What indicates that a chemical peel went too deep?

Blanching is the correct indicator that a chemical peel has gone too deep. This occurs when the skin temporarily loses its color in response to trauma or irritation, often resulting from an aggressive treatment. During a chemical peel, deeper layers of skin are affected. Blanching suggests that the treatment reached a level that may cause potential damage to the skin.

Redness is a common and expected response after a chemical peel, indicating temporary irritation but not necessarily an indication of excessive depth. Itching can also be a normal sensation during the healing process but does not specifically demonstrate that a peel has penetrated too deeply. Peeling itself is a standard outcome of chemical peels, reflecting the exfoliation of the top layers of skin, and does not imply that the procedure was overly aggressive.

Understanding these responses helps practitioners gauge the depth of a chemical peel and determine if the treatment was appropriate for a patient's skin type and condition.