Last fact-checked: 9 October 2020

Having a chemical peel while on holiday in Phuket, Thailand's largest and most-visited island, can give you a more refreshed, younger-looking appearance.

Even though you will have to stay out of the sun after your treatment, you can still enjoy plenty of activities while saving several hundred dollars on the cost of the procedure.

Find out more with Medical Departures.

What Is a Chemical Peel - and Is It for Me?

Men and women who are unhappy with the texture or appearance of their skin often find that a chemical peel can work wonders. Chemical peels are commonly used for treating scars, skin discolouration, and wrinkles. While this treatment is typically performed on the face, it can also be performed on other areas of the body as well as in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures.

The treatment works by applying a chemical solution to targeted areas that removes the top layers of the skin. After a time, the skin that grows back following your treatment will look notably younger and feel smoother. If you are considering having a chemical peel performed, you should be aware that this treatment is not effective for treating deep facial lines, removing broken capillaries, tightening sagging or loose skin, changing poor size, or removing deep scars.

Prospective patients will discover a long list of reasons to travel to Phuket for a chemical peel. Along with soaking up the beautiful, exotic surroundings, patients can also benefit from much lower pricing on cosmetic procedures in Phuket than elsewhere, including Australia, North America and the EU. 

While the cost of healthcare has continued to soar around the world, procedures remain quite affordable in Thailand. Phuket is also home to many excellent facilities specializing in cosmetic treatments and procedures.

Prior to booking your procedure, you should take the time to research facilities, as well as who you are going to be treated by. Medical Departures can help enormously in this respect as we give you free access to a list of clinics and practitioners in Phuket who specialize in different treatments.

We only include a facility on our list once it has passed our exhaustive background checks, which include:

• Verifying qualifications and professional memberships, such as the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
• Perform criminal and civil background checks
• Carrying out onsite visits in person 
• Gathering and publishing testimonials from patients who have actually used those facilities. 

 All this information is displayed on our listing pages alongside clinic photos, location maps, staff profiles and price lists. This enables you to choose a suitable clinic and book your appointment with confidence.

Over time, the ageing process, acne and sun exposure can leave one's skin tone wrinkled, uneven, scarred or spotted. Chemical peels are a popular solution for improving the appearance of one's skin because they are the least invasive method for doing so. Although frequently used on the face, a chemical peel can also be used on the hands and neck.

Chemical peels can be performed at varying levels, ranging from light to deep based on the desired results, and different, FDA-approved chemical solutions are also used. For more dramatic results, deeper chemical peels will be used although they do involve longer recovery times. Deep chemical peels must be performed under strict surgical conditions only, whereas the milder ones may be carried out in beauty clinics.

This procedure is usually performed in an outpatient facility. Prior to the procedure, your physician will clean the area to be treated. You may also be provided with gauze, ointment, goggles, or tape to protect surrounding areas. There is usually no need for this procedure to be performed under any type of anaesthesia, although a sedative or painkiller may be provided for a medium chemical peel. Your surgeon may numb the area using a local anaesthetic for a deep chemical peel.

The procedure is performed by brushing the chemical solution onto your skin. You may experience some stinging. After a few minutes, a neutralizing solution will be applied along with cool compresses. Stinging and burning may persist for about half an hour after the procedure.

A chemical peel can typically be performed in about an hour. Following the procedure, you may notice your skin is dry, red, or slightly irritated. New skin should begin to develop within one week. Over-the-counter pain relief can be used for any discomfort you feel. The deeper the chemical peel, the more redness and swelling you may experience. It also may take longer for new skin to develop following deeper levels of treatment.

The average cost of a chemical peel in Phuket is about $200 per session based on the level of peel (Euro €18, AUD $28, GBP £14) compared to $650 in the United States (EURO €580, AUD $900, GBP £445).

Please note: These are approximate prices based on global averages at the time of writing. To see updated prices, as well as clinic photos, surgeon profiles, patient reviews and other information, take a look at these three leading clinics in Phuket for chemical peels:

• Dermaplus Phuket
• Doctor B Clinic Beauty and Surgery
• Innova clinic

Compare prices by browsing our full list of quality-checked chemical peel clinics in Phuket.

See below for easy ways to book. You can also contact our Customer Care Team to schedule a date for your Phuket peel. When you book with us, you'll get the best prices safe in the knowledge that you can change or cancel your appointment at any time.

Sources: 

Chemical Peels Are Most Popular Cosmetic Procedure. WebMD. Website accessed: 9 October 2020. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20000509/chemical-peels-are-most-popular-cosmetic-procedure

Chemical Peels. Mayo Clinic. 24 May 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chemical-peel/about/pac-20393473

Phuket. Hotels.com. Website accessed: 9 October 2020. http://www.phuket.com/

International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Website accessed: 9 October 2020. https://www.isaps.org/