TCA Peel Arms - Day 0

This week I decided to do a series of chemical peels on my forearms.   

I know…seems silly, but I’ve managed to accumulate a lot of UV photo damage, and I want to use the natural protection of this winter to remove some of that damage since long-sleeve season is the perfect time.

I will start with a 15% TCA solution and work my way up so that I end with a 35-40% in early spring, which should give my arms time to repair themselves before shirtless season.

Here’s one of my forearms before the peel, so you can get an idea of the sun spots.

How to do an at-home Glycolic Acid Peel

How to do an at-home glycolic acid peel:

1. Make sure you’re a good candidate for an at-home glycolic peel: no open acne or other lesions; skin color that is not prone to hyper-pigmentation, able to wear sunscreen; completed allergy test on a sensitive area, such as under the chin, with no reaction; have not used any peeling agents (Retin-A or any acids) within 7-10 days, have not shaved the area to be peeled in two days and can wait an addition 24-48 hours to shave.
2. Gather all your supplies: hand towel, peel, swabs, glass dish, timer, water, moisturizer, sunscreen
3. Cleanse to remove makeup and gently blot dry
4. Pore a small amount of the peel into a small glass dish
5. Set the timer: start with 1 minute – by the time you apply the peel to your entire face, it will have been on about 30 seconds when the timer goes off.  This is a good amount of time to start with to make sure your skin can tolerate the peel in those areas that are more sensitive; you can work your way up during subsequent peels (at least one week apart)
6. Using the two swabs, dip them into the dish and apply in this order: forehead, nose, above lip, cheeks, chin area.  I like to use my clean fingers, but that’s just me.
7. When the timer rings, rinse with copious amounts of cool water for about 1-2 minutes.
8. Gently blot the face dry with your hand towel
9. Apply the gentle moisturizer
10. Apply sunscreen
11. Do not use any peeling agents for at least one week.  If your skin tolerates the peel well, you can do another in a week.

I am not a doctor, so follow these instructions at your own risk.  

Phenol - Deeper Peel

I’ve been reading lately about the varying degrees of peeling agents, which range in strength from the lowest, such as over-the-counter alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), to medium peels such as TCA,  to the deepest peeling agent phenol, which is actually carbolic acid.

What is it?

I was surprised to learn that phenol occurs naturally in rotting vegetables; so does that mean we can create our own phenol peels from our compost piles?  That may not be so far fetched when you consider that you can create your own peels from items around the house, but I’ll save that for another post.

Phenol was originally derived from coal, back in the 1800s, but today it’s man-made.  Its non-cosmetic uses include adhesives, air fresheners and perfumes, antimicrobial agents, and corrosives.

Who can use it?

Phenol has been used for deep peels in cosmetics for over 20 years.  It’s more appropriate for deeper wrinkles on fair skin, which that cannot be treated successfully with medium peels.  Phenol is not suitable for those with freckles or darker skin since it can permanently discolor the skin.  I read that even people who have lighter skin may have to wear makeup for months or years to help the treated areas match untreated areas, such as the neck, ears, and chest.  Some say that the skin never returns to a natural color after redness subsides: it takes on a ghostly white shade, permanently.  Also, the skin will not tan again after this procedure, so if you like that sun-kissed look, pick up some bronzer, a lot of it, along with sunscreen.

Some people have used phenol peel to remove tattoos since it goes deeply enough to eradicate the ink.  Just remember that the color will always be different in that area from the surrounding skin.

The Procedure:

Although phenol acts as a local anesthetic, general anesthesia or heavy sedation is used because this chemical peel basically burns off your face, and this is not something you want to remember!  Further, you’ll probably be taking some pretty good pain relievers for about a week after the procedure.  A doctor should always apply this peel; do not allow anyone else to use this peel on you, and don’t try to DIY (I DIY everything, but I wouldn’t dream of using this).  The actual procedure can take 15-60 minutes, and the face will be covered with some type of occlusive, antibacterial petroleum jelly.

Recovery

After the anesthesia subsides, there will be mild to severe pain, so take your meds on time!  The pain will subside within about two weeks.  The swelling will probably keep the eyes shut or close to it the morning after the procedure, but that shouldn’t last more than a day or two.  You can go out with sunscreen and mineral makeup in about 2-3 weeks, and plan to wear sunscreen forever.  Total recovery takes about 2-3 months, but the skin color will never get darker after the light shade develops.  Other products you may want to consider include a gentle cleanser, CU3 Copper Complex, antibacterial petroleum jelly, and some have suggested head bands and even a wig. 

TCA 25% Face Peel – Section 2?

My first facial 25% TCA Chemical Peel section took about 3 days from application to peel off, so I’m planning to do my next section the morning of 9/25, this Saturday, since I know that I should peel the evening of the 27^th --and my skin should look about normal the morning of the 28^th.  

I am still using my Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel on the other areas of my face, but I wonder how long I should wait to apply the glycolic acid to the section I did the TCA on this week?  Maybe I’ll have that section wet and neutralize it after 30-60 seconds.  Any suggestions?

To Moisturize or Not to Moisturize

Okay, I’ve given some thought as to why my hands took 10 days to complete a 25% TCA Chemical Peel, and my face took only three.  I realize the skin heals more quickly on the face, but I think the thing that I really did differently was NOT using copper peptide moisturizer on my hands immediately following the neutralizer with the 25% TCA peel.  BTW: here's my face tonight, end of day 4.  A close-up of the TCA section is below.
  

With my face, I used Cu3 Complex, which I think helped it to start healing more quickly then. I also started using shea butter.

Here's my face at the end of day 4:  I think it's going to take 5-6 peels to make a difference at 25% buffered (2.0 pH) TCA.

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 4

This morning, most of the peeling is done.  I did NOT pull those pieces last night.  I’m back to using my shea butter today and sunscreen. I am thinking of trying Neutrogena's liquid sunscreen; I've read that it's similar to Sofina's Lucent.

I'm still wondering why this application of 25% TCA Chemical Peel has finished so quickly compared to my hands.  I'll theorize tomorrow...

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 3 peeling almost done

I applied the 25% TCA peel Sunday morning, and now Tuesday evening, most of the skin is peeling off.  It definitely needed a more occlusive moisturizer, so I applied the Cu3 Complex, and that  masked the peeling this evening.  This picture was taken before I applied that lotion.  After I got out of the shower, there were several pieces just hanging there…oh the urge to pull.

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 3 peeling!

I can’t believe my peel is starting to peel—day3!  I had read that the face recovers faster than other parts of the body, but the patch I’d done on my forehead at 12.5% took just as long as my hands to start peeling.  Maybe because it was a lower percentage, it took as long as the higher percentage on my hands???

The look is definitely not good girls, but I am resisting my urge to pick.

At this rate, I could probably do a full-face weekend peel if I could avoid social events for a weekend, which isn’t so hard during the winter here.

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 3

Today is day 3 of my 25% TCA Chemical Peel.  As you can see, I applied the peel to only a section of my face because I decided I could deal with concealing part of my face at a time, if needed.

The skin feels dry to the touch, like I have a band-aid on it if I smile.  The redness is completely gone, and now it’s just slightly discolored, as if I had hyperpigmentation in that area.

Here’s a picture with makeup and sunscreen.  After cleansing, I started with Reviva Lotion, then I used La Roche-Posay 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid for Face, all over.  Then I stippled on GloMinerals Concealer and set it with L'Oreal Bare Naturale Face Powder.

 

Chemical Peel Gone Wrong?

Was Bethany Storro's self-inflicted “acid attack” a chemical peel gone wrong?   Boy, I hope not.

photo from freshtildeathonline.com

That was my first thought when I read that she’d confessed to doing it herself.  Maybe she applied a chemical peel that was too strong, and she got scared and went to the hospital.  Then, too embarassed to say she'd messed up a chemical peel, she pinned it on someone else.  Okay, that's just my take on it, but I know there are many people who inflict pain on themselves.


She had told police she was on her way to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks when a woman approached her and said "hey pretty girl, do you want to drink this?" before throwing the liquid at her face.  Ms. Storro said that someone  had helped her, and she told police the woman was African American and aged in her late 20s.

But as the police were investigating the incident, they found inconsistencies in the 28-year-old’s story and became suspicious: they said the burn patterns appeared to be more consistent with a rubbed-on application rather than thrown. When police searched her home, she admitted she had made the whole thing up.

I wonder what kind of acid she used?  Doctors said (at the time) it was as strong as sulphuric or hydrochloric acid.

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 2

Today the section of my face where I applied 25% TCA Chemical Peel yesterday has begun to turn a little brown, as I expected. I’m ready with my GloMinerals Concealer.  I really like this concealer because it doesn’t cause blemishes for me. I’ve used it for about two years now.  I'll post a picture tomorrow with makeup on. After I applied my concealer and powder today, you couldn't see the discoloration at all, but I may need something completely matte.  Any suggestions?

You can see the area that got the chemical peel is still pink and slightly brown.  It's not tender at all, but it is taking on that slightly aged look (more so than usual). I know it looks pretty obvious, but my husband hasn't even noticed. 

I didn't use the Complex Cu3 on my face, although I did on my hands.  I was afraid it would cause breakouts since I'm so acne-prone.  Instead, I used the Reviva Lotion.  Interestingly, the 2nd ingredient in it is apricot kernel oil, and you'd think that would cause a problem, but my skin loves it.  I've been massaging this in twice a day for about five weeks with no breakouts at all.  I think I'm going to buy some Aura Cacia Apricot Kernel Oil.

TCA 25% Face Peel – day 1

I decided that because of the downtime I experienced when I applied the TCA peel seen on my hands, arms, and the patch I did on my face, I just can’t do my entire face at once with 25%.  I did a patch on my face of 12.5%, but that took just as long to peel as the 25%, so I’m not sure I want to go down in percentage since I’ll need to do more peels to get the results I want.   

Instead, I’ve decided to do sections of my face, one small section each week.  I think I can manage a small section getting leathery and brown, then cracking and peeling, but I’m not sure I can deal with doing my entire face at one time. 

First, I’ve been doing Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel weekly now for four weeks in preparation.  I read that the TCA or deeper peels work more evenly if the dead skin is unlocked via AHAs for about a month.  I also tested the TCA percentage that I wanted to use on several places, including my hands, arms, and face (an area my hair always covers), which also served as an allergy test. So I think I'm ready...

Today, I prepared by gathering supplies: Neutralizer, Alcohol Swabs, and the 25% TCA Peel, then I cleansed with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Afterward, I wiped with alcohol wipes, and applied the 25% TCA using a cotton swab. 

The area took about one minute to frost (turn white); I wish I would have taken a picture, but I was too concerned with making sure I was ready to neutralize when I needed to, and it stung a lot.  I’ll take a picture of the frosting next week when I do my second section.

After I neutralized, I rinsed with cool tap water for about 20-30 seconds, patted dry, and applied a new moisturizer that I’ve fallen in love with: Reviva Alpha Lipoic Acid Lotion with DMAE and Ester C.  The area is barely pink now.  It was red for about 15 minutes afterward, but nothing outrageous.  I know it will start to turn a little darker by tomorrow, but for now I don’t even need makeup.

You can see this section of my face has several wrinkles and marks from blemishes.  I hope to reduce the appearance of these with several TCA 25% peels this winter.  We'll see...

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Glycolic peel – week 4

This morning, I applied my 4th weekly Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel, and I was surprised that it didn’t sting.  I have read that the skin quickly acclimates to acids, and it’s important to work up slowly, so I think I may order the Glycolic Acid 50% Gel Peel.  I really like this peel because it’s a gel: it stays put, doesn’t drip or run, and stays wet for 10 minutes.

I know my original reason for doing this peel was to prepare for my 25% TCA Peel, but I’m starting to chicken out because of the downtime I’ve seen on my hands, arms, and the patch I did on my face.  I’m toying with the idea of doing sections of my face, one small section each week.  I think I can manage a small section getting leathery and brown, then cracking and peeling, but I’m not sure I can deal with doing my entire face at one time.  What do you think?

Sunscreen?

I'm baffled about sunscreens and which one to use.   I've tried these, and I love the way they look: Ti-Silc Sheer SPF 45 by ProCyte and La Roche-Posay 60spf Ultra Light -- I'm trying to wear sunscreen everyday.

But what really concerns me is...am I helping or hurting myself?  All this business about nano-particles, chemical sunscreen, skin cancer, I'm just not sure what sunscreen I should use.  I know should use something after peeling since the sensitive skin needs to be protected, but I'm not sure what. 

In my search for sunscreen information, I found this post on sunscreen technology.  Take a read.  You may end up with more questions than answers, but that's at least a starting point.

Glycolic Peel 35% - before

I read that the skin should be prepared for a TCA Chemical Peel by using an AHA product for about a month before the TCA peel, so I ordered Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel. Here's my face before the first peel.  It's not the closest view because there are lots more imperfections, especially on my chin under the corners of my mouth...mostly from sun damage, blemishes, and harsh products for blemishes.

TCA 25% Chemical Peel - day 13

Here's my hand on day 13.  All the peeling has finished, except for the two sunspots that I used TCA Chemical Facial Peel 50%, and those scabs are almost gone.  The remainder received 25% TCA Chemical Peel.

You can make a 25% concentration from a 50% original solution by adding 1 teaspoon of the acid and 1 teaspoon of distilled water - measure carefully and wear gloves.

Glycolic peel - ACNE CURE?

I've been doing the Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel now for several weeks, and I haven't had a blemish since I started using this product!  Remember, my temples from about 3-4 weeks ago.  They always has small blemishes on them.  This is one of my temples today; the other side is the same. 

I am so thrilled with this peel. Could it be possible that this product is a cure for acne?  I've never had bad acne, but I have that persistent kind that appears every month, or when I try anything new on my face. You MUST TRY this if you have acne.  It's only $18 and the bottle will last you six months.  I wish I'd found this sooner...


I've also read that Salicylic Acid 20% Gel Peel is very good for acne-prone skin, but I haven't tried this.  I've used a much lower percentage in Obagi Cleanser with 2% Salicylic Acid but I don't think the percentage was enough for my stubborn skin; it probably works great for others with less acne-prone skin.  For even more stubborn acne, the Salicylic Acid 30% Chemical Peel, 30mL (Professional)- FREE SHIPPING is probably better.