Chemical peel is the aesthetic facial you need to achieve brighter, younger-looking skin

Brighter, younger-looking skin can be a Herculean task when you have sun damage, city pollutants, and fine lines coming between you and your skin goals. But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely out of reach: all you need is a chemical peel treatment in Singapore!

This skin-resurfacing procedure is highly sought after not just because of its ability to improve the condition of your skin but also its speedy effectiveness in treating concerns like skin discolouration, wrinkles, and acne scars, making it a more wallet-friendly alternative to laser facials in achieving beautiful, clear skin.

Keen try a chemical peel yourself? Keep reading to learn more about this popular aesthetic facial before heading down to an aesthetic clinic for a session.

What exactly is a chemical peel?

A chemical peel is a form of aesthetic facial treatment that involves the topical application of a chemical, acid-based solution to lift away dead skin cells and trigger skin renewal, making it especially beneficial for us city dwellers who often deal with skin that may feel clogged, stressed out, and rough with barely any glow.

This skin-resurfacing procedure, which should only be performed by a trained dermatologist, also helps to treat common skin concerns like sun damage, acne scars, freckles, age spots, and even fine lines under the eyes.

While chemical peels have gained popularity in recent years, the treatment, in fact, is said to have been around for centuries. Legend has it that Cleopatra, queen of ancient Egypt, bathed in milk as part of her beauty ritual.

Milk is a primitive form of a chemical peel because it contains lactic acid, the active ingredient in breaking down dead skin cells and remodelling collagen so that newer skin underneath can reach the surface quicker. Today, there are many different types of acid used in modern-day chemical peel treatments. The most common ones you’ll come across are lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and the more potent chemical known as trichloroacetic acid (TCA).

Often touted as a budget-friendly alternative to laser facials, chemical peel is the ideal treatment to get because it targets a lot of skin problems and is also considerably safer as the treatment can instantly make skin look smoother and less wrinkly without involving gritty physical exfoliants that are more likely to irritate.

Are there different types of chemical peel?

Generally speaking, there are three types of chemical peel that differ based on the strength of chemicals used and the depth of the skin that they act on:

• Superficial or light chemical peel: Exfoliates the epidermal layers of the skin without going beyond the basal layer using AHA (glycolic acid), BHA, and Jessner’s solution (a combination of lactic and glycolic acid)
• Medium chemical peel: Reaches the upper layer of the dermis using TCA in 35 to 50% concentration
• Deep chemical peel: Penetrates all the way to the reticular dermis with TCA in more than 50% concentration

It’s important to note that deep chemical peels are meant to treat more severe conditions that affect the deeper part of the skin such as pigmentation or wrinkles in older skin.

So while it is capable of producing more remarkable results as it stimulates trigger collagen formation in the skin, deep chemical peels are not recommended to most people because the recovery time required is much longer and the risks of complication are a lot greater.

So, does that mean sensitive skin should avoid chemical peel?

On the contrary, a chemical peel is the ideal facial treatment for all skin types, including sensitive and even acne-prone skin. Look at it this way: exfoliating scrubs essentially do the same thing in ridding the skin of dirt and grime, but too much scrubbing and cleansing with physical exfoliants and be quite abrasive to the skin and strip off its natural oils, rendering it dry and rough.

Chemical peel, on the other hand, is less harsh and abrasive on the skin, which makes it a better choice for people with acne, dry, and sensitive skin. Of course, you are always advised to get a thorough consultation with your dermatologist first so that a professional can assess your skin and decide whether a chemical peel treatment is suitable for your skin type and condition.

You should also only leave it to the professionals as chemical peels involve using highly sensitive chemicals to resurface the skin. For pregnant or breastfeeding women, you can still go for a chemical peel treatment but do check in with your dermatologist on the acids used just to ensure that they are safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

What are the benefits of a chemical peel?

Using the appropriate concentration of the acid solution, your skin will enjoy major benefits in addition to a thorough, deeper cleanse. With regular sessions done at a professional aesthetic clinic, chemical peels are able to:

• Reduce fine lines, age spots, freckles, and dark spots
• Treat wrinkles caused by sun damage and ageing
• Lighten the appearance of mild acne scars
• Tackle certain types of acne as well as comedones (blackheads and whiteheads)
• Reduce melasma due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills
• Improve the look and feel of skin

Do chemical peels thin the skin?

The answer is no, but only when chemical peels are performed at correct intervals. In fact, it’s quite the opposite as chemical peels have been proven to help increase skin thickness as it enhances collagen formation in the skin.

The risk of causing thinning and redness of your skin only comes into play if chemical peels are done too frequently before the skin has enough time to replace itself, which takes roughly 28 days.

Are chemical peels effective?

Chemical peels are incredibly helpful as far as comedones, pigmentation, dull skin, and uneven skin tone are concerned. In fact, chemical peels are very effective in removing blackheads and whiteheads without the need for painful extraction or steaming.

Results can typically be seen after one to two monthly sessions, while deeper pigmentation issues may require up to three sessions to show results.

What to expect after a chemical peel?

Following a chemical peel treatment, you may experience mild and temporary side effects that will mostly subside after three day like peeling, redness, stinging, scabbing, and increased sensitivity to the sun.

For those reasons, you should practise the following aftercare tips to look after your skin:

• Cleanse the skin gently with a mild face wash and apply post-chemical peel cream frequently
• Do not scratch, pick or peel off scabs
• Use sunblock (why would you skip this step in the first place?) and try to avoid prolonged sun exposure as much as possible
• Do not use anti-ageing skincare products until one week after a chemical peel treatment

Where to find chemical peels in Singapore

Bio Aesthetic Medispa

Headed by Dr. Ariffin “Fin” Ziaudeen, this award-winning aesthetic medi-spa believes in providing beauty solutions that give you the most natural-looking result using the most advanced techniques and the best high-tech devices available in the market.

Apart from facelifts, facial peels, hair removal, body whitening, and teeth whitening services, Bio Aesthetic Medispa also offers express and classic chemical peels. Prices start from S$128 per session but first-timers can try it from S$68 for the express 30-minute session.

Address: 390 Orchard Road, #03-01, Palais Renaissance, Singapore 238871
Contact: 6333 4566, 8321 8613 (click on the number to send a WhatsApp message)
Opening hours: 11am – 8.30pm (Mon to Fri) | 10am – 6pm (Sat) | Closed on Sundays & public holidays
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IDS Clinic

Founded in 2014, IDS Clinic is helmed by Dr. SK Tan, whose medical career spans beyond 30 years. Together with his team of doctors, the clinic offers a range of aesthetic medical services that have been proven to deliver results, including chemical peels.

You can make an appointment with the clinic to find out whether you’re a suitable candidate for a chemical peel treatment.

Address: 8 Sinaran Drive, #05-09/10, Novena Specialist Center, Singapore 307470 |
360 Orchard Road, #02-02, International Building, Singapore 238869
Contact: 6568 3555 (Novena), 6450 3555 (Orchard) or book online here
Opening hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon to Fri) | 10am – 5pm (Sat) | Closed on Sundays & public holidays
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TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre

TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre is headed by Dr. Teo Wan Lin, an accredited dermatologist and one of Daily Vanity‘s most trusted skin experts. Apart from a variety of skin, hair, and aesthetic treatments TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre also offers chemical peel which uses lactic acid, salicylic acid or glycolic acid.

What’s different here is that after applying the acid solution, the treatment follows with an amino acid-based mask that is left on for 10 minutes to soothe inflammation while further lightening scars and stimulating collagen regeneration.

Consultation starts from S$150, excluding treatment fee.

Address: 101 Irrawaddy Road, #17-07, Royal Square at Novena Medical Suites, Singapore 329565
Contact: 6355 0522, 9728 6734 or book online here
Opening hours: 9am – 5.30pm (Mon, Tue, Thu & Sat) | 11am – 7.30pm (Wed) | Closed on Fridays, Sundays & public holidays
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Sozo Aesthetic Clinic

Sozo Aesthetic Clinic is founded by Dr. Justin Boey, a licensed and highly experienced aesthetic doctor whose areas of expertise are facial and hair treatments.

Known to be a research-based aesthetic clinic, all treatments at Sozo are proven to be safe, effective, and FDA-approved. The chemical peel treatment offered here can be customised to fit the type and needs of your skin, so rest assured that your skin is in good hands here at Sozo.

Address: 1 Raffles Place, #05-12/13, Singapore 048616
Contact: 6935 1811, 9610 5102 (click on the number to send a WhatsApp message)
Opening hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon to Fri) | 10am – 3pm (Sat) | Closed on Sundays & public holidays
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IYAC Aesthetic Clinic

Opened in 2005, IYAC is an aesthetic clinic that offers a comprehensive menu of aesthetic treatments such as facelifts, laser facials, CoolSculpting, and chemical peels.

Prices start from S$385 and you can repeat the treatment at one to four-week intervals for mild peels or every six to 12 months for deeper peels.

Address: 1 Orchard Boulevard, Camden Medical Centre, #06-03/04, Singapore 248649
Contact: 6738 9989
Opening hours: 8.30am – 8pm (Mon to Thu) | 8.30am – 6.30pm (Fri) | 8.30am – 5pm (Sat) | Closed on Sundays & public holidays
Website

SL Aesthetic Clinic

Established by founder Dr. Kelvin Chua who has been in the medical aesthetic industry for more than a decade, SL Aesthetic Clinic is managed by a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable medical experts who are committed to helping you look and felt your best.

Here, you can find treatments like derma fillers, mole removal, Ultherapy, skin boosters, eye bag removal as well as chemical peels. Prices for a chemical peel treatment here start from S$100 per session, depending on the type of peel needed for your skin concern and condition.

Address: See the full list of locations on the website
Contact: Find the full list of contact numbers on the website
Opening hours: Varies for each location, please call the respective outlets to enquire
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