What is "chemical peeling" and how does it help treat skin cancer?

What is "chemical peeling" and how does it help treat skin cancer?

Harry Saperstein, MD, FAAD (Dermatologist, Clinical Assoc. Professor, Medicine, Private Practice and UCLA) gives expert video advice on: How are early-stage melanoma skin cancers treated?; What types of radiation therapy are used to treat skin cancer?; Does laser therapy have a role in treating skin cancer? and more...

Chemical peels are various different varieties depending on how deep the peel penetrates into the epidermis and dermis. Superficial chemical peels and medium chemical peels are cosmetic peels and have no value whatsoever- preventative or therapeutically in terms of skin cancer. However, very deep chemical peels can obliterate some of those abnormal cells: which will either become skin cancer or are early pre-cancers. That can be done by both laser and by chemical; for deep peel and has some value. There is a new type of therapy called photodynamic therapy or PDT, whereby a chemical substance is put on the skin, it sits of the skin for some period of time and then a special light is applied to the skin which causes a deep peel throughout the skin. This is extraordinarily valuable for multiple actinic keratosis, or legions that called “pre-cancers”. In obliterating all those actinic keratosis, the incidences of skin cancer would go significantly down. The role of peels for skin cancer, however, is not really appropriate and is not done in any capacity.