Question: How long does it take to get a chemical peel? I heard that you need several treatments.
Answer: There are a multitude of various chemical peels available and the timing of the peel and its longevity and whether or not multiple peels are needed is highly dependent on what specific chemical peel is performed. There certainly are some chemical peels that can be applied in a matter of minutes and most likely would therefore require multiple treatments in order to give the affect that is desired. Other chemical peels, such as phenol-based peels, need to be applied over about 45 minutes to an hour and the deepest of these peels would be performed typically in an operating room setting under either heavy sedation or general anesthesia. This type of peel would not typically need to be repeated due to the fact that it is such a deep peel and creates such significant skin changes that continued improvement is seldom necessary. Ultimately, it is very important to seek out an extremely experienced professional if you are considering one of these more invasive, deep, and riskier peels.