Chemical Peels

Chemical peels at Pacific Plastic Surgery Group in San Francisco use controlled acid formulations to exfoliate and resurface the skin, addressing dark spots, melasma, sun damage, acne, and fine wrinkles. Performed in a board-certified plastic surgeon's office in San Francisco's Civic Center, peels are available in superficial, medium, and deep variations matched to the patient's skin condition and recovery tolerance.

Chemical peels at Pacific Plastic Surgery Group leverage the clinical knowledge of a board-certified plastic surgery team to select and apply controlled chemical exfoliation agents at the appropriate depth and formulation for each patient's skin type, concern, and downtime tolerance. A chemical peel works by applying an acid or acid blend to the skin surface, causing controlled chemical exfoliation of the outer epidermal layers and, for medium and deep peels, the superficial to mid-dermis. This induces a wound-healing response — the exfoliated layers shed and new, healthier epidermis regenerates with improved texture, tone, and reduced dyspigmentation. Superficial peels use low-concentration alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic) or salicylic acid to gently exfoliate the stratum corneum, improving skin texture and radiance with no meaningful downtime — appropriate for mild pigmentation, acne, and general skin maintenance on any Fitzpatrick skin type. Medium-depth peels use trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at concentrations of 20–35% to penetrate into the papillary dermis, effectively treating moderate sun damage, melasma, superficial acne scars, and fine lines. Recovery involves redness, peeling, and flaking for approximately five to seven days. Deep peels — including phenol-based formulations — reach the reticular dermis and can dramatically improve deep wrinkles, severe photoageing, and actinic keratoses, but require longer recovery and are not suitable for darker Fitzpatrick skin types. In a plastic surgery office setting, deep and medium-depth peels are performed with the physician's oversight and with appropriate pre-treatment skin conditioning (typically using retinoids, hydroquinone, and SPF for four to six weeks prior). The clinic treats dark spots, melasma, sun damage, acne, and fine wrinkles. A series of peels spaced appropriately achieves progressive improvement. Sun protection post-peel is essential. Located at 77 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco.