During a chemical peel, an acidic substance is applied to the skin. The treatment can improve and refresh the complexion and stimulate collagen production, which can contribute to firmer, more elastic skin. It cleans the skin deeply, can positively influence pore quality and pore size, and can help make pigmentation appear more even.

By applying different acidic substances, a peel removes keratinised and dead skin cells. This stimulates the skin’s own regeneration mechanisms and cell renewal. The formation of elastic and collagen fibres is encouraged, as is the production of the skin’s own moisture-binding substances such as hyaluronic acid and other glycosaminoglycans.

Depending on the penetration depth and the selected peeling agents – which are always tailored to your individual skin condition and needs – different layers of the skin can be renewed. After a treatment cycle, the skin may look visibly smoother and more even, the pores finer and the complexion more radiant.

Chemical peeling is particularly suitable for treating acne and very superficial acne scars, for gently and safely improving discolouration, pigmentation spots and melasma, and for firming and smoothing the uppermost layer of the skin. It can therefore improve superficial fine lines and skin firmness. Overall, a chemical peel can lead to a fundamental improvement in the appearance of the skin.

Gentle peels such as fruit-acid or salicylic-acid peels are very popular because they are comparatively mild and work with naturally occurring acids. They can improve minor skin concerns such as blemishes, fine crepey lines and mild pigmentation irregularities. Regular repetition is important if a lasting improvement is to be achieved.

In our practice, we particularly like to use combination peels. These are ready-made formulations that already contain several different acids in order to achieve a broader effect, for example SRT Peel.

Chemical peeling is very suitable for treating the skin of the face, neck, décolleté and backs of the hands. It can also be used for rough areas on the upper arms or thighs, for example in keratosis pilaris.

After a superficial peel, you can usually return to your normal activities immediately. Mild redness and fine local flaking may occur for one to three days. After a medium-depth peel, you may not feel presentable for around five to seven days, so it is best to plan a few days off.

To support an optimal result, we recommend the following after treatment:

• After medium-depth or so-called laser peels, visible flaking of the skin can occur. This may temporarily limit your social activities.
• Follow our instructions on cleansing and skincare carefully. Please do not use your own creams or other skincare products unless discussed with us.
• For the first two to three months after treatment, adequate UVA and UVB protection is essential. Direct sun exposure should also be avoided during this period.
• Smoking can impair blood circulation in the skin and mucous membranes and may therefore increase the risk of delayed wound healing. Avoid heavy smoking shortly before treatment and for some time afterwards in order to support regeneration of the facial skin.

Yes. Depending on the type and depth of peel as well as the individual skin condition, chemical peels can be repeated. The appropriate interval and number of treatments depend on your skin, the products used and the desired result. We will create a suitable treatment plan for you and explain which aftercare measures should be followed between sessions.

Chemical peeling can also be combined with other treatments offered at our private practice for dermatology and aesthetics in Munich. Depending on the findings, this may include an additional hyaluronic-acid filler treatment or pretreatment with BTX. We will be happy to advise you on combinations that are useful and individually tailored to you.

We first carry out a careful professional skin analysis so that we can select the appropriate Aellas™ product for you. The following options are available:

• Aellas™ Glyco-Eye
  This is a special gel developed for the very sensitive eye area. The peel can help the skin around the eyes appear firmer and fresher. Fine lines, small wrinkles and milia – tiny keratin-filled cysts located near sebaceous-gland ducts – can be reduced.
• Aellas™ SRT
  This is an ideal entry-level product. The superficial peel produces an immediate refreshing effect and is suitable for all skin types and age groups. It can improve the overall appearance of the skin.
• Aellas™ Jessner
  This refreshing peel can refine and smooth the skin surface. We particularly use it for uneven skin tone, pigmentation spots, melasma and blemishes.
• Aellas™ TCA-Jessner
  Medical peeling can also be used as part of an anti-ageing concept. This formulation is particularly suitable for age spots and sun damage and can also be used for superficial wrinkles, including around the mouth, small acne scars and enlarged pores.

For peeling treatments in our Munich practice, we use innovative patented products from Aellas™. We chose them because Aellas peels use established ingredients and their development incorporates current scientific advances. This allows us to offer patients a treatment that is comparatively comfortable and gentle while still being effective.

The peeling products are also available for different skin types and indications. Combined with additional Aellas products for preparation and aftercare, they allow us to address a wide range of skin-improvement goals.

Peels with higher concentrations of trichloroacetic acid, or TCA, can be used to treat different types of wrinkles, acne scars or actinic keratoses while also firming the skin. Both treatment success and downtime depend largely on selecting the appropriate concentration. The concentration determines how deeply the acid penetrates and therefore allows the depth of the peel to be controlled.

The depth ranges from superficial (10–20%) to medium depth (20–30%) and deep (30–40%). We do not offer medium-depth or deep TCA peels in our practice because, for these indications, we prefer fractional CO2 laser treatment due to its better controllability and faster healing.

• Mechanical peel
  These are the familiar standard peels that work with abrasive particles such as pumice or apricot kernels; plastic microbeads, which were also used in the past, are now largely avoided for environmental reasons. The product is massaged or rubbed over the skin. This supports the natural shedding and renewal of the skin, can stimulate circulation and removes old flakes. Small facial brushes, washcloths or sponges can achieve a similar mechanical effect. Skincare products can often be absorbed particularly well afterwards.
• Enzyme peel
  This type of peel works only on the surface of the skin. An enzyme-splitting protein such as papain or bromelain is applied. During the short exposure time, the enzymes loosen old cell bonds so that the pores are gently cleansed and the loosened cells can then be removed. Enzyme peels are very gentle, but their effect is correspondingly limited.
• Chemical peel
  A chemical peel is stronger and usually more effective than the two methods described above. The results are generally more visible. Unlike a mechanical or enzyme peel, it should only be performed by trained professionals. In younger skin, dead cells are naturally shed regularly. Biological ageing slows this process and irregularities become more visible. A chemical peel helps by loosening the bonds between dead skin cells and stimulating cell renewal. Salicylic acid, for example, is fat-soluble and can penetrate more deeply into the pores, where it helps remove impurities. Because of its additional anti-inflammatory properties, it can be particularly useful for acne-prone skin and acne scars. Medical peels can also address signs of ageing, pigmentation spots and melasma and can make the skin appear firmer and fresher.

Deep chemical peels are very intensive and can be associated with a number of side effects. An effective and often more controllable alternative is fractional laser treatment, which we offer in our Munich practice.

The laser passes through the upper skin layer into the dermis and creates thousands of microscopic channels. These are controlled, very small injuries that heal quickly because they are surrounded by healthy tissue. This fractional energy delivery stimulates the formation of new collagen. The skin can become firmer and wrinkle depth can decrease. Because cells in the epidermis are also renewed, pigmentation spots and uneven skin texture can become less visible.

A superficial peel is comparatively gentle. It removes only the upper skin layer, the epidermis. Fruit-acid and salicylic-acid peels are examples. They refresh the skin and improve superficial skin texture, for example in active acne. They are particularly suitable for blemishes and superficial pigmentation irregularities.

A medium-depth chemical peel is more intensive. The active ingredients penetrate around 0.45 millimetres into the papillary dermis. This means that the treatment can remove the entire epidermis together with parts of the upper dermis. Because it penetrates more deeply, it can address smaller wrinkles around the mouth or eyes and can also improve acne scars.

No. A conventional chemical peel is not designed for the sensitive intimate area. For darker areas and changes in the skin and tissue of the intimate region, there is a special peel developed for this purpose that we offer in our practice: Pink Intimate.