Skin FAQs

What do you mean by “downtime?”

Will I be bedridden for days or weeks? The amount of ‘downtime’ or recovery time depends on the type of peel that you have. A light peel can have no recovery time, while a deep peel will leave you not bed bound, but ‘home bound’ for a week. You will be feeling great, but your skin will need to be covered with a thick emollient as it heals. Once the skin has healed (typically 6-10days), you can wear makeup and be seen in public.

Do laser or chemical peels hurt?

With light peels you may experience a mild tingling. There is some discomfort associated with more aggressive lasers and peels requiring topical and local anesthetic (like dental shots). For a deep chemical peel of the whole face, IV sedation at a surgery center is required. Once the procedure is complete, some burning occurs the first evening, which can be soothed with cold packs; following that, the discomfort is minimal.