Wood's lamp for superficial chemical peels.

Abstract

Superficial chemical peels are being used with increasing frequency in the treatment of photoaging. Our purpose was to develop a marker to indicate when all areas of skin have been treated and avoid reliance on a map or operator recall. With a Wood's lamp (maximum output 365 nm) and addition of salicylic acid and fluorescein sodium, solutions that are readily available, the progress of the superficial chemical peel can be visualized. Wood's lamp accentuates epidermal pigment and therefore highlights dyschromia that will respond to a superficial chemical peel. Similarly, salicylic acid and fluorescein sodium fluoresce when viewed under Wood's lamp examination. When fluorescent compounds are incorporated into a superficial chemical peel, then fluorescence can accurately locate skip areas, minimize inadvertent overlayering, and thereby avoid deeper penetration.