Chemical peels in East Finchley: brighter, smoother skin with little visible peeling
One peel we trust, a course that adds up, and a straight answer on who should not have it.
A chemical peel lifts the dull, dead surface of the skin so fresher skin shows through. At Nova we use one peel, BioRePeelCl3 FND, a two-phase peel built around 35 per cent trichloroacetic acid with other acids, amino acids and vitamins, made for the face, neck and chest. It is £75 a session. Unlike the peels of old, most people shed little visible skin: expect pinkness and light flaking rather than days of sheets coming off.
It suits adults with dull or tired skin, uneven tone and surface pigmentation, blocked pores and mild breakouts, rough texture and fine lines. It is not for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a cold sore, eczema, open skin or sunburn on the area, or anyone who has taken prescription acne tablets in the last six months. Where a prescription treatment would serve you better, for persistent acne or for melasma, we say so at your consultation rather than sell you a course.
What happens at your appointment
Your first visit is a free consultation. We look at your skin, go through your health, medicines, allergies and any history of cold sores or raised scars, and photograph your skin for your record. If you use retinol or a prescription night cream, we ask you to pause it for a few days before each peel so the skin is not already sensitised. New clients are offered a few days to think before booking; returning clients can go ahead on the day.
A peel appointment takes about 30 minutes. The skin is cleansed, your eyes and lips are protected, and the peel is applied and left to work for a few minutes. Expect warmth, tingling and some stinging, which fades quickly; most people describe it as uncomfortable rather than painful. The peel is removed, a moisturiser and sunscreen go on, and you leave with a written aftercare sheet. You can go back to your day, pink.
What results to expect and how long they last
Skin looks pink and feels tight for a day or two, with light flaking from about day two to day seven. Most people notice brighter, smoother skin after the first week and a steadier improvement in tone and texture through a course. A course is usually four to six peels, two to four weeks apart, and we review you after the third.
How long it lasts depends on sun and on what you do at home. Without a daily sunscreen the dullness and surface pigmentation return over a few months. With sunscreen and a simple routine, most people keep the result with a single peel every two to three months. Results vary.
Who it suits and who it does not
The peel suits adults of any skin tone with dullness, mild surface pigmentation, blocked pores and comedonal breakouts, rough texture, fine lines, or a flat look before an event. On darker skin tones it is a reasonable choice because there is no heat, though irritation of any kind can leave a darker patch, so we go gently, leave longer gaps and may test patch first.
We do not peel anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone under 18, or anyone with a cold sore, an infection, open or sunburnt skin, eczema or psoriasis on the area, a known allergy to any ingredient in the peel, or prescription acne tablets in the last six months. A tendency to keloid scars, a weakened immune system and recent laser, IPL, microneedling or injectable treatment in the same area mean we wait. Melasma can be helped by peels as part of a plan, never on their own; the plan is sunscreen, skincare and a prescription cream used at night, which is discussed face to face.
The honest limit
A peel renews the surface. It will not shift pigmentation that sits deep in the skin, lift loose skin, fill lines made by movement, or clear pitted acne scars. One peel gives a glow for a few weeks; the change in tone and texture comes from the course and from daily sunscreen afterwards. If your real problem is active, inflamed acne or melasma, a peel is at most one part of the answer, and the rest is a prescription.
Prices (per session)
Consultation and skin assessment: Free
BioRePeelCl3 FND chemical peel, face: £75
Course of four to six: Priced at consultation
Risks
Stinging, redness, tightness and light flaking are expected for a few days. Less common are a breakout in the first week, a cold sore flare if you are prone, dryness that lasts longer than a week, or a patch that goes darker or lighter than the skin around it, more likely on darker skin or after sun. Rare are a burn-like reaction, infection, small white bumps, and scarring, which usually follows picking at flaking skin. We go through your allergies and history before the first peel.
Common questions
Does a chemical peel hurt?
You feel warmth, tingling and some stinging for the few minutes the peel is on, then it fades. Most people say it is uncomfortable, not painful, and no numbing is needed. The skin feels tight for the rest of the day.
Will my skin peel off?
Not in sheets. BioRePeelCl3 FND is a peel with little visible peeling: expect pinkness for a day or two and light flaking from about day two to day seven. Do not pick or scrub it; let it come away on its own.
How many peels do I need?
A single peel gives a glow for a few weeks. For a real change in tone and texture, four to six peels two to four weeks apart is the usual course, reviewed after the third, then one every two to three months to keep it.
Can I have a peel if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. We do not peel in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. A Hydrofacial with the gentle serum, or a simple skincare routine built around sunscreen, is what we suggest in the meantime.
Do I need to stop my retinol before a peel?
Yes, for a few days before each peel, and for about a week after. The same goes for a prescription night cream and for acid toners or scrubs. We give you the exact dates when you book.
Is a peel suitable for darker skin?
Yes, with care. There is no heat, which is the part that usually worries people with deeper skin tones, but any irritation can leave a dark patch, so we go gently, leave longer gaps and may test patch a small area first.
Can I have a peel before an event?
Book it at least a week before, two to be sure the flaking has gone. For a glow with no flaking at all, a Hydrofacial a few days before is the better choice.
Peel or microneedling for acne scars?
Pitted scars respond to microneedling, not to a peel. Surface marks left after spots, and uneven tone, respond to a peel course. Many people with acne scarring end up with both, spaced apart, and we set the order out at your consultation.
Related treatments
Know what you want? Book a chemical peel now. Not sure? Book a free consultation. Or message us on WhatsApp: 077 21 400 600.
The clinic is at 260 East End Road in East Finchley, three minutes on foot from East Finchley station on the Northern line. Most of our peel clients come from Hampstead, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Muswell Hill and Highgate, and it is a short drive from Finchley, Golders Green, Crouch End, Whetstone and Barnet. See every area we serve.
This page is general information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own skin, health and history, which we go through at a free consultation before anything is booked.