Both procedures are performed to offer a controlled method of damaged skin removal that is superior to available at-home methods. Dermabrasion is a type of mechanical exfoliation that utilizes a sanding technique to remove the upper layers of skin, while a chemical peel is performed more gradually by an initial application of chemical exfoliator. In the same way that dermabrasion and microdermabrasion offer different levels of treatment, chemical peels can be adjusted to provide light to deep skin layer renewal. The concepts of the two treatments are similar in that older skin is removed to allow fresh regrowth to form.