COVID-19 Safe Operations

Keeping Patients & Staff Safe & Healthy During Unprecedented Times


Though many things have changed in our current pandemic environment, one thing has continued to be the same: our commitment to your health and safety.
Our patients play a particularly important role in maintaining a safe environment in the clinic. We have created a detailed list of new guidelines for you to follow when you come in for your appointment:
  • Please arrive for your appointment on time (no more than 10 minutes early).
  • Prior to entering the clinic, you will be asked some screening questions.
  • You will be asked to use hand sanitizer when you arrive.
  • We ask you to wear your personal mask inside the clinic.
  • No accompanying people (e.g. children, friends, or family), we ask you to come alone unless you need to be accompanied.
  • Leave all non-essential belongings in your vehicle (e.g. jackets, hats, large purses)
  • All our team is always going to wear masks and wear gloves during the appointment.
  • We will ask you to remove your shoes before entering the clinic. We will provide you with slippers at your request.
  • All clients are asked to maintain respectful distancing in waiting areas and in the clinical area.
  • Note that for the time being we would prefer that you refrain from using cash as a mode of payment.
If you have any questions regarding your upcoming appointment, please call us at 403-675-0018 to speak with out staff or e-mail us at info@artofskin.ca. We are more than happy to discuss any questions you may have.

Art of Skin

Cutting-Edge Dermatological Care, Laser And Cosmetic Surgery in Canmore, Alberta

Chemical Peels including TCA

Chemical Peels including TCA

chemicalpeelsAt Art of SKIN Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, we offer a variety of chemical peels for a wide range of skin concerns, including, pigmentation reduction, improving the tone and texture of the skin or brightening skin before a big event. Chemical peels are also used to treat active acne. These reasons for the use of chemical peels are in addition to their use for precancerous lesions or acne scarring (to see how chemical peels are used to treat acne scarring, click here

More specifically, chemical peels can be used to reduce pigmentation problems such as melasma, Poikiloderma of Civatte and solar lentigines, and to improve sun damaged or aged skin problems associated with increased skin laxity, wrinkles, and uneven textures. Chemical peels are very effective in fighting signs of aging, and are a popular treatment for skin rejuvenation for areas such as the face, neck and chest, and even backs of the hands!

How Does a Chemical Peel Work?

tcaChemical peels work by removing the outer layer of skin to reveal the younger, healthier skin that lies underneath. Different chemicals are used to achieve different results; some chemicals produce deeper peels than others. Generally, the deeper the peel the more noticeable and lasting the results.

In our practice, the most commonly used superficial peeling agent is glycolic acid (a natural product derived from sugar cane). Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is used as the mid depth peeling agent, and has been safely used in medicine for over 150 years.

In a TCA mid depth chemical peel used to rejuvenate the face, a solution of dilute TCA is applied to the face to remove the damaged surface layers of the skin, including the epidermis and the superficial dermis, and stopping at the mid dermis. TCA chemical peels are a very effective treatment option for improving uneven skin tone and texture problems caused by sun damage and pigmentation abnormalities such as melasma.

TCA peels can also be effective in reducing and improving the signs of aging and can provide significant, long-term results. The required downtime after a mid depth TCA peel is usually one week.

Lighter chemical peels can be designed to remove only the superficial skin of the epidermis to reveal healthier, smoother, fresher-looking skin. The results are less dramatic compared to those of a TCA peel. Required downtime will vary and depends on the type and degree of the chemical peel in question but is usually in the range of 1 – 4 days.

Working With Art of SKIN Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery to Achieve Great Results

The chemical used (ie TCA, Glycolic etc) as well as the concentration of the peeling agent is specific to each patient. For this reason, it is very important that chemical peels (especially mid to deep chemical peels) be applied under the direction of a qualified skin specialist, such as an accredited dermatologist. Dermatologists have a deep understanding of the structure and function of the skin and are the most experienced individuals to provide care for conditions that require the peeling in the first place.

At Art of SKIN Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, we offer many types of chemical peels:

  • TCA (trichloroacetic)
  • Glycolic
  • Salicylic
  • Lactic
  • Pumpkin
  • Various combination peels (such as Jessners)

Downtimes range from 1 day to 7 days depending on the type of peel and the patient’s skin type.

All patients will receive a consultation prior to treatment. During the consultation, we will discuss whether a chemical peel treatment is the best treatment option in your particular case, the areas to be treated, and the degree of treatment desired to achieve the best results.