Salicylic acid is known as a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and is synthetically made, unlike alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) which are extracted from plants and fruits such as sugar cane plants. One advantage of salicylic acid peels is that the anti-inflammatory property of salicylic acid helps to prevent problems such as irritation that may occur after the treatment.

Glycolic acid peels, like other AHA skin peels,  removes the top layer of dead cells on your skin leaving younger more vital skin cells. These younger cells are now given the opportunity to thrive. A glycolic peel is also useful for treating acne and for removing old acne scars. To increase the effectiveness of the peel, Dr. Fisher may recommend that you combine your treatment with our microdermabrasion system that removes the top micro-layer of skin. Medical Microdermabrasion for Acne and Acne Scars: Microdermabrasion can reduce mild acne scarring and discolorations of the skin. The microderm procedure has shown to be effective with acne scar treatment. Some refer to this as acne laser treatments although the actual process involves a gentle abrasion through a fine crystal spray that breaks up dead skin and other imperfections. The procedure is considered effective for both dark- and light-skinned patients.