If you have melasma -- patches of hyperpigmentation -- you may have heard you should avoid chemical peels because they can trigger flare-ups and make it worse, but Dr. Pollei disagrees. "Often times with melasma, you have this early irritated phase where the melasma might worsen for a couple days or a week," he says. But if you combine the peel with an at-home regimen that contains lightening ingredients like hydroquinone, your skin will continue to even out over time.

Our candidate Blaire was cautiously optimistic. "I know that melasma is very temperamental and have been advised against lasers in the past," she says. "I'm not too concerned with getting the peel; I just hope the melasma doesn't get worse for any reason."

Her Rx: Three PCA Skin peels, one per month, starting with two Sensi Peels and then one Ultra Peel. Dr. Pollei also had her use retinol, SPF and PCA Skin Pigment Gel, which contains 2% hydroquinone.

Blaire was extremely careful about sun exposure, and she avoided hot workouts and showers, which can trigger melasma. While her melasma didn't disappear completely, Dr. Pollei was happy with the results. "A 50-70-percent improvement is a homerun for a lot of patients," he says.

"Overall, I think the peels made my skin feel amazing, and as far as discoloration goes I do see a slight improvements, which is awesome," says Blaire.

By resurfacing the skin, chemical peels can treat fine lines, sun damage, large pores, and uneven texture -- all visible signs of aging. Our anti-aging candidate, CJ, was a serious challenge because -- in addition to being our oldest volunteer -- she also works outside in the sun.

Dr. Pollei wasn't intimidated. "She's in the sun all day every day, but with her Mediterranean heritage, she looks pretty good," he says. "I got the vibe that even doing the peels was more than she'd do under normal circumstances. But as she saw the benefits, she warmed up to it pretty quickly."

Her Rx: Four PCA peels, one per month, starting with two Sensi Peels and then two Ultra Peels. For her at-home skin care routine, Dr. Pollei recommended PCA Skin Total Strength Serum to fight aging and PCA Skin C&E Strength Max, an antioxidant blend, to boost CJ's already diligent sun protection routine.

Being a treatment newbie, CJ didn't know what to expect -- and she was pleasantly surprised. "I was ready for intense pain, bit it was minimal," she says. "No pain, no drama, no big deal."

And while she did "peel like a lizard," her fourth treatment was "the best yet," she says. "The pain was no worse than the third, but four days post and I can definitely see results. My hyperpigmentation is very reduced."

If you have sensitive skin, your doctor can customize a chemical peel just for you. "It's about tailoring the peel to their needs, plus utilizing a low-dose steroid," says Dr. Pollei.

Victoria, our fourth and final peel candidate, was also the slowest to see a difference. She spends a lot of time outside, and she has some stubborn pigmentation -- but she also has sensitive skin and wouldn't be able to tolerate a superdeep peel. "She had some sensitive skin right out of the gate so the first and second peels, I didn't hit her very hard, but the third was more aggressive," says Dr. Pollei. And when someone with sensitive skin has a more intense peel, the result is redness. "The redness lasted for five to six hours -- I looked like a tomato," says Victoria.