Can a Chemical Peel Tighten Skin Around the Eyes?

Sagging skin and wrinkles are a normal part of aging that everyone will experience at some point in their life. One area in particular that these effects can take their toll is under your eyes. Although these effects can not be fully avoided, procedures like a chemical peel can hold off and minimize the effects of aging by tightening the skin below the eyes.

Stop smoking at least a month before the procedure, recommends the Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery Center. Smoking reduces the amount of blood flow to skin, reducing its abilities to heal quickly after the procedure has been completed.

Contraindications for a Chemical Peel

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Talk to your doctor about temporarily stopping certain medications that your dermatologist may recommend stopping before having the chemical peel performed. These medications may include blood thinning agents that may cause problems with bleeding during deeper peels.

Report a cold, flu or other disease to the cosmetic surgery center if one occurs within a week of the procedure. Depending on the severity of your sickness, you may be asked to reschedule your chemical peel appointment.

Chemical Peels & Hydroquinone

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Apply topical preconditioning medications as recommended. Deeper chemical peels may come with the additional step of preconditioning the skin with medications like retinoids or glycolic acid leading up to the treatment.

Arrange for someone to drive you home from the chemical peel if you are having a deeper peel. Chemical peels beneath the eyes may temporarily affect your ability to drive yourself home due to possible swelling, sensitivity or bandages.

Allow the dermatologist to apply the peeling agent beneath the eyes. Chemical peels tighten the skin by causing the outer layer of treated skin to peel off. The new skin that replaces the peeled area helps tighten the skin and remove fine lines and wrinkles below the eye, suggests the American Academy of Dermatology 1.

Schedule any future sessions until desired results are seen. Several chemical peels may be needed before full results are seen.

Apply sunblock. Protect the area under the eyes from direct sunlight by wearing sunblock or blocking the sun with a hat or visor. Patients who undergo deeper peels may need to protect the treated area from direct contact with the sun for up to several months, states the American Society for Plastic Surgeons 2.