Pigmentation issues such as dark spots, melasma, sun damage, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) can cause an uneven skin tone, making the skin appear dull and aged. Medium to deep chemical peels provide an advanced skin resurfacing treatment designed to fade stubborn pigmentation, exfoliate damaged skin layers, and promote even-toned skin. These peels utilize powerful exfoliating agents such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA), phenol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, which penetrate the mid to deep dermal layers to break down excess melanin and stimulate cell renewal for brighter, more radiant skin.

Medium to deep chemical peels for pigmentation target melanin deposits that sit below the reach of superficial treatments. At Claire Derma, our dermatologists use trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at 25 to 35 percent, often combined with Jessner's solution, to penetrate into the papillary dermis where stubborn melanin clusters reside.

This treatment effectively reduces pigmentation by:

Melanin Exfoliation – Exfoliating layers of skin with accumulated melanin, helping fade discoloration.

Melanin Regulation – Regulating melanin production, preventing future dark spots.

Skin Cell Renewal – Improving skin turnover, revealing fresh, healthy skin.

Collagen & Elasticity Boost – Stimulating collagen and elastin, restoring an even skin texture.

TCA Cross Technique – For focal pigmented lesions and stubborn melasma patches, TCA is applied at higher concentrations using a fine-tipped applicator directly onto individual spots.

Modified Jessner's Peel – A formulation combining resorcinol, lactic acid, and salicylic acid applied before TCA creates uniform acid penetration across uneven skin.

Retinol-Boosted TCA – Adding retinoic acid to the peel protocol accelerates epidermal turnover post-treatment and suppresses melanin transfer to keratinocytes.

The acid formulations used in medium-depth pigmentation peels differ from those chosen for acne. While TCA remains the workhorse agent, our dermatologists at Claire Derma frequently modify the approach by adding kojic acid or retinoic acid as boosters that specifically inhibit tyrosinase — the enzyme responsible for melanin production.

Melasma Treatment – Treating hormonal pigmentation triggered by pregnancy or sun exposure.

Sunspots & Age Spots Reduction – Reducing UV-induced brown spots and age-related discoloration.

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) – Fading dark marks left behind by acne or skin trauma.

Even Skin Tone – Brightening and smoothing skin for a more uniform complexion.

Wood's Lamp Mapping – Before treatment, our dermatologist examines your skin under 365nm ultraviolet light to classify pigment as epidermal, dermal, or mixed.

Controlled Layering – Acid is applied in sequential thin coats rather than a single heavy application. Between each layer, the dermatologist assesses frosting patterns to gauge penetration depth.

Post-Peel Tyrosinase Inhibition – Within 48 hours of peeling completion, we restart topical depigmenting agents — vitamin C serum, tranexamic acid, or arbutin — to suppress melanocyte activity during the critical healing window when.

At Claire Derma, the treatment protocol for pigmentation peels involves meticulous pre-treatment to reduce rebound darkening. Four to six weeks before your peel, we prescribe a depigmenting regimen — typically a combination of hydroquinone 4%, tretinoin 0.05%, and a mild topical steroid (the modified Kligman's formula).

Fades Stubborn Pigmentation – Lightens melasma, sunspots, and dark patches.

Evens Out Skin Tone – Provides a uniform, radiant complexion.

Stimulates Skin Regeneration – Encourages fresh, healthy skin cell growth.

Benefit – Reaches dermal melanin deposits that topical agents cannot access. Hydroquinone and vitamin C primarily act on epidermal melanin, while a TCA peel physically removes pigmented tissue at both epidermal and.

Benefit – Resets the epidermal melanin load rapidly. Rather than gradual fading over months, a medium-depth peel strips the full pigmented epidermis in a single session, allowing fresh, evenly pigmented skin to.

Benefit – Stimulates dermal collagen alongside pigment reduction. The healing response triggered by medium-depth peels improves skin texture and luminosity, giving patients a dual benefit of reduced discolouration and smoother, more resilient.

Medium to deep peels offer pigmentation patients a level of correction that topical treatments and superficial peels approach only slowly, if at all. A single TCA peel can remove months' worth of accumulated melanin deposits in one session, particularly for solar lentigines and post-inflammatory marks.

This treatment is ideal for individuals who:

Struggle with deep or stubborn pigmentation.

Experience uneven skin tone due to sun exposure or hormonal changes.

Recovery from a medium-depth pigmentation peel requires strict sun avoidance and consistent use of depigmenting topicals. In the first three to five days, treated skin darkens and tightens — this is the damaged pigmented layer preparing to shed. Peeling begins around day four and completes by day ten. The newly revealed skin is pink and noticeably lighter, but it remains highly susceptible to UV-triggered pigment rebound.