Question: I am very fair, blond, and have pretty thin skin around my lips, eyes, and a few other areas. I would like to get a chemical peel but I do not want to risk damaging the delicate skin on my face. Is it possible to get a spot test before a chemical peel to make sure my skin can withstand the treatment?
Answer: It is certainly possible to get a spot treatment of an area using a chemical peel prior to the full face peel but, if you seek out an experienced professional, the likelihood of having any untoward complications from a chemical peel are extremely low due to the fact that we do customize these treatments for each individual’s skin type as well as the skin type in each individual area of the face. In other words, I do not treat the area around the eyes in the exact same way that I treat the area of the cheek or upper lip due to the fact that the skin thickness is markedly different below the eyes than it is on the cheek or the upper lip. By customizing the treatment, we can maximize the improvement in all areas of the face and create a much better result for the patient.