chemical peel, a cosmetic therapy to reduce or improve wrinkles, blemishes, pigment spots, and sun-damaged areas of the skin. Using a chemical solution of phenol, trichloroacetic acid, or alpha hydroxy fruit acid, the top skin layers are peeled away, allowing new, smoother skin with tighter cells to occupy the surface. Immediately after the peel, there may be considerable swelling, which subsides after 7 to 10 days as new skin begins to form. Other chemical solutions used include glycolic acid, retinol, Jessner’s solution, beta hydroxy acid, and combinations thereof. Also called chemexfoliation, chemoexfoliation.
