Laser Facials vs. Chemical Peels: Treating Uneven Skin Tone and Melasma
Facials are among the most popular treatments available to both men and women today. Out of all the varieties, Laser Facials vs. Chemical Peels remain two that doctors recommend often to patients for conditions such as uneven skin tone and melasma. Learn what each of these facials are and how to choose the one that is best for you.
What Is a Laser Facial?
As its name implies, a laser facial is a facial procedure that uses laser light. Most laser facials utilize concentrated beams of erbium or carbon dioxide light. The laser is applied directly to the skin and gently removes or exfoliates the top layers. The new skin that grows back is smoother, firmer, and softer.
Laser facials are also known as laser skin resurfacing, laser vaporization, or simply lasabrasion. This type of facial is performed on an outpatient basis most often in a doctor’s office or medical spa.
Most procedures take less than an hour, and you can resume your normal routine the same day. You do not have to spend much if any time recuperating.
A laser facial is safe and gentle, making it ideal for removing fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, uneven skin tone, and shallow acne scars. It is recommended for patients who want to treat areas around their mouths, foreheads, eyes, and other sensitive areas of their face.
What Is a Chemical Peel?
A chemical peel is a cosmetic treatment that is most often performed on the face, neck, and hands. During this type of facial, a chemical solution is applied directly to the skin. The solution then gently peels or exfoliates the top layers of skin, allowing for new skin to grow back.
Chemical peels come in three varieties: superficial, medium, and deep peel. A superficial chemical peel uses alpha-hydroxy acid and is best for targeting mild discoloration or rough skin.
A medium peel uses glycolic or trichloroacetic acid and targets age spots, fine lines, wrinkles, freckles, moderate discoloration, rough skin, and precancerous growths. A deep peel uses trichloroacetic or phenol acid and targets the middle layer of skin.
A deep peel can only be performed one time on the face and nowhere else on the body. It is effective for removing damaged skin cells, moderate lines, age spots, freckles, and shallow scars. Lighter peels are often recommended for correcting uneven skin tone and melasma.
Choosing the Best Facial for You
Even with these facts, you may wonder how to choose the best treatment for your cosmetic skincare needs. We will help you decide which treatment is best for you during your consultation.
You should also consider factors like how much time you want to devote to improving your skin and your cosmetic goals. Once you address these concerns, you can choose between a laser or chemical peel facial.
Both laser facials and chemical peels are designed to remove blemishes from your face, neck, and elsewhere on your body. If you are dealing with uneven skin tone or melasma, we can help you find out if either of these treatments is right for you at Nuance Aesthetics in Salt Lake City. Contact us today to schedule your first appointment!
Dr. Jackson Rhudy is a board-certified physician who has been practicing in Salt Lake since 1974. After an initial career in emergency medicine, he developed an interest in the new technologies emerging in the field of aesthetics utilizing non-surgical techniques such as lasers, Botox, and injectable fillers. He sought training from leading experts in the aesthetic field at multiple locations in the US and Europe and in 2000 he founded an aesthetic practice called Light Touch Laser Skin Care Center. It rapidly became a leading aesthetic practice in the Salt Lake City area. In 2010, he sold the practice and focused on his other endeavor, Optimum Clinical Research– a private research site that performs clinical trials on new pharmaceutical drugs. But continuing demand from former aesthetic patients led to the formation of a new aesthetic practice in July 2015. Reuniting with a former colleague, Jill Miller, they started Nuance Aesthetics—a practice devoted to providing excellence in the field of non-surgical aesthetics by offering experience and expertise with the utmost integrity. Dr. Rhudy maintains his board certification in emergency medicine and is the only physician in Salt Lake City who is board certified in laser surgery.
When Dr Rhudy isn’t in the office, he loves riding his bike up City Creek. He has always had a passion for learning and growing in the medical field which is why he spends a lot of free time researching the latest treatments and technology that keeps Nuance ahead of the curve.
