The human body is covered by a protective layer of skin. The skin itself is made up of several different layers, each having a different role to play. These layers are microscopic in thickness and only the surface layers are visible to us. The skin also contains hair follicles and is the base on which hair is able to grow. Skin color is derived from the genetic background of a human being. The skin has a pigment known as melanin which is responsible for the color of the skin of an individual. If the skin has an increased concentration of melanin, then it will be darker and the opposite is true for lighter skin.

A chemical peel procedure is a process where the top layer of the skin is removed after the application of a chemical substance that causes that layer of skin to peel off. Many people suffer from skin blemishes or marks which may be present in the top layer of the skin. Most people also suffer from rough skin that is a result of wear and tear experienced during normal daily life. As people get older, they also tend to develop wrinkles on the skin. By removing the top layer of the skin, the chemical peel procedure allows the removal of some blemishes and the reduction of the appearance of other blemishes. The human skin has a natural process where it regenerates itself. The top layer of skin flakes off throughout the day and is replaced by the layer below it which has been growing to fill the gap. This process is continuous throughout the life of an individual. This is how people who have had their skin tanned will lose their tan over a period of time. A chemical peel for the body is a more aggressive method of making this top layer peel off. This allows the skin below it to become exposed to the atmosphere. This exposed skin tends to be softer, slightly fairer and with fewer blemishes than the top layer of skin that has been shed.

A chemical peel cannot be prescribed to someone who has a skin condition such as acne or even to a person who has pimples and any other type of skin abnormality. People with skin allergies should generally avoid such a procedure as it tends to make the skin very sensitive and sore in the immediate aftermath of the procedure.