ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The study and intervention of the aging face has become an increasingly popular field. Facial skin resurfacing has, in the last 50 years, undergone a transformation with a myriad of techniques and products available to the facial aesthetic surgeon. The most common techniques include chemical peels (chemexfoliation), laser resurfacing, and dermabrasion (mechanical exfoliation). Chemical peels, simply stated, involve the application of cytotoxic chemicals to the surface of the face. The goal is to create a controlled destruction of the epidermis and dermis in order to remove the unwanted superficial layers of the skin. Different depths of penetration and skin destruction can be achieved by altering the types and/ or concentrations of chemexfoliant applied to the skin.
