Generally, chemical peels can be arranged into three categories of light, medium and deep. Light peels are used to help dry skin, acne, liver spots, sun spots, diminish fine facial wrinkles and pore size and improve overall skin texture. Light peels are done in a series of six to eight sessions with two or three week periods in between. After a light peel the skin is only slightly red for about a day. Medium chemical peels are used to remove larger wrinkles and precancerous skin lesions. These peels are done only once every few years and the skin will be burned for about a week during which time the patient should stay indoors and out of the sun. Deep chemical peels eliminate larger wrinkles and can have facelift-like effects. However skin will remain damaged for a month or two after treatment.

Some types of chemicals used for chemical peels include alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) which are used to smooth rough, dry skin, controls acne, improves sun-damaged skin, correct pigment problems, and as TCA pre-treatment, trichoracetic acid (TCA) which is used to smooth out fine wrinkles, remove superficial blemishes and correct pigment problems, and phenol which is used to correct skin problems caused by sun exposure, birth control pills and aging, to remove pre-cancerous growths and to smooth out coarse wrinkles.