Chemical peels are used to remove dead or damaged skin cells and can be used to reduce hyperpigmentation. They come in three strengths and results will vary based on the severity of your peel. Superficial peels use mild acids like alpha-hydroxy acid to gently exfoliate. These treatments only penetrate the outermost layer of skin. Medium peels use trichloroacetic or glycolic acid to reach the middle and outer layer of skills. This makes it more effective for removing damaged skin cells. Downtime can take more than a week. Deep peels fully penetrate the middle layer of the skin to remove damaged skin cells. These peels often use phenol or tricholoracetic acid and downtime can last multiple weeks with redness, inflammation and irritation.