Chemical Peel

Medical-grade chemical peels at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery in New York City, ranging from superficial glycolic acid peels to light-medium Jessner's and VIPeel formulations, medium-depth TCA and ZO 3-Step peel, deep-medium Jessner's plus TCA, and deep Baker-Gordon phenol peel. Addresses photoaging, wrinkles, pigmentation, acne, and skin texture. Downtime varies from none to two weeks depending on peel depth.

Chemical peels at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery span the full range of peel depths available in a medical aesthetic practice, from zero-downtime superficial peels to deep phenol peels requiring one to two weeks of recovery. The peel selection is matched to each patient's skin concerns, Fitzpatrick skin type, and tolerance for recovery time. Superficial glycolic acid peels use alpha-hydroxy acid at concentrations that affect only the outermost stratum corneum and uppermost epidermis; they require no recovery time, improve skin brightness and surface texture, and are appropriate for maintenance use or for patients with sensitive skin who cannot tolerate deeper treatments. Light-medium formulations including the Jessner's peel (a combination of lactic acid, salicylic acid, and resorcinol) and the VIPeel address the full epidermis and begin to stimulate upper dermal collagen, making them effective for mild pigmentation, early photoaging, superficial acne scarring, and improving skin tone. These produce mild flaking for three to five days. The medium-depth TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peel and the ZO 3-Step peel penetrate into the papillary dermis, producing more pronounced frosting at application and controlled wound healing that results in significant improvement in fine lines, irregular pigmentation, and early actinic keratoses. Recovery involves redness and peeling for seven to ten days. The deep-medium Jessner's plus TCA combination extends penetration into the upper reticular dermis for deeper wrinkle correction. The deep Baker-Gordon phenol peel — the most aggressive formulation available — penetrates into the mid-reticular dermis to address severe photoaging, deep perioral wrinkles, and significant rhytids not addressable by other non-surgical means. It requires one to two weeks of recovery and carries risks (cardiac monitoring during application is required for phenol), making it appropriate only for selected patients with significant photoaging. All peels are followed by strict sun avoidance and broad-spectrum SPF to protect the newly resurfaced skin during the remodelling phase.