Chemical Peel vs Fraxel

Chemical Peel: An acid solution applied in the office to shed the top layers of skin. Superficial peels clear pores and fade brown marks; medium peels reach texture and deeper sun damage. It does not fix indented scars.

Fraxel: A laser that heats thousands of microscopic columns in the skin and leaves the skin between them untouched. Used for sun damage, acne scars, and rough texture. It takes a course of treatments and a few days of looking sunburned each time.

Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, Board-Certified Dermatologist
Last updated: 10/22/2026

Editorial illustration for Chemical Peel, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.

Editorial illustration for Fraxel, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.

Choose if Key differences What is it?What it treats Treatment areas Skin tones How it works Before your treatment Day of treatment After your treatment Risks Cost Questions Related

Choose Chemical Peel if…

Choose for brown marks, clogged pores or dull, sun-aged texture — not for indented scars.

Melasma or dark marks alongside creams
Clogged pores and mild acne
You can avoid sun before and after

Choose Fraxel if…

Choose for acne scars or sun damage with a few days of downtime per session instead of the week-plus of ablative lasers.

Rolling or boxcar scars
Sun spots and rough texture
You can plan 3–5 sessions

Alternatives, not combined

Can you have both?

Both resurface the skin. Most people choose one; light peels can maintain results between Fraxel series, spaced at least 4 weeks apart.

Key differences

● Chemical Peel

● Fraxel

DowntimeNone → 2+ weeks

1–2 days

3–7 days

PainMinimal → Needs anesthesia or sedation

Mild

Moderate

Results showImmediately → 3+ months

1–4 weeks

1–3 months

How long it lastsWeeks → Years or permanent

3–6 months

Years or permanent

Visits neededOne → Every few months

A longer series (4–6+)

Cost per visit$ → $$$$$

$$$

ReversibleYes, can be undone → No, permanent

No, fades slowly

No, permanent

What is it?

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

What is it?

It is controlled exfoliation.

A chemical agent creates a controlled skin injury.

There are three depths.

Superficial, medium and deep peels differ in recovery and risk.

The acid name is not enough.

A peel is not defined by ingredient or percentage alone.

Deep peels need a medical setting.

Phenol peels carry serious systemic risks.

It is a nonablative fractional laser.

Fraxel heats microscopic zones while sparing skin in between.

Platforms differ.

Wavelength and device determine the treatment.

It is not CO2 resurfacing.

It is less intensive than ablative lasers.

It is not risk-free.

Burns, redness and pigment changes can occur.

What it treats

Evidence level

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

Strong evidenceMost established uses

—

Acne Scarring

Improves rolling and boxcar scars.

Sun Spots

Clears sun damage.

Moderate evidenceSome supportive research

Flat tan patches with soft irregular edges across the forehead and upper cheek of an adult with light skin, the surface completely smooth.

Melasma

Light peels help alongside creams.

Acne

Clears clogged pores.

Sun Spots

Fades spots.

A relaxed forehead with faint shallow horizontal fine lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

Deeper peels smooth lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

Smooths texture.

Limited evidenceEarly or small studies

—

Melasma

Low settings may help some.

Little evidence

A relaxed forehead with pronounced deep horizontal furrows.

Deep Wrinkles

Light peels can't reach deep lines.

Ice Pick Scars

Too deep for most sessions.

Can make it worse

Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

Very irritating.

Rosacea

Can worsen redness.

Treatment areas

Face; the selected area depends on the concern and treatment plan.

Face and hands.

Skin tones

Skin tone

● Chemical Peel

● Fraxel

Lighter skin

Low risk

Light and medium peels suit most.

Low risk

Redness and swelling for days.

Medium skin

Some risk

Light peels are safer; dark marks possible.

Some risk

Dark marks possible; lower settings help.

Deeper skin

Higher risk

Stick to light peels with an experienced provider; deeper peels risk lasting dark or light patches.

Some risk

Safer than ablative lasers at lower density with an experienced provider.

How it works

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

How it works

Chemical Peel mechanism diagram. The agent and depth are selected: The clinician matches the peel to the skin and concern. Controlled chemical injury occurs: The chosen agent acts on the planned skin layers. Skin heals and renews: Results and recovery depend on the peel depth and technique.

Fraxel DUAL diagram: 1927 nm reaches up to 0.3 mm and 1550 nm up to 1.6 mm, depending on settings.

Diagram explanation

The agent and depth are selected: The clinician matches the peel to the skin and concern. Controlled chemical injury occurs: The chosen agent acts on the planned skin layers. Skin heals and renews: Results and recovery depend on the peel depth and technique.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Fractional heat zones leave surrounding tissue untreated. Superficial 1927 nm treatment helps fade uneven pigmentation; deeper 1550 nm treatment triggers repair and collagen remodeling.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Before your treatment

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

2–4 weeks before

2 weeks before: Sun and tanning: No tanning, no sunburn.

4 weeks before: Pigment cream: On deeper skin tones, a pigment-blocking cream first cuts the risk of dark patches.

4 weeks before: Sun: Avoid tanning, self-tanner and sunburn.

Pigment preparation: For deeper skin tones, providers may prescribe a pigment-lowering cream for 2–4 weeks and test near the ear.

The week before

Actives and hair removal: Stop retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and acids 3 to 5 days before.

Actives and hair removal: No waxing, threading or hair removal creams.

Cold sores: Tell your provider; preventive antiviral medicine often starts the day before.

Hair removal: Stop waxing, threading and hair-removal creams.

Actives: Stop retinoids, retinol and acids 3–7 days before.

Day of treatment

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

Before you arrive

Not specified

Arrive with clean skin and no makeup.

Arrange a ride if you will have strong settings or oral pain medicine.

Arrival & prep

Skin is checked, photos taken, and you confirm what you have stopped using.

Skin is cleaned and photographed. Numbing cream stays on for 45–60 minutes.

Treatment

Skin is cleaned and degreased, eyes and lips protected, acid brushed on in layers.

It stings and builds over 2 to 5 minutes, then gets neutralized. The visit takes 20 to 30 minutes. A light peel burns briefly and most people tolerate it; a medium peel is genuinely uncomfortable, and the burning can last an hour.

The laser passes over the skin while cold air cools it.

Expect prickly heat that builds with each pass, often strongly uncomfortable—especially on the forehead and around the mouth.

Before you leave

Pink, tight skin, sometimes with mild swelling and stinging for a few hours.

Skin feels hot, red and swollen. Ice packs and a bland ointment are usually applied.

After your treatment

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

First 24 hours

Days 1 to 3: Skin darkens slightly, dry and rough.

Days 1–2: Redness and swelling, especially around the eyes.

Days 2–7

Days 4 to 7: Light peels finish flaking.

Days 3–7: Rough, bronzed skin flakes away. Do not scrub or pick.

Weeks 2–4

Weeks 1 to 2: Some people break out for a week or two as clogged pores clear.

Not specified

Beyond 1 month

Not specified

1–3 months: Time to results.

Scar improvement can last years; sun damage can return with sun exposure.

Time to results

1–2 weeks after each peel

Not specified

How long results last

Months with good skincare

Not specified

Risks

Dark patches
Prolonged redness
A cold sore outbreak

Dark patches
Worsening redness
Cold sores
Acne or white bumps
Lighter patches

Cost

Per session

A superficial salicylic or glycolic peel runs about $100 to $300 a session in the US, a medium-depth peel about $400 to $900.

About $900–1,500 for a full face in the US. Smaller areas cost less.

Insurance

Insurance rarely covers peels for acne or post-acne marks — they count as cosmetic.

Cosmetic treatment is not covered. Coverage for surgical or injury scars is uncommon.

Full course

Not specified

Several thousand dollars. Packages may reduce the per-session price.

Questions

Chemical Peel

Fraxel

Individual Questions

Do chemical peels work for acne scars?

Not for indented scars. Peels fade the flat brown or red marks left after a spot — people call those scars, but they are discoloration. Depressed scars need microneedling, lasers, subcision, or filler.

Which peel is best for acne?

Salicylic acid, usually — oil-soluble, so it works inside the pore. Glycolic acid suits surface dullness and pigment. Some providers combine them, or use a salicylic-mandelic blend on deeper skin tones.

How many do I need?

4 to 6 sessions, 2 to 4 weeks apart, then maintenance. One peel gives a temporary glow.

Are peels safe on deeper skin tones?

Superficial salicylic and glycolic peels are, with good data behind them. Deeper peels can leave a lasting dark or light patch. Depth, not the acid, matters.

Will I actually peel?

Often not much, and that is fine. Sheeting does not mean it worked; mild flaking does not mean it did not.

How many Fraxel sessions will I need?

Three to five, two to four weeks apart. Sun damage sometimes needs fewer, acne scars usually need the full course, and deeper skin tones are treated at lower settings, which means more sessions.

Does Fraxel get rid of acne scars?

It improves them rather than removing them. Studies of nonablative fractional lasers show partial improvement in scar depth and appearance over a course. Deep icepick scars respond least and are often better treated by combining the laser with subcision or filler.

How much downtime is there really?

Plan for a week. Two days of redness and swelling, then a few days of rough, bronzed skin that flakes off. Most people cover it with makeup from day three and look normal by day seven.

Does it hurt?

With an hour of numbing cream and cold air, most people call it hot and strongly uncomfortable rather than unbearable, and it stops as soon as the laser does. The forehead and around the mouth are the worst.

Is it safe for deeper skin tones?

It can be done, but differently. The main risk is temporary dark patches. Lower settings, more sessions, pre-treatment creams and strict sun protection all lower that risk, and the provider experience with your skin tone matters more than the device.

Is Fraxel the same as CO2 laser?

No, though one device sold under the Fraxel brand is a carbon dioxide laser. The Fraxel most people mean is nonablative, heating the skin without removing the surface. A carbon dioxide laser removes tissue, does more per session, and brings one to two weeks of downtime and more pigment risk.

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