What are the risks associated with chemical peels?

All peels involve certain risks which are more severe and longer lasting the deeper the peel:

• Redness
• Peeling, crusting
• Color change, either hyper or hypopigmentation
• Scarring
• Infection (especially for people with history of herpes simplex infection)
• Failure to achieve desired result
• Allergic reaction to the chemical

Deeper peels with phenol can result in the loss of treated skin to make pigment leading to permanent loss of pigmentation (lighter colored spots, hypopigmentation, in the area.) Administration of phenol can also cause heart, liver or kidney damage.