TL;DR
Superficial peels (glycolic 30-50 percent, salicylic 20 percent, lactic 30 percent, Jessner’s) treat the epidermis with no real downtime. Medium-depth peels (TCA 20-35 percent, modified Jessner-TCA combo) reach the papillary dermis and require 7 to 14 days of recovery. Pick by skin concern and the recovery window you can realistically protect, not by brand or clinic marketing. Skin of color demands particular caution above 20 percent TCA.
Patients walk into a clinic asking for a peel and the conversation immediately turns to brand names: PCA, Vi Peel, Obagi Blue Peel. The brand is roughly the least important variable. What matters is depth, concentration, and the skill of the operator timing the neutralisation. A 20 percent TCA peel does very different work than a 30 percent glycolic, and confusing them is how people end up with hyperpigmentation that takes a year to fade.
Superficial peels: what they do well
Superficial peels work in the epidermis. They lift dead corneocytes, accelerate cell turnover, and brighten dull surface tone. Glycolic acid at 30 to 50 percent is the most-used. Salicylic at 20 to 30 percent does the same surface refinement with extra anti-acne benefit because it is oil-soluble. Lactic at 30 percent is the gentlest. Jessner’s solution layers resorcinol, salicylic, and lactic for slightly deeper penetration. Recovery is essentially nothing: a day or two of mild flaking, sometimes none at all. You can do a series of six over twelve weeks and see meaningful texture and tone change without taking time off work.
For the ingredient side, glycolic vs lactic acid walks through the difference at home strengths.
Medium-depth peels: what they do well
Medium-depth peels reach the papillary dermis. TCA at 20 to 35 percent is the standard. The mechanism is controlled chemical injury that triggers significant collagen remodelling during the 7 to 14 day healing window. Indications are real wrinkles, deeper actinic damage, and stubborn melasma that has resisted topical treatment. Recovery is not optional. You will look like you have a sunburn for the first 48 hours, then peel in sheets for a week. Done well, the result is a single intervention that can take six years off photoaged skin. Done badly, the result is hyperpigmentation that lasts a year.
For context on the underlying problem, collagen loss after 25 covers what these peels are trying to restimulate.
How to choose
Look at your concern, your skin type, and your calendar. Surface dullness, mild texture, post-acne marks: superficial peel series. Mild fine lines, sun spots, photoaging: superficial series first, medium TCA if the surface work plateaus. Deeper wrinkles, scarring, stubborn melasma in lighter skin types: medium TCA after a 6-week pre-treatment with hydroquinone or tranexamic acid.
If you have Fitzpatrick IV-VI skin, skip TCA above 20 percent. Risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation rises sharply. Skincare for skin of color covers the safer protocol. For melasma specifically, melasma in 2026 walks through the alternatives.
The contrarian read
Medium-depth peels are oversold and at-home superficials are undersold. Most patients asking for a TCA peel would get 80 percent of the visible benefit from a properly run series of glycolic 30 percent peels at the clinic, plus a consistent retinoid at home. The reason TCA gets pushed is the price point. Medium peels are $400 to $800 a session. Glycolic peels are $80 to $150. The clinic margin on medium peels is higher. The risk profile is also higher, especially for inexperienced operators. A poorly timed neutralisation on TCA can leave you with permanent scarring. A poorly timed neutralisation on glycolic leaves you slightly red for an afternoon.
The numbers worth knowing
A 2018 review in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology reported that a series of four glycolic 50 percent peels reduced melasma severity by 47 percent at 16 weeks. The same review found that a single 25 percent TCA peel reduced photoaging severity by 38 percent at 12 weeks, with one in nine patients showing temporary post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The downtime: 9.3 days on average. That number is the one most patients underestimate before booking.
I have skipped the TCA route twice when offered it. The math on superficial-series-plus-tretinoin still wins for my skin tone.
FAQ
Can I do a TCA peel at home? No. Above 15 percent, TCA should only be applied by a trained provider with proper neutralisation. Home kits sold online are a leading cause of accidental burns.
How long between peels? Superficial peels: every two to four weeks for a series. Medium TCA: minimum six months between sessions, ideally a year.
Can I use retinol after a peel? Stop retinol 7 days before a superficial peel and 14 days before a medium peel. Resume after full healing, usually 2 to 6 weeks post-procedure.
Do peels help acne scars? Superficial peels help post-acne marks (PIH and PIE). Atrophic scars need microneedling, laser, or subcision, not peels. Atrophic acne scars covers this.
Is downtime really that long for medium peels? Yes. Plan around it. You will not look presentable for 7 to 10 days. Skip if you have a wedding or work event inside two weeks.
Sources: American Academy of Dermatology, Chemical peel overview (2024); Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2018); FDA, Alpha hydroxy acids in cosmetics (2024). More on the hyperpigmentation tag.
Tool: home chemical peel guide — by % and skin type, with stop-signs.