Chemical peels have been used in France since the late nineteenth century to combat skin aging. They have been used in North America since the 1920s, and are now accepted and well recognized procedures, particularly for treatment of sun damaged and aged skin.

A variety of chemical agents are used to cause inflammation and irritation to the superficial layers of the skin. Three of the most commonly used peeling agents are phenol and its derivatives, trichloroacetic acid, and alpha hydroxy acids. The subsequent realignment of the skin's collagen building blocks after the chemical peel leads to a smoother, younger look.