Ultrastructural study of the skin after facial chemical peels and the effect of moisturization on wound healing.

Ultrastructural changes occurring in the skin at early times after chemical peels as well as effects on the wound healing with moisturization after these peels have been examined. This study evaluated the changes seen in the skin 3 days and 5 days after 35% trichloroacetic acid peels, and the effect of moisturization on this healing was evaluated. Biopsies at 3 days showed an outermost layer of necrotic stratum corneum and stratum granulosum and an underlying layer of new stratum corneum. There were increased cytoplasmic vacuoles in the keratinocytes of the stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and stratum basale layers. There was extensive intercellular spacing between the basal keratinocytes. At 5 days the necrotic layer of stratum corneum and stratum granulosum was gone. The lower epidermis at 5 days showed less intercellular spacing, and there was less vacuolization within keratinocytes. In seven of eight patients treated with moisturization after the peel (p = 0.0325), the ultrastructural changes at 5 days were consistent with a more advanced state of healing compared with those that were treated dry. Ultrastructural morphology at this time showed less intercellular spacing and fewer cytoplasmic vacuoles, indicative of an advanced state of wound repair. These moisturized skin specimens had returned to an almost normal state of structure compared with the skin that had been treated dry.