Not all chemical peels are the same treatment. The light “lunchtime peels” offered at spas freshen the surface of the skin for a few days. The peel we perform at Elect Dermatology is a different category of procedure: a medium-depth glycolic acid + 35% TCA combination peel, performed by a board-certified dermatologist, that produces visible, lasting correction of sun damage, fine lines, and uneven pigment — the kind of change you can see in the mirror weeks and months later, not just the day after.
Because it works deeper, it is a real medical procedure with real peeling afterward, and it is not right for everyone. This page explains exactly what our peel is, what it treats, what the week after looks like, and how to decide — with us — whether it’s the right choice for your skin.
What Our Peel Is: Glycolic Acid + 35% TCA
Our peel is a two-step combination that dermatologists have refined over decades.
Step one — glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid that loosens and lifts the compacted outer layer of dead skin cells. On its own it produces a light peel; in our protocol, its job is preparation. By clearing that surface layer evenly, it allows the second solution to penetrate at a uniform, predictable depth.
Step two — 35% trichloroacetic acid (TCA). TCA is the workhorse of medium-depth peeling. At 35%, it reaches through the epidermis into the upper dermis — the level where years of accumulated sun damage, fine wrinkling, and stubborn discoloration actually live. As the treated layers peel away over the following week, the skin rebuilds itself with fresher epidermis and stimulated collagen beneath.
The combination approach matters. Glycolic prep lets us achieve medium-depth results with better uniformity and a more controlled experience than TCA applied alone to untreated skin. This is a physician-performed procedure at our office — not a treatment we delegate.
What a Medium-Depth Peel Treats
This peel is one of the most effective single treatments in dermatology for:
- Sun damage and photoaging — the rough texture, mottled tone, and weathered look that decades of Texas sun leave behind
- Fine lines and early wrinkling — especially the fine crinkling around the cheeks and eyes (deeper folds and expression lines respond better to other treatments, and we’ll tell you which)
- Uneven pigmentation — sun spots, age spots, and blotchy discoloration
- Rough, dull texture — skin that has lost its smoothness and light reflection
- Superficial acne scarring — shallow, soft scars can soften and blend; deep or pitted scars need different tools, and we’ll be honest about that
One treatment produces meaningful change. This is not a peel you need in a monthly series — most patients repeat it at most once a year, often in the fall after the Texas summer has done its damage.
Why Your Peel Should Come From a Board-Certified Dermatologist
A 35% TCA peel is a controlled chemical injury to the skin, and the difference between an excellent result and a complication is judgment: assessing your skin type, choosing the right depth, recognizing the endpoint during the procedure, and managing the healing week afterward.
At Elect Dermatology, your peel is performed by a board-certified dermatologist who treats skin medically every day — the same physicians who diagnose skin cancer, manage complex pigment disorders, and understand how skin heals. We also see the other side: patients who had aggressive peels done elsewhere without proper candidacy assessment. Peel depth that’s safe and effective for one skin type can cause lasting pigment problems in another, which is why the consultation matters as much as the peel itself.
What to Expect on Treatment Day
Your appointment begins with the skin cleansed and degreased so the solutions apply evenly. The glycolic step goes on first, followed by the TCA, applied methodically by your dermatologist while watching the skin’s response — the visible “frosting” that tells us the peel has reached its intended depth.
You will feel it working: a hot, stinging sensation during application that peaks for a few minutes and then settles. We use cool air and timing to keep it very manageable, and the active part of the procedure is brief. You’ll leave the office with your aftercare instructions and everything you need to know for the week ahead. The skin looks flushed — similar to a sunburn — for the first day or two before peeling begins.
The Week After: What Real Results Require
We’re direct about this because it’s the most important thing to plan for: a medium-depth peel comes with real, visible downtime. This is not a “back to work in an hour” treatment — and that’s exactly why it works.
A typical course looks like this:
- Days 1–2: The skin is red and feels tight, like a sunburn. Darkening or a bronzed look is normal as the treated layer prepares to shed.
- Days 3–6: Peeling. The old skin lifts and sheds in sheets and flakes — this is the treatment working, and the cardinal rule is don’t pick or pull. Plain petrolatum ointment keeps the skin comfortable and protected while it turns over.
- Around day 7: Most visible peeling is done. The new skin underneath is pink, smooth, and noticeably fresher. Redness fades over the following days to weeks.
Most patients plan roughly a week of social downtime. Aftercare is simple but non-negotiable: petrolatum during the peeling days, gentle cleansing, no scrubbing or exfoliating, and — above all — strict sun protection. A daily mineral sunscreen is the single most important product for protecting your investment, because new post-peel skin is exquisitely sun-sensitive while it matures.
Why Fall Is Peel Season in Central Texas
Timing a medium-depth peel around our climate isn’t a marketing detail — it’s part of doing the procedure safely. New skin must be shielded from intense sun for weeks after peeling, which is why we perform these peels in the cooler months, roughly September through spring, and steer patients away from peeling right before a South Texas summer. If you’ve spent the summer on the river or in the sun, fall is the natural moment to correct that damage and start the holiday season with new skin.
Safety and Candidacy
Performed on the right patient by an experienced physician, the glycolic + TCA peel has a long, well-established safety record. Expected effects — redness, tightness, peeling, temporary darkening — are part of the process, not complications. Genuine risks, though uncommon, include prolonged redness, post-inflammatory pigment change, infection, or scarring, and minimizing them is precisely why candidacy assessment and physician technique matter.
A medium-depth peel may not be the right choice if you:
- Have a naturally deeper skin tone with a strong tendency toward post-inflammatory pigmentation — we’ll discuss whether a modified approach or a different treatment is safer for you
- Have taken isotretinoin (Accutane) recently
- Have an active skin infection, active cold sores, or certain healing disorders (a history of cold sores isn’t disqualifying — we pre-treat with antiviral medication)
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Can’t realistically avoid sun exposure during the healing weeks
Every peel at our office starts with a consultation where we examine your skin, review your history, and confirm this is the right procedure — or recommend the one that is.
Common Questions About Chemical Peels in New Braunfels
How much does a chemical peel cost?
Our medium-depth glycolic + TCA peel is typically $1,000, confirmed at your consultation once we’ve verified you’re a good candidate. It’s a single-treatment investment, not a series you have to keep buying.
How is this different from peels at a med spa?
Depth, and who’s holding the applicator. Spa peels are superficial by design — modest, temporary freshening with quick turnaround. A 35% TCA combination peel works at a depth that requires medical judgment, which is why ours is performed by a board-certified dermatologist. One medium-depth peel accomplishes more than a long series of light ones.
Does it hurt?
You’ll feel real stinging and heat during the brief application — patients describe it as intense but very tolerable — and it settles quickly. The days after feel like a sunburn: tight and tender, managed well with ointment and gentle care.
How long until I see results?
The new skin is visible as soon as peeling finishes, around a week out. Tone and texture continue to refine over the following one to two months as collagen remodeling proceeds — many patients say their skin keeps looking better through week eight.
How often can I have one?
At most once or twice a year — and many patients are happy with a single annual peel each fall. Anyone recommending a medium-depth peel more often than that is overtreating.
Can I combine it with other treatments?
Yes — a peel pairs well with a broader plan. Many patients coordinate a fall peel with wrinkle-relaxer treatment (Jeuveau) or dermal fillers, and we’ll sequence them correctly at your consultation. For isolated sun spots, cryotherapy or prescription topicals are sometimes the better tool.
Chemical Peels at Elect Dermatology
September special: $150 off. For peels scheduled September 1–30, 2026, our glycolic + TCA peel is $850 (regularly $1,000) — timed for exactly the season your skin should peel. Candidacy is confirmed at your consultation. Read more about the September special.
Ready to correct the summer’s damage — or want an honest opinion on whether a peel is even the right treatment for your skin? Call (833) 353-2875 or schedule a consultation with Dr. Stahr or Dr. Hockley at 2154 Gabriels Pl, Ste 103, New Braunfels, TX 78130. We serve patients throughout New Braunfels, Seguin, San Marcos, and the surrounding Hill Country.