Chemical Peels in Santa Fe, NM
At Ageless Aesthetics, our facial aesthetics department is the cornerstone on which all our other treatments are founded. Healthy skin is skin well well-maintained. We are introducing routine facials and periodic chemical peels to stimulate new cellular turnover. Get your glow on!
There are many extrinsic aging factors that can affect skin health and beauty. While our skin, as an organ, is extremely resilient, it cannot cope with all the stresses we put it through on a daily basis. Peels offer a great solution to start fresh. We offer several different minimally invasive, versatile chemical skin peels for improving a wide range of the skin's aesthetic and health issues. Our chemical peels use a precise mix of compounds to carefully remove superficial layers of the skin that are damaged by aging, sun damage, skin conditions, the environment, smoking, and other external aging factors.
Lactic acid, glycolic acid, VI Peel®, Obagi Blue Radiance
Fine lines, dullness, acne, discoloration, rough texture
Varies from none to mild flaking/peeling for 3–7 days
Smoother, brighter, more even skin in as little as one week
Chemical peels are professional-grade exfoliating treatments that remove damaged outer layers of skin using gentle acid formulations. This process stimulates cell turnover, clears surface congestion, and encourages collagen production, leading to clearer, firmer, and more radiant skin over time.
Ageless Aesthetics offers a wide variety of chemical peels, including Lactic Acid Therapy, Glycolic Acid Therapy, the Obagi Blue Radiance Peel, and the VI Peel. From light exfoliating acids to advanced formulations that treat deeper concerns like acne, hyperpigmentation, and melasma, each peel is carefully selected to match your skin’s current condition, season, and sensitivity level.
Lactic acid is best used as an exfoliator. With the largest molecule of all chemical peels used in aesthetics, lactic acid does not penetrate past the surface of the stratum corneum. It just works to dissolve surface debris and dead skin. Most of the dead skin is wiped away during the neutralizing phase of the peel application. Lactic acid is derived from milk and belongs to a class of anti-aging ingredients called alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA's). We use a 70% concentration. Lactic acid can also be used during one of our basic facials in lieu of a mask. Lactic acid really is best at giving the skin a glow.
Photo of a patient that received Lactic Acid
Glycolic acid is best used as a hydrator to the skin. Glycolic acid stimulates the sebaceous glands when the top layers flake or shed off the damaged skin. It is considered to be a light to medium peel and does not penetrate past the surface of the stratum corneum of the skin. It is a water-soluble alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) made from sugar cane. It is one of the most widely used AHAs in skin care products. Glycolic acid is a wonderful choice for light flaking to light shedding ,and treating minor skin blemishes located on the top layer of the skin. We use glycolic acid during our basic facials to assist with keeping mild photoaging and superficial pigmentation at bay.
Photo of a patient that received Glycolic Acid
Obagi's Blue Radiance is a quick and efficient acid-based facial peel that exfoliates and helps improve overall complexion. This treatment tightens and smooths skin, providing brighter-looking skin after just one use. The best results are most visible after six sessions. Obagi Blue Radiance at Ageless Aesthetics is a light-medium peel choice with little to no downtime. Most patients experience a light flaking and shedding of the skin along with a brightening effect on the skin.
The Obagi Blue Radiance Peel is one of the most popular chemical peels available in the medical aesthetics industry and can improve your skin's look, texture, and feel in a matter of minutes. It is a non-invasive, pharmaceutical-grade treatment to address the problem of skin at the surface of the stratum corneum. This peel does not penetrate past the surface of the skin, therefore making it a light-medium depth peel. The Obagi Blue Radiance peel is a gentle peel designed to work on the surface of the skin to improve the pigmentation of acne scars and sun-damaged skin, soften texture, even skin tone, and calm down and dry up blemishes.
Obagi's 2% Glycolic and Lactic Acid and 20% Salicylic Acid peel gently exfoliates the epidermis to expose healthy, new, and glowing skin. The peel solution is completed by a strengthening, epidermal-loving mixture of peptides, retinol, witch hazel, and willow bark extract that also helps shed dead skin while unblocking clogged pores. The brightening effect is one of our most popular go-tos for those patients with an upcoming event they want a brightened and refreshed look for, and can be used during any of our basic facials in lieu of a mask. When used in combination with our blue LED LumaLight and cryotherapy in our Snowball facial, the finishing results are glowing and noticeable immediately after treatment.
Photo of a patient before and after 3 Blue Radiance Peels
We offer 3 types of VI Peel—the VI Peel Precision Plus, VI Peel Purify Plus, and the VI Peel Body. Although very similar, they each target a specific condition or area of the body. The evolution of better solutions or ingredients to today's chemical peels, medium-depth peels deliver the same results as deep chemical peels but without the downtime and risks of creating more hyperpigmentation or losing pigment such as hypopigmentation. Created by Dr. Abdala Khalil to treat his daughter’s acne and pigmentation issues, this peel has grown to be the aesthetic industry's go to for a "get it done" type of chemical peel treatment.
A VI Peel is a medium-depth chemical peel offered at Ageless Aesthetics that penetrates your top layer of skin—the epidermis—reaching into the dermis underneath. The post-care product application patients continue at home is the secret to the effectiveness. The saturation continues over a period of 3 days and offers everything needed for success. Like other chemical peels, a VI Peel works by exfoliating your skin and stimulating the production of new proteins.
A VI Peel is gentle enough that we can safely use it on the face, chest, eyelids, hands, and body. This type of peel can be used on all skin types and tones. The VI Peel addresses fine lines and wrinkles, acne and acne scarring pigmentation, hyperpigmentation due to sun damage and melasma, and promotes overall smoother skin texture by refining pores, controlling oil, and stimulating collagen production. All this with minimal downtime and discomfort.
Photo of a patient before and after a VI Peel Precision Plus
Photo of a patient before and after VI Peel Purify Plus
Photo of a patient before and after 3 VI Peel Body treatments for hands
The combination of TCA and phenol creates a controlled injury of the skin, leading to regeneration and resulting in increased collagen and elastin production. TCA clears away dead skin cells to reveal the new skin layers below to treat concerns like skin discoloration, scarring and wrinkles, while phenol is often used to treat deeper concerns, such as sun damage, pigmentation and facial lines.
The same go-to active ingredient in many acne products gives the VI Peel an extra boost of breakout-busting power for our Santa Fe, NM patients. Salicylic acid is used to exfoliate the skin and clean the pores, can reduce mild breakouts of whiteheads and blackheads, and prevents future skin breakouts.
Retinoic acid is a derivative of vitamin A. It helps regulate growth and differentiation of skin cells, resulting in reduction in acne, inflammation, and oil production. It's also where the VI Peels' anti-aging benefits come in because of its ability to exfoliate, firm, and volumize the skin of our Santa Fe, NM patients.
Vitamin C is included in the VI Peel as a powerful antioxidant that counters some of the damaging effects of the sun and pollution, reducing pigmentation and improving the appearance of the skin, not to mention its collagen-boosting properties, which are instrumental in plumping skin and smoothing over wrinkles.
Tretinoin is used to treat acne or other skin diseases. It works partly by keeping skin pores clear.
We offer the Precision Plus and Purify Plus VI Peels which offer added boosters of hydroquinone that offer more of a lightening and brightening effect of the peel outcome.
In fact, we offer by appointment the opportunity to extend your Botox and Dysport treatment when you have a VI Peel performed in the same appointment. The rapid rate of cellular turnover with the effects of the neurotoxin injection of either Botox or Dysport offer superior results.
The VI Peel can help you lighten areas of skin darkened by the sun damage and skin conditions such as melasma. One of the key ingredients in the VI Peels is phenol, which is effective for treating freckles and discoloration.
Some of the active ingredients in a VI Peel, such as salicylic acid, will help break down bumps caused by keratosis pilaris (chicken skin). Keratosis pilaris is a common condition in which dead skin cells clog hair follicles and produce bumps that resemble the skin of a plucked chicken.
We often use a VI Peel to improve acne for our Santa Fe, NM patients. A VI Peel can treat acne by reducing oil production, killing bacteria, reducing inflammation, breaking down your outer layer of skin, and reducing your number of clogged pores. Salicylic acid, one of the key ingredients in a VI Peel, is also one of the best treatments for pigmented acne scars.
The peel procedure is quick and easy and once complete, old skin cells will gradually flake off or shed off and reveal the fresh, new, more youthful skin tone. Some of the skin health and facial improvements for chemical peels include:
There is a whole lot of misinformation out there on the internet regarding what you should look like during the peeling phase of a chemical peel. Light flaking does not mean that you did not receive a good chemical peel application. There are many factors at play. The main factor is what phase of cell turnover your skin is at the time you receive your chemical peel.
Cell turnover refers to the speed of constant shedding of dead skin cells and the later replacement with younger health cells. The process of cell turnover happens naturally and all over our body, including our face, scalp, body, legs, and the bottom of our feet. Our skin turns over every 28-40 days on average, meaning that every 28-40 days, a new skin cell is born.
AGE SKIN CYCLE
Here is a general guide to skin turnover rate at different ages.
Before early 20s: ~14-21 days
20s to 30s: ~28 days
40s: ~45-60 days
50 years+: ~60-90 days
Hence, taking your skin at 20 as a base, your skin cycle can take twice as long when you reach 40 years old. When you reach 50 years old, it could take 3 times longer for skin cell turnover. Other than the age factor, our hormones, skin health, weather such as sun, wind, and pollution, and stress level can affect the skin cycle as well.
So when you receive a chemical peel and only have flaking, this means that your skin has just completed a turnover cycle. The chemical or ingredients in the specific chemical peel will bind to the target and can be very effective without the effect of shedding in sheets.
Most of our guests notice brighter, smoother skin within one week of treatment, with full results appearing after any peeling has resolved. A single peel can improve radiance and tone, while a series of treatments can dramatically refine skin texture, fade discoloration, and support long-term clarity.
For lasting results, we often recommend a series of 3–6 treatments spaced several weeks apart, along with a tailored home care regimen.
At Ageless Aesthetics, every chemical peel is selected, layered, and timed based on your skin’s needs and your comfort level. Our team is extensively trained in multi-depth chemical exfoliation, advanced treatment combinations, and aftercare strategies to maximize results and minimize downtime.
Whether you’re addressing chronic skin conditions or simply maintaining your glow, our specialists provide a setting where results feel natural and care feels personal.
Not all chemical peels result in visible peeling. Some exfoliate on a cellular level, while others may cause flaking or sheet peeling for several days. We’ll help you select the peel that suits your goals and schedule.
Yes. We offer gentle options for sensitive skin and safe, clinically tested peels for Fitzpatrick skin types IV–VI, including the VI Peel line.
We recommend avoiding makeup for at least 24–48 hours post-treatment to allow your skin to heal properly, especially if peeling occurs.
Most of our guests benefit from a peel every 4–6 weeks, depending on your skin’s condition and the type of peel used. We’ll create a schedule that fits your needs.
Yes. Peels like the VI Peel Purify Plus and Obagi Blue Radiance Peel are excellent for managing breakouts, clearing congestion, and reducing acne scars over time.
A VI Peel at our Santa Fe, NM office takes only about 45 minutes and is usually painless. It uses a blend of ingredients to break down your top layer of skin and reveal healthy skin underneath. Your aesthetician will cleanse your skin and prepare it for the peel application process, then assist you in downloading the app on your phone to access the post-care instructions that will walk you through the continued application process. The peel does not penetrate past the stratum corneum; therefore, it is totally safe for all skin tones.
At Ageless Aesthetics, every detail of your experience is guided by a deep commitment to thoughtful care, refined results, and genuine connection. We take the time to understand your goals and tailor each treatment with precision, integrity, and intention. If you're ready to explore what personalized aesthetic care can truly feel like, we invite you to schedule a consultation and begin your journey with us.
