Skin Treatments, Atlanta
Facial Peels in Atlanta
Three peels, three very different weeks. Here is how to pick the right one.
CONSULTATION
In Person
TREATMENT LENGTH
30 to 60 minutes
DOWNTIME
1 day to 2 weeks, by peel
INTERVAL
Every 1 to 6 months, by depth
SKIN TONES
VI Peel safe for all types and tones
The Approach
Every peel works the same way. What separates them is how deep the acid goes.
That is the entire category in one sentence, and almost nobody explains it that way. A chemical peel applies an acid solution to your skin, dissolving the bonds holding dead cells together so they shed and your body builds new skin underneath. All of them do this. The difference between a peel you can have on a Friday and be fine for Monday, and one that has you shedding for two weeks, is not a difference in philosophy. It is a difference in depth.
So the first question is not which peel is best. There is no best. The first question is how much correction you actually need, and how many days you can afford to look like you are recovering from something.
Candidacy
Are You a Candidate?
Most people are a candidate for something on this menu. The question is which depth, and occasionally the answer is not a peel at all.
A peel that has you shedding for a week is a peel that has you shedding for a week, and we would rather you plan for it than be alarmed by it on day four.
A peel is likely right if:
- Your concerns are surface concerns: pigmentation, sun damage, uneven tone, rough texture, dullness, fine lines, or acne
- You have looked at the depth table above and picked a row your calendar can actually accommodate
- You are willing to protect the result afterward, which means strict sun avoidance and daily SPF. This is not optional aftercare. It is the difference between a good outcome and hyperpigmentation
- You understand that deeper peels mean real, visible shedding, and you are not going to panic on day four
- You can tell us what your skin has been on recently, including isotretinoin, prescription retinoids, and any recent waxing, laser, or another peel in the same area
- You have a few weeks between your appointment and anything you are getting ready for, since the good version of this is not the version you book the Thursday before
Scope
What Peels Treat
They treat
Sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and uneven tone. Acne and acne-related congestion. Fine lines and, with deeper peels, more established wrinkles. Rough texture and dullness. And some scarring, depending on depth.
They do not treat
Sagging tissue, jowls, and structural descent, which are surgical. Volume loss, which needs filler or fat. Deep static folds, which acid cannot fill. A peel improves the quality and surface of your skin. It does not change the architecture underneath it, and no number of peels will.
Skin Tone
Peels and Your Skin Tone
Deeper peels carry a real risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in higher Fitzpatrick skin types. That is not a reason to avoid peels. It is a reason to be treated by someone who selects the right peel at the right depth, and who raises the subject with you rather than waiting for you to ask.
VI Peel is safe for all skin types and tones. For a woman with deeper skin who has been told, or has assumed, that peels are not for her, that is genuinely useful information.
Come in and ask. We will tell you honestly what depth is safe for your skin, and when a gentler peel or a different treatment entirely is the better call.
Choosing
Light or Deep: How Far Do You Need to Go?
Light Peel
Surface
- Reaches the outermost layer of dead cells only.
- 1 to 3 days of mild flaking.
- Results last a few weeks to a month.
- Often done on a regular rhythm as maintenance.
Deep Peel
Dermal
- Reaches into the deeper dermis.
- Up to 2 weeks of shedding, with redness lingering longer.
- Results last up to a year or more.
- Done far less frequently, and planned around.
Medium peels sit between the two, reaching through the epidermis into the upper dermis, peeling visibly for several days to a week, and lasting several months. VI Peel is our medium-depth option and is safe for all skin types and tones. PRX-T33 and SkinCeuticals Smart TCA are the other two on our menu. Deeper means more correction and a longer recovery, in a direct trade, and there is no peel that delivers deep-peel results on light-peel downtime.
Longevity
How Often Should You Get a Peel?
Peels are designed to be repeated. Depending on depth, most patients return every one to six months, and light peels are commonly done on a regular rhythm as maintenance rather than as a one-off. How long a single peel holds depends entirely on how deep it went: a few weeks to a month for a light peel, several months for a medium, and up to a year or more for a deep one.
Recovery
What Recovery Actually Looks Like
The shedding window depends entirely on which peel you had, so here is the arc, with the depth-specific figures at the end.
Day of treatment
Tightness, warmth, and possibly mild redness. Your skin may look slightly bronzed.
Days 2 to 3
Peeling begins in earnest. This is the treatment working, not a complication.
Days 3 to 7
Visible flaking and shedding. Do not pick, pull, or exfoliate. Let it come off on its own.
Light peels: 1 to 3 days
Shedding resolves. Results visible.
Medium peels: about a week
Shedding resolves. Results visible.
Deep peels: up to 2 weeks
Full shedding complete, with redness lingering longer.
Picking at peeling skin is the single fastest way to turn a good result into a pigmentation problem or a scar. Whatever the temptation, and it is considerable, leave it alone.
Your Experience
Your Personalized Surgery Experience
Consultation
We assess your skin type, your tone, your concerns, and crucially, your calendar. Then we recommend a depth. Sometimes that is gentler than you expected. Sometimes it is deeper, because the gentle one would waste your money.
Treatment
Thirty to sixty minutes. The right agent for your skin type and your goals, applied by someone who does this constantly.
Recovery
Tightness, then peeling starting around day two or three. The shedding window depends entirely on which peel you had. Do not pick.
Results
Visible once the shedding completes. Softer lines, better texture, more even tone. Then maintain, with SPF and a real skincare routine, which is how you protect what you paid for.
The Practice
Why Patients Choose Artisan
We offer peels, lasers, and microneedling
Which means we have no incentive to sell you a peel when a laser is the answer. A practice that only does peels will always recommend a peel.
Founded by a board-certified plastic surgeon
Dr. Diane Z. Alexander, MD, FACS, with the aesthetics team led by Lauren Bays.
Honest about downtime
A peel that has you shedding for a week is a peel that has you shedding for a week, and we would rather you plan for it than be alarmed by it on day four.
The same acid at the wrong strength either does nothing or does too much
Your provider picks depth against your skin type, your history, and what you are actually trying to fix, which is where the result is decided.
FAQ
Facial Peel FAQs
Which peel should I get?
It depends on how much correction you need and how much downtime you can afford. Those two pull in opposite directions and you cannot have both. A consultation settles it in about fifteen minutes.
What is the difference between a light, medium, and deep peel?
Depth, and therefore downtime. A light peel reaches only the outermost dead cells and has you flaking for one to three days, with results lasting a few weeks to a month. A medium peel goes into the upper dermis, peels visibly for several days to a week, and lasts several months. A deep peel goes further, sheds for up to two weeks, and can last a year or more.
How much does a peel cost?
It varies substantially by depth and by which peel. A light maintenance peel and a deep resurfacing peel are not comparable investments. We quote at consultation, including what a maintenance rhythm looks like annually.
Are peels safe for darker skin tones?
It depends on the peel. Deeper peels carry a real risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in higher Fitzpatrick types. VI Peel is safe for all skin types and tones. Ask us directly, and be wary of any provider who does not raise the subject before you do.
Will my skin actually peel?
Yes, and it is the treatment working rather than a complication. Peeling usually begins around day two or three. Do not pick at it. Picking is the fastest way to turn a good result into a pigmentation problem or a scar.
How long is the downtime?
One to three days for a light peel, about a week for a medium, and up to two weeks for a deep peel. Choose the row you can actually live with.
How often should I get a peel?
Depending on depth, every one to six months. Light peels are often done on a regular rhythm as maintenance. Deeper peels are done far less frequently.
Peel or laser?
They overlap and they are not identical. Peels are chemical and scale from very gentle to very aggressive. Lasers offer more precise depth control and, in BBL’s case, target color specifically. For pigmentation in particular, either could be right, and which one depends on your skin and your goals. We offer both, which means we can tell you honestly.
Can I combine a peel with other treatments?
Frequently. Dermaplaning immediately before a peel removes the dead surface layer so the acid reaches living tissue more evenly. Many patients do both in one visit.
Will a peel fix my sagging skin?
No. A peel improves the surface and quality of your skin. It does not change the structure underneath it. Sagging is a surgical problem and we will tell you that rather than sell you peels that were never going to work.
Does it hurt?
Most patients describe warmth, tingling, or a stinging sensation during application. Deeper peels are more intense. It is brief and it is manageable.
Do I need a consultation first?
A consultation is standard for this procedure.
The right peel is the one that matches your concern and your calendar.
Come in and we will tell you which depth your skin actually needs, including when the answer is the gentlest peel on the menu, or a laser instead.
Book a Consultation Plan My Treatment Buckhead (770) 637-2919