A chemical peel can be used not only on the face

Question:
I saw an interview with a doctor who said that a chemical peel can be used not only on the face, but the neck and hands as well. What’s different about treatment on the face as opposed to the rest of the body?

Answer:
Chemical peels can be and are used on the face, neck, and hands. The purpose of the chemical peel is to tighten the skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce the discoloration we find in sun damaged and aged skin. The difference between the chemical peels performed on the face versus the chemical peels which are performed on the hands and the neck is that the concentration of the chemical peel solution can be much higher, and subsequently stronger, when the chemical peel is applied to the face. The skin of the neck and hands is far too thin for strong chemical peel solutions and complications such as scarring, burns, and discoloration can all occur if the strength of the chemical peel solution is too high.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld