Chemical Peel

Chemical peels at Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery address sun damage, fine lines, uneven skin tone, melasma, and acne scarring using superficial, medium-depth TCA, and deep peel formulations under physician supervision. Available for a range of skin types and concerns. Downtime varies from minimal (superficial) to ten to fourteen days (deep). Complements the surgical programme for comprehensive skin rejuvenation.

Chemical peels at Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery are performed within the same physician-supervised environment as the surgical services, ensuring that peels are administered with appropriate patient selection and medical oversight — particularly important for medium-depth and deep peel patients where skin preparation and aftercare are critical to outcome. The range of peel depths available at HPRS allows treatment to be matched to the patient's specific skin concern and available recovery time. Superficial peels penetrate only the stratum corneum and superficial epidermis, accelerating cellular turnover to improve skin texture, mild hyperpigmentation, dullness, and early fine lines; examples include alpha-hydroxy acid (glycolic, lactic, mandelic) and low-concentration salicylic acid peels. Recovery is minimal — mild flaking for two to three days — and these peels can be performed as a series at two-to-four-week intervals for accumulated improvement. They are suitable for most skin tones including Fitzpatrick types IV–VI with appropriate formulation selection. Medium-depth peels using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at concentrations of 20–35% penetrate through the epidermis to the papillary dermis, producing visible improvement in moderate sun damage, fine lines, melasma, seborrhoeic keratoses, and superficial acne scars; recovery involves five to seven days of peeling, redness, and post-procedure sun avoidance. A combination of Jessner's solution followed by 35% TCA — the Monheit combination peel — is a frequently used medium-depth protocol that enhances penetration and evenness through the keratolytic priming step. Deep peels using phenol or high-concentration TCA penetrate into the reticular dermis and provide the most dramatic and enduring resurfacing results for deep rhytids, significant photoageing, and severe acne scarring; they require retinoid and hydroquinone pre-treatment, sedation or anaesthesia during application, and a recovery period of ten to fourteen days with meticulous wound care. Deep peels are performed under physician supervision at HPRS given their clinical intensity and are often considered an alternative to ablative laser resurfacing for the right candidate. Houston market range: superficial $150–$250, medium TCA $300–$500.