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The etiology of prolonged erythema after chemical peel
B P Maloney1, B Millman, G Monheit
1Georgia Facial Plastic Surgery, Atlanta, USA.
Background:
As the number and methods of skin resurfacing procedures are increasing, there is a small number of patients that develop a prolonged inflammation during the postoperative period.
Objective:
We attempted to correlate risk factors for the development of prolonged postpeel erythema (PPPE) and inflammation. A treatment regimen will be described to eliminate permanent skin changes.
Methods:
A retrospective chart review is presented to define and correlate risk factors for the development of PPPE and a treatment protocol is described. The setting is a large multisurgeon aesthetic center. Two-hundred and thirty-six consecutive chemical phenol peels on 196 patients over a 2-year period were reviewed.
Results:
Eleven percent of patients developed PPPE. Allergy to tape was the only factor significantly correlated with PPPE. All patients had complete resolution of skin changes with appropriate treatment.
Conclusion:
A small population of patients undergoing skin resurfacing procedures will develop prolonged erythema. No major risk factor could be correlated with its development. A treatment plan was devised and was successful in all cases.