The skin takes six or seven days to heal. After the scab disappears, the visible skin is deep red but gradually lightens as it regenerates. Complications include white heads, cold sores, infection, scarring, numbness, and permanent discoloration, particularly in Asians or people with dark skin. The use of tretinoin or alpha hydroxy can enhance the effects of a peel and reduce the risk of discoloration. They should be applied four to six weeks before and starting one day after the peel.
Standard dermabrasion uses a rotating brush that removes the top layers of a person's skin.
As with chemical peels, dermabrasion selectively strips away the upper layers of skin, leaving the underlying dermal layers exposed. It is usually used on the upper lip and chin and cannot be used around the eyes. Dermabrasion affects deeper layers of skin than chemical peels, thus removing such disfiguring marks as deep acne scars and wrinkles. As with chemically treated skin, after the procedure the treated skin oozes and forms a scab, a reaction that is both unsightly and uncomfortable, but only temporary. Postoperative care is similar for both procedures.