Chemical peel: gentle or intensive – which one is right for me?

In a chemical peel, acids are applied to the skin. They loosen dead skin cells and stimulate the skin's renewal. Depending on the active ingredient and concentration, a peel works only on the surface or a little deeper. As a general rule: the deeper a peel works, the more noticeable the effect – and the longer the skin needs to recover afterwards.

We offer three peels, from gentle to intensive. All of them work with skincare from ZO Skin Health.

The Glow Peel (ZO Stimulator Peel) works with a blend of fruit acids (AHA): glycolic, lactic and citric acid. It is gentle enough for almost all skin types and also suitable for sensitive skin.

• Who it's for: dull, dry or sensitive skin – and anyone having a peel for the first time
• Recovery time: none. You can go straight back to your day afterwards
• How often: as a course once a week until your skin is where you want it to be – then every four to six weeks

The Glow Peel is a good place to start if you want to give your skin a boost of freshness without planning days of flaking skin.

PRX-T33 combines trichloroacetic acid with hydrogen peroxide and kojic acid. What makes it special: although it contains trichloroacetic acid, the skin usually does not visibly peel afterwards. The peel works without needles.

• Who it's for: dull skin, uneven tone and first signs of ageing
• Recovery time: usually no visible peeling; slight dryness in the days afterwards is possible
• How often: usually as a course of several sessions – with us, 3 or 6 sessions

PRX-T33 is a good choice if you want more than a gentle peel but can't plan in any downtime.

The Intensive Peel (ZO 3-Step Peel) is our strongest peel. It combines trichloroacetic, salicylic and lactic acid with a retinol cream that further stimulates the skin's renewal.

• Who it's for: stubborn discolouration, more visible signs of ageing, rough skin texture and enlarged pores
• Recovery time: about five to seven days. The skin peels, may be red and feel tight
• How often: every three to four weeks until the desired result, then two to three times a year
• Preparation: the skin is prepared with a home-care routine for a few weeks beforehand. More on this in the article Peels in autumn and winter

Plan the Intensive Peel so that you have no important appointments in the following week where you would feel uncomfortable with peeling skin.

A chemical peel is not suitable for every situation. Avoid it:

• during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• with active herpes, sunburn, irritated or broken skin
• straight after sunbathing or using a solarium

If you are taking medication for your skin, please let us know beforehand. For very sensitive skin that does not tolerate an acid peel, there is an acid-free alternative: the Enzyme Peel Facial.

The most important question is not which peel has the strongest effect, but which one suits your skin and your everyday life. A simple guide:

• First peel or sensitive skin: Glow Peel
• More effect, hardly any downtime: PRX-T33
• Clear goals and a week to recover: Intensive Peel

After any peel, the skin is more sensitive to light. Consistent sun protection is therefore always part of it – in winter, too.