A chemical peel treatment for the entire face can take a couple of hours. Topical anesthesia is generally not used, but can be requested by the patient, or used when called for in certain situations.
The physician will apply a chemical solution to the face, taking special care around the mouth, eyes, and nose. It will then either neutralize itself after a certain amount of time, or sometimes a neutralizing agent is used to stop the process.
After application, the dead, damaged skin will begin to peel over the next few days, revealing new skin underneath.