VI Peel

VI Peel chemical peel treatment to improve skin tone, texture, fine lines, and pigmentation including melasma, sun damage, and acne scarring. A medium-depth peel combining trichloroacetic acid (TCA), retinoic acid, salicylic acid, phenol, and vitamin C. Minimal downtime of three to five days peeling. Available at My Houston Surgeons, Houston, TX.

The VI Peel at My Houston Surgeons is a medium-depth combination chemical peel developed by Vitality Institute Medical Products, using a synergistic blend of five active ingredients: trichloroacetic acid (TCA), retinoic acid, salicylic acid, phenol (in low concentrations), and vitamin C. Each component contributes a distinct mechanism to the overall skin renewal effect. TCA penetrates the epidermis and upper dermis to cause controlled protein coagulation and stimulate cellular turnover. Retinoic acid is a vitamin A derivative that normalises keratinocyte differentiation, accelerates epidermal renewal, and inhibits pigment production — contributing to the peel's anti-ageing and pigment-correcting effects beyond the acute peeling phase. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid with keratolytic and anti-inflammatory properties that addresses active acne and comedone formation. Phenol at the concentration used in the VI Peel formula adds depth to the peel and contributes to tightening of the upper dermis. The vitamin C component provides antioxidant protection during the peeling process. The VI Peel is applied as a single-application in-clinic treatment that takes approximately twenty to thirty minutes; patients experience mild tingling during application. The skin begins visibly peeling at two to three days post-treatment, with the peeling phase lasting approximately three to five days and resolving by day seven, after which improved luminosity, more even tone, and smoother texture are visible. The peel is suited to a range of skin concerns including solar lentigines (sunspots), melasma, mild to moderate photoageing, uneven skin tone, mild acne, and superficial acne scarring. A series of three peels spaced four weeks apart is commonly recommended for more resistant pigmentation.