How Much Is a Chemical Peel: UK Price Breakdown

When our clients first start researching chemical peels there are key questions that they initially either Google or ask us during their skin consultation. To make your information gathering a little easier and quicker, which can be quite a laborious task, I’ll answer the top 3 questions we’re asked about chemical peel treatments; this way you’ll have a better understanding from a medical-aesthetic clinic that consults about, and treats people with, skin peels every day.

Those top three questions are: How much is a chemical peel (UK), can chemical peels make skin worse and, how often can I do a chemical peel.

How Much Is a Chemical Peel UK?

This will vary according to several things; where in the UK you are, who you visit to have the skin peel, and the type of chemical peel you require.

As a very loose rule, the stronger the peel the more it may cost. Why? This is because the product itself usually costs more and the skill required to perform a strong chemical peel is far greater than performing a beauty-level enzyme peel, which carries very little potential side-effects.

To give you an idea, there is a £230 difference in price in our very strongest chemical peel treatment and our mildest.

In the UK, single mild to medium peels tend to range from £60 up to £500. At our Hertfordshire based skin clinic prices range for £70 to £300 for a single chemical peel.

Can Chemical Peels Make Skin Worse?

This is a little bit vague in its wording because it depends on where you’re coming from and what you mean by ‘worse’.

If you are talking about wrinkles and ageing skin, then no, chemical peels will not make these aspects of your skin worse.

If you are referring to acne or rosacea, the correctly prescribed chemical peel should not make your skin worse. Acne and rosacea are both skin conditions which can only be managed (which can be done incredibly successfully), so keep in mind that you are likely to be require more than one treatment to help you manage your symptoms.

During a course of treatment, you may well have a flare up of your acne or rosacea symptoms-this could be down to stress or several other factors- but what you are looking for is a gradual improvement of those symptoms. For example, despite having a ‘flare’ are the spots smaller and less ‘angry’? Do the spots go quicker than before? Are there less spots than your usual flares?

When it comes to hyperpigmentation, following some chemical peels, the pigmentation may become darker for a short period as the pigment moves to the more superficial layers of your skin before eventually shedding. This may seem like the hyperpigmentation has become worse, but it is part of the treatment process.

If by ‘worse’, you mean can a chemical peel damage my skin, then yes it can. This usually happens if you have the wrong peel for your skin type and/or are in inexperienced or untrained hands, there is a possibility that your skin may become damaged. If you make sure that the practitioner or clinic that you visit have the correct training and safety standards, such as being Save Face accredited or CQC registered, then the risk is much less. This is not only true for chemical peels, but all medical-aesthetic treatments.

In all honesty, the most problems we’ve ever seen with chemical peels are the ones people buy from the internet and use at home. There have been multiple occasions where people have contacted us asking for help after a home chemical peel went wrong or they chose the wrong one for their skin.

How Often Can I Do a Chemical Peel?

How often you can have a chemical peel depends on the type and strength of peel you have. It will also depend on what you are trying to achieve.

If you are having a stronger chemical peel, such as a TCA skin peel, for anti-ageing purposes you may only require a single treatment to achieve your desired results.

However, if you have milder peel such as a glycolic chemical peel for general skin health, exfoliation and to keep your skin looking bright then quite often we suggest to our clients that they can have a monthly treatment should they wish.

Jane, lead nurse and owner of The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans adds: “If you are having chemical peels to help you ‘get on top of’ a skin condition such as acne or rosacea you may have treatment quite close together. This could be as often as fortnightly, and then move on to a maintenance programme where treatments are more spread out. Naturally, the frequency will be discussed prior and influenced by your skin and any other treatments, such as laser, that you may be having for the condition.”

If you would like to learn if chemical peels, or any other treatment, may help your skin please contact us. We’ll be happy to chat.