimes occur with a chemical peel, especially when a tca chemical peel is used. Causes of this can be a too-strong solution, or the solution was left for too long on the skin. If this occurs, there is little that can be done for it.

Few or No Results

The solution may not have been strong enough, or your skin may have had more damage than was previously thought. You will have to wait until a sufficient amount of time has passed before you can repeat the treatment.

Scarring

If the solution is too strong, it can literally burn the skin, causing permanent scarring. This can sometimes happen when phenol, the strongest of all ingredients used in a chemical acid peel, is used.

Bruising

It is possible to suffer bruising from acid peels. After all, the skin has been damaged and some bleeding may have occurred under the skin (which, after all, is what a bruise is.) If bruising is still evident after the majority of the healing process has occurred, you may wish to consult a health care professional.
Weeping or Open Sores

These are very prone to infection, which can often spread from the skin to other areas of the body, or even within the body. KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE, and blot the areas gently, if necessary. Use clean cotton swabs to apply triple-antibiotic ointment to each place, and wash your hands thoroughly both before and after you do so.

Post-treatment Infection Within the Body

Again, it is possible for you to get an internal infection, such as staph or another bacterial infection. If this happens, you must see your doctor so that a course of antibiotics can be started.

Medical Complications

These are very rare, but they can occur. They can include severe internal infections such as those mentioned above or even chemical poisoning. Again, although it is very rare, this has been known to happen when phenol is used for a chemical peel.

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