Medium-Strength Freshening Peels
Offer Patients A Remarkable Improvement,
and A Controllable Outcome!

WHY GET A PEEL? Light to medium “freshening” peels are probably the quickest, most effective way to achieve fresher, younger-looking skin with a minimum of risk and downtime. Fine lines, freckling, melasma, blotchiness, sun damage, surface scars, and dull, weathered skin--all classified as “superficial” skin damage brought on by time, trauma and exposure--can be erased from the face, neck, chest and hands. Because peels have been in use for this purpose for over 30 years, they have a well-established protocol and good predictability. Peels actually wound the skin, enlisting the body’s natural healing power to produce a new surface. By removing the build-up of irregular, dead cells from the skin’s surface, we encourage a smoother, prettier complexion to emerge. For best results, we want to wound just enough to get healing, but not so much as to leave damage. Dr. Duffy recommends a conservative and on-going approach. Time bestows a certain amount of damage on the skin and it takes time to clear it away.

UNCOVERING A BRAND NEW YOU. Freshening peels cause the top layers of skin cells to dry up and peel off in about a week’s time. During this time, the skin will look as if it has had a bad sunburn, so some patients choose to sequester themselves for a while. Each patient’s skin will respond and progress differently, depending on the strength of the solution, the depth and the extent of the damage to be cleared. Always, there should be no sun exposure for 4 to 6 weeks following a peel. Freshening peels work wonders by themselves or in combination with other modalities, such as spot dermabrasion to correct scars, spot laser resurfacing for perioral lines and/or injectable fillers to fill in depressions as needed. Dr. Duffy also likes the laser for stubborn brown spots and pigmented lesions. Whatever your unique requirement, your skin’s superficial damage is improvable through good care and diligent management.

Peels Can
Remove Years From Your
Skin’s Appearance.

TURNING BACK THE CLOCK. From the before-and-after sequence above, you can see the nature of the changes that a medium strength peel effects. The “before” photo shows crepey lines beneath the eyes, on the lids and at the corners; there is some brown splotchy pigment at the jawline. The “after” photo shows smoother skin all around the eyes, brown pigment gone and the overall character of the skin is rosy and healthy, with the sallow quality of the “before” photo gone.

FAST TRACK OR SLOW TRACK. Dr. Duffy will work with you to establish a timeline for you and document your progress with photographs. You might opt for a series of lower strength peels and more gradual results to avoid a hiding period and missed work. Always, your care will be tailored specifically to your skin and your lifestyle.

WHAT TO EXPECT. Some initial dryness, redness and puffiness, until the skin accommodates. We take a comprehensive history before beginning and advise you of some precautions to take to avoid side effects. For the most part, side effects are manageable and easily countered.

METICULOUS AFTERCARE IS THE KEY TO A GREAT RESULT. Gentle care of newly exfoliated skin is critical. Best results are seen with patients who follow aftercare directions carefully between office visits. The pay-off is clearer, younger-looking skin, reduced sallowness, fewer brown spots and blotches, more even pigment and an overall better texture with fewer lines and wrinkles. The basic instructions are: No sun. NO “picking,” scrubs, buff puffs or depilatories. Substitute a mild soap-free cleanser while healing. Use cremes provided to control redness and inflammation while healing. Call the office, if you have any question of what to do in a particular instance.