FAQ’s about Chemical Peels


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Which Chemical Peel should I have?

This is entirely dependant upon your skin type, your expectations of the peel (severity of skin complaints that you wish to be alleviated), whether you can afford to take recovery time and the amount that you are willing to spend.

  • Superficial chemical peels- ideal for slight skin imperfections, minimal recovery time, relatively inexpensive. Likely to require repeat sessions.
  • Medium depth chemical peel- good treatment for more notable skin complaints, around 1-2 weeks downtime, mid-range price. May require repeat sessions.
  • Deep chemical peel- not advisable for Afro-Caribbean skin. The strongest chemicl peel, greatest downtime (months) and most expensive. Most significant results, unlikely to require repeat sessions.

How Much will a Chemical Peel Treatment Cost?

The price varies dependant upon the strength of the chemicals used within the chemical peel. Effectively, each chemical peel is tailor-made to suit the individual and therefore until your skin has been thoroughly analysed it is impossible to quote an exact figure.


Approximate figures highlight that the more penetrative (the stronger) the chemical peel, the more costly the treatment is.

  • Superficial (mild) peel: single session for £60 (would require repeat sessions for greater improvements to the skin)
  • Medium depth peel: TCA- 4 sessions for £500
  • Deep peel: one-off treatment £600 to £2000

What Skin conditions can Chemical Peels help to improve?

Chemical peels have been utilised to combat a wide variety of skin ailments (including acne) and skin complaints: superficial wrinkles, age spots, hyperpigmentation, light stretch marks, dark circles under the eyes and many more.

Which areas of Skin can be Treated with a Chemical Peel?

Most commonly the face is treated with a chemical peel but the body can also be chemically peeled too.

Who can treat me with a chemical peel?

Superficial peels can be performed either by a nurse or an aesthetician (beauty therapist). If your skin requires a stronger form of chemical peel the majority of doctors, surgeons and nurses will be qualified to perform a chemical peel.

Will it hurt?

Superficial chemical peels are likely to cause a tingle sensation in the skin after the peel has been performed but they are unlikely to cause pain. Medium depth peels are likely to make the skin slightly sore but this slight discomfort can be allievate by a cool fan or compress to the area of skin.

Phenol (deep) chemical peels are most likely to cause pain. As a result the client will be given an anaesthetic, prior to the peel, to reduce any potential pain that they might experience.

Are there any side effects of Chemical Peels?

After the chemical peel the skin will appear to be red, may feel itchy and tingle slightly but these are only temporary effects. However, regardless of the chemical peel you are treated with, these side effects will occur.

Conversely the most serious side effects such as hyperpigmentation, causing acne and scarring etc. are limited in there frequency. The majority of serious side effects are a direct result of poorly administered peels.

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