It renews the skin by removing layers in a controlled way: the acid produces a peeling that activates the production of collagen and elastin.
There are three depths and they are not interchangeable. Superficial: the horny layer and the epidermis, for tone and minor imperfections. Medium: the papillary dermis, for fine lines, sun spots and acne scars. Deep: the reticular dermis, for severe ageing, deep melasma or marked scars.
Recovery depends on that depth: 2–3 days of redness and mild flaking with superficial peels, 5–7 days with medium ones. The visible change comes at 2–3 weeks and peaks at 3–4 months.
A single application is often enough. With stubborn melasma, acne scarring or advanced photoageing, 3 to 5 sessions 3–6 weeks apart are considered.
This is not a cosmetic treatment. Getting the acid, the concentration or the exposure time wrong can cause burns, hyperpigmentation or scarring: that is why a doctor applies it. Afterwards, SPF 50 every day and no picking at the peeling skin.
At the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo, in Valencia, we are specialists in the medical-aesthetic treatment of skin ageing. One of the most sought-after procedures, and one of the best supported clinically, is the chemical peel, a technique designed to stimulate skin regeneration by removing its surface layers in a controlled way. This outpatient procedure, with no need for anaesthesia or a hospital stay, gradually improves the texture, the tone and the radiance of the skin.
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A chemical peel is a medical procedure that uses specific chemical agents to exfoliate and renew the surface layers of the skin. Applying them produces a controlled shedding that activates the production of collagen and elastin, which are responsible for the firmness and elasticity of the skin. Depending on the acid used and the depth sought, a peel may be:
Superficial: it acts on the horny layer and the epidermis, ideal for improving tone and treating minor imperfections.
Medium: it reaches the papillary dermis, indicated for fine lines, sun spots and acne scars.
Deep: it penetrates to the reticular dermis, used in cases of severe ageing, deep melasma or marked scarring.
The type of peel is chosen after a detailed clinical assessment, which looks at the patient’s skin phototype, their dermatological history and the goals sought.
What distinguishes one peel from another is not the brand of the acid but how far down into the skin it reaches. The superficial peel acts on the horny layer and the epidermis, and is for tone and minor imperfections. The medium peel reaches the papillary dermis, where the fine lines, the sun spots and the superficial acne scars are. The deep peel reaches the reticular dermis and is reserved for severe ageing, deep melasma or marked scarring. That depth is also what sets the recovery — and the risk: choosing the wrong acid, concentration or exposure time can cause burns, hyperpigmentation or scarring, and that is why it is a medical act. Diagram by the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo, simplified for explanatory purposes.
Indications for a chemical peel
This treatment is particularly indicated for patients who have:
Fine lines around the eyes and the mouth.
Sun spots, age spots or melasma.
Enlarged pores and uneven skin texture.
Superficial acne scars.
A dull tone or loss of radiance.
Actinic keratoses and other pre-cancerous lesions (in the context of medical peels under dermatological supervision).
At ICPM we treat each case individually, combining the peel where necessary with other complementary procedures such as facial mesotherapy, non-ablative fractional laser or medical radiofrequency, according to the judgement of the specialists responsible.
Which areas can be treated?
Although the face is the most usual area, a chemical peel can also be applied successfully to other regions:
Neck and décolletage: areas where skin ageing shows visibly.
Hands: an ideal treatment for sun spots and loss of smoothness.
Back, arms or buttocks: in cases of acne scarring or thickened skin.
Applying it outside the face requires expert knowledge of skin anatomy and medical experience, which we guarantee in every procedure at our clinic.
What is the procedure like?
The treatment takes roughly 30 minutes and is carried out in the consulting room, with no need for anaesthesia. The usual steps are:
Deep cleansing of the skin.
Application of the specific chemical agent, with its action controlled for time and depth.
Neutralisation of the acid (where appropriate).
Intensive hydration and sun protection.
The usual sensation during the procedure is mild itching or stinging, which passes within a few minutes. No rest or hospital stay is needed, and the patient can return to normal activities the same day, with the appropriate precautions.
Recovery after the peel
Recovery time depends on the type of peel carried out. With superficial treatments, redness and mild flaking for 2–3 days is common. With medium peels there may be more flaking, swelling and tightness, with full recovery in around 5–7 days. The most visible results are seen between 2 and 3 weeks, reaching their peak at 3–4 months, when the process of dermal regeneration is complete.
During this period it is essential to follow the medical instructions:
Do not pick at the peeling skin.
Apply repairing and soothing products.
Avoid direct sun exposure.
Use broad-spectrum sun protection (SPF 50) every day.
Do not wear make-up until the specialist says you may.
At ICPM we give every patient a specific home-care routine, adapted to the type of peel carried out and to the condition of the skin.
How many sessions are needed?
The number of sessions depends on the therapeutic goal. In many cases a single application gives a significant improvement. In more complex treatments such as stubborn melasma, acne scarring or advanced photoageing, however, 3 to 5 sessions may be needed, 3 to 6 weeks apart.
Proper treatment planning guarantees a safe course and results that last.
What results can you expect?
The benefits of a chemical peel are visible and progressive. The most notable include:
Reduction of fine lines and general improvement in the surface of the skin.
Fewer pigmented spots and a more even tone.
Softening of scars and enlarged pores.
Greater radiance and smoothness of the skin.
Stimulation of collagen, improving firmness and elasticity.
These effects are cumulative when the treatment is carried out regularly and under medical supervision. In our clinical experience, patients particularly value the overall aesthetic improvement, but also the therapeutic effect on pigmented lesions and sun ageing.
Which agent for which problem
The question almost every patient brings is which peel is «the best». The evidence gives a more useful answer: it depends on what you want to treat, and in some cases the difference between agents is smaller than it looks.
With pigmentation and melasma there is a hierarchy. A meta-analysis of 13 comparative studies with 478 patients with dark skin found that glycolic acid was superior to trichloroacetic acid on the index that measures the severity of melasma, and that both trichloroacetic acid and Jessner’s solution outperformed topical hydroquinone. Glycolic acid is also the best tolerated, which in skin prone to pigmenting is no small detail.
With acne, on the other hand, almost everything ties. A systematic review of 12 randomised trials and 387 participants concludes that the usual agents appear equally effective in mild and moderate acne, and all well tolerated. There were nuances — salicylic acid did better on comedones — but the authors are explicit: the evidence does not allow any of them to be crowned. When two options tie on outcome, the choice is made on tolerance and skin type, not on the prestige of the name.
The practical conclusion is reassuring: there is no best peel, there is a suitable peel. What makes the difference is getting the indication, the concentration and the number of sessions right, and adjusting the plan to the phototype of the skin being treated.
Safety and medical supervision
A chemical peel is not a conventional cosmetic treatment. It must be applied exclusively by professionals trained in aesthetic medicine or dermatology, since an error in the choice of acid, the concentration or the exposure time can cause burns, hyperpigmentation or scarring.
At ICPM we guarantee that all our peels are carried out by specialist doctors, using products for professional use only, with clinical backing and health certification. Our team is also trained in managing sensitive or reactive skin and skin with a history of post-inflammatory pigmentation, which allows us to tailor each protocol precisely.
Choosing a leading clinic is key to obtaining visible, safe results. At the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo we bring together:
Specialist doctors with extensive experience in aesthetic dermatology.
An initial medical assessment to match the treatment to each skin type.
Individual follow-up before and after each session.
Highly effective clinical products with controlled active ingredients.
The guarantee of a safe medical setting and confidentiality throughout the process.
Our location in the centre of Valencia also makes access easy for patients from across the province, and our premises meet current standards of care quality.
Is a chemical peel right for me?
The only way to determine whether you are a candidate for this treatment is through an in-person medical consultation. During that visit we will assess the condition of your skin, your clinical history and your aesthetic goals, and design the most suitable plan for you.
It is this individual approach that allows us to deliver real, lasting results adapted to each patient, on medical and scientific grounds.
Book your appointment at ICPM and start transforming your skin from the first session.
More even, younger and more radiant skin is within reach with a chemical peel in Valencia, under expert medical supervision.
You can book your own appointment. Pick the day and time from the free slots in the diary, in a panel that opens right here, without leaving this page.
What exactly is a peel, and how is it different from an exfoliant?
In a peel, a substance is applied to the skin that produces, in a controlled way, the shedding of a particular layer, so that the skin replacing it is more even. The key word is controlled: whoever applies it decides which agent, at what concentration and for how long, and that is what separates a medical treatment from a cream.
An exfoliant used at home acts on the most superficial layer and is used repeatedly and gently. A medical peel produces a bigger change in a single session, and that is why it has an indication, contraindications and a recovery.
Are all peels the same?
No, and the difference is not one of brand but of depth, which is what determines the result, the recovery and the risk:
Superficial: it acts in the epidermis. Little or no social downtime, gradual results, usually planned as several sessions.
Medium: it reaches the superficial dermis. It produces visible flaking for several days and bigger results in a single session.
Deep: it goes further down. It is a major procedure, with weeks of recovery, significant risks and monitoring requirements. It is not a salon treatment.
Asking what depth the peel being proposed to you is, and what recovery it involves, is the most useful question you can ask before starting.
Is it suitable for my skin type? My skin is dark
This is the most important question on this page and almost nobody addresses it. In more pigmented skin — Fitzpatrick phototypes IV to VI — the risk of the peel leaving a mark is greater, and that determines which agent is used, at what concentration and with what preparation beforehand.
It does not mean it cannot be done: a 2026 review focused precisely on those skin types found that superficial glycolic and salicylic acid peels give good results in acne, acne scarring and pigmentation disorders, with few adverse effects. What that same review warns is twofold: that the evidence is scarce — only seven studies met the criteria, with small samples and short follow-up — and that one of the studies included documents chemical burns from inappropriate use.
In practical terms: in dark skin a peel is not forbidden, but who indicates it and how the skin is prepared matter more than in fair skin.
Can I do it myself at home with a product from the chemist?
It is not the same thing and it is not after the same thing. Acids for home use are designed to act little by little and with wide safety margins; peels done in the consulting room work at concentrations and pH levels that are not sold to the public, and that is why they need a prior assessment.
What is worth knowing is that the two get in each other’s way: an acid used at home in the preceding days changes the state of the skin and can turn a predictable peel into an unpredictable one. That is why the first thing asked in the consultation is what you are putting on your skin.
Everything about home use — which acid, how often and what not to do — is in exfoliating acids at home.
What happens afterwards? Is my face going to peel?
It depends on the depth. With a superficial peel the usual thing is redness and fine flaking; with a medium one, obvious flaking for several days. That is the intended effect, not a complication.
What is not negotiable with either is the sun: freshly treated skin is particularly liable to pigment, and strict sun protection for as long as you are told is what separates a good result from hyperpigmentation. Scratching or pulling off the skin that is flaking is the other sure way to spoil it.
The specific routine — what to stop beforehand, what to apply afterwards and how many days to be careful in the sun — is given to you in writing by whoever treats you.
When is a peel NOT advisable?
With an active infection in the area (a cold sore flare-up, for example), with irritated or broken skin, during pregnancy and breastfeeding depending on the agent, if there is a history of keloids where a medium or deep peel is being considered, and if you have had heavy sun exposure recently or are going to be exposed in the coming days.
And there is one that gets overlooked: if you are treating your skin with something else — laser, oral retinoids, acids at home — the peel is not decided without knowing it.
Sources
Dorgham NA, Hegazy RA, Sharobim AK, Dorgham DA.Efficacy and tolerability of chemical peeling as a single agent for melasma in dark-skinned patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative trials. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020;19(11):2812-2819. PMID 32947652 — 13 studies and 478 patients: glycolic acid outperformed trichloroacetic acid, and that in turn outperformed topical hydroquinone.
Chen X, Wang S, Yang M, Li L.Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Open. 2018;8(4):e019607. PMID 29705755 — 12 randomised trials and 387 participants: the usual agents prove equally effective and well tolerated in mild to moderate acne.
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