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After 10 years of living in Australia I found myself quite literally faced with the problem of hyperpigmentation. Although I have always tried to avoid sun damage by never going out without a sunhat and sunscreen, unfortunately spending so much time in the sun eventually took its toll and I was left with dark patches of skin, commonly known as hyperpigmentation.
In an attempt to get rid of these dark patches of skin, I spent ridiculous sums of money on skin bleaching cream. I tried every product on the market from cheap to expensive, even going online to buy stronger products not available in my own country. After no success, I turned to cosmetic procedures. I was told by the first skin care clinic I attended that ‘Photo-rejuvenation’ (intense pulsed light treatment better known as IPL – also used for hair removal) was the answer to my skin problems. However, after the first treatment my skin had absolutely no reaction. Stupidly I wasted money on further treatments which did nothing.
Frustrated, I went to another ‘reputable’ skin clinic that assured me that laser treatment would fade my hyperpigmentation. Again, after several treatments there was absolutely no noticeable improvement.
After consulting a third skin care specialist, I was advised that only a chemical peel would improve my hyperpigmentation. However, by this point I was feeling quite fed up and disappointed with it all, so I gave up on it for a few years. We also moved country a several times so I never seemed to find the time to try it.
After finally settling in the UK, I decided that it was finally time to do it. The cold dark winters meant that I could safely get the treatment without risk of sun exposure. After carefully researching chemical peels online, I found a nearby skin clinic that had good reviews and a winter sale charging £150. They also provided me with a free consultation with their nurse (in the UK peels of this nature need to be carried out by a nurse). Initially I had decided to have the Jessner Peel, but after consulting with the nurse I decided to go with the stronger TCA peel, a double application of 7% trichloroacetic acid and 2% salicylic acid paired with 4% retinol. My reasons for doing so was because it was stronger, and although it would mean a longer recovery time I had 11 days of leave planned so could hide away while my skin was healing. Also, I was advised that if I got the stronger peel, then I could just undergo the one treatment and then maintain it with milder treatments, whereas if I had a milder peel, several treatments are recommended for best results.
Excited, I booked my treatment. In preparation, I went to the pharmacy and purchased the products I was going to need. While your skin is peeling it is extremely sensitive to the sun, so if you plan to go outside you will need to wear the highest level of sunscreen, along with a large brimmed sunhat. If you don’t do this you could end up damaging the new skin. I used Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 85 because it had the high UVA and UVB protection. When choosing your sunscreen, it’s essential that it protects against both UVA and UVB. UVA is the long wave rays that penetrate deep into the skin layers and causes ageing and wrinkling. UVB is the short wave rays that causes your skin to burn and damages the superficial epidermal layers.
After undergoing a chemical peel your skin will become sensitive, raw and dry so you will need to use a very gentle face wash. I purchased some Cetaphil Moisturising Cleanser which is usually used by sufferers of Psoriasis, Rosacea, Acne, Diaper rash and Eczema. It’s very gentle and doesn’t cause stinging like other face washes do.
You will also need a gentle but hydrating skin cream. I used Cetaphils Moisturising Cream which is non-comedogenic, fragrance free (so doesn’t sting) and is really moisturising.
Day 1: Thursday Evening – The Treatment
I was nervous when I arrived for my appointment. After talking through the procedure again, the nurse set up a fan to blow on my face in an attempt to cool it and ease the pain. She also covered my eyes to protect them. Be aware that they won’t apply the acid around your eye area as it is too risky (acid in the eye can blind you).
I have a high pain tolerance, so I thought I was prepared for pain that the peel would cause. However, it was much more painful than I expected. The nurse advised me that although it was going to hurt, the longer I could hold out, the better the results. I was determined to get a great result, so I held out for as long as possible! The nurse applied the acid twice as the pain quickly intensified. Eventually she advised me that I had a very good ‘frosting’ effect so it was time to neutralise the acid. By this point the pain was so bad that my eyes were weeping.
After neutralising the acid the nurse handed me the mirror. For many years I was trained as a workplace first aid officer, so when I saw my face I was instantly reminded of the terrible images of chemical burns that I saw during my training. The nurse assured me that this white ‘frosting’ meant that I was more likely to get a good result. As I left the clinic it was a cold winters evening, which I thought might soothe it but ended up making it sting much more! By the time I got home, the frosting had subsided and I was left with bright red skin that stung…alot.
Day 2: Friday
The next day, my skin was still bright red, but the pigmented areas of my skin had turned dark brown. I was flying out on holiday that day so in an attempt to tone it down, I smothered my face in foundation. I was glad that I didn’t have to go to work looking like that.
Day 3: Saturday
The following day the skin had become even darker brown and was very tight, becoming more uncomfortable as the day wore on. It made it very difficult and painful to open my mouth to eat! As the day wore on it began cracking and peeling. My sister started calling me ‘crispy bacon face’.
Caution: It’s important that you don’t pick and peel the skin or you could risk causing scarring. I know it’s very tempting when you have a big chunk of skin hanging off your face, but don’t pull on it! If you must, carefully trim the dead skin with some clean scissors.
Day 4: Sunday
Heavy peeling. The area around my mouth, especially around my chin begun to weep and was very sore and deeply cracked. I was constantly slathering cream on my face to reduce the dryness. Opening my mouth to eat my Christmas dinner was very painful – the skin was so tight and sore.
I tried to minimise further irritation by avoiding makeup. There really didn’t seem much point anyway because even when I tried using it, it didn’t look any better. Foundation doesn’t really cover up chunks of peeling skin!
Day 5: Monday
My face continued to shed skin, the forehead begun to peel as well, but it was not as thick. I was told prior to the procedure that the forehead does not respond as well to the chemical peel as the rest of the face. I found that the skin on my forehead did not turn very dark and the peeling was not as deep.
Day 6: Tuesday
Still painful and red with heavy peeling.
Day 7: Wednesday
Most of my skin had shed. In some areas (especially all around my mouth) where there was deep peeling, it begun a second lighter peeling. My face was bright red and raw. I had to be very careful to keep it moisturised and out of the sun.
Day 8: Thursday
Continued to be red and sore, the peeling was in the final stages.
Day 9: Friday
The skin had pretty much finished peeling, but was still red. The rawness began to settle down.
The Following Weeks
Two weeks after the peel, the skin continued to be red and slightly sore all around my mouth. However, it was easily covered up with foundation. My skin is softer and the age spots have almost disappeared. However, for some reason I experienced a break out along my jaw line and chin as well as other areas of my face. There seemed to be lots of blackheads and little lumps and bumps. Some ended up as pussy pimples.
Around the four week mark after my peel, the pimples cleared up and the redness had mostly subsided. However, I was disappointed to find an old pimple scar on my cheek had become a dark spot and I had hyperpigmentation on the left side of my chin. This is where it had cracked and wept. Apparently, this is called Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (also known as PIH) which is caused when melanin levels rise due to skin inflammation stimulating increased melanin production. Although I have white skin, it is supposed to be more common in Asian, Hispanic and African skin. This is really disappointing, but I’m using fading products and have been advised that it will fade over time.
Asked if I would do it again, I have to admit that I’m not sure. There was a heck of a lot of down time, and I would not have been comfortable going to work with my face as it was. If you feel the same way, then I would suggest you get the peel on the Friday night after work and plan not to return to work for a full week – that should give you nine recovery days. However, if you had a lighter peel, you wouldn’t need us much downtime.
I don’t think the improvements have been massive – no one seems to have noticed or complimented me! I acknowledge that many people have said that my face wasn’t that bad to begin with (which I do agree with), so maybe that’s why I don’t see a massive difference. Also, it is hard for me to compare because I can’t exactly put my old face beside my new face. But when I look back and compare the photos I took before and after my peel, I do see that my problem age spots have significantly faded or disappeared. I have also noticed that a large dark freckle has gone as have many of my old acne scars. My overall skin tone and texture have also improved.
I also think that you have to be patient. My skin only began looking its best around the 2 month mark. So try and be patient and wait several months before judging the results.
2 Months On…
After a couple of months, the initial baby pink, shiny skin had gone and my skin had pretty much returned to what it was prior to the chemical peel. All of the hyperpigmentation resurfaced. I think it had been lurking underneath the surface all of the time, only to reappear once my skin had recovered.
I want to be clear in stating that this was not new pigmentation that had appeared. I live in a cold dark place, and my skin had not seen any sun the entire winter. Furthermore, I wear sunscreen all year round. So basically, the entire process seemed like it had been a waste of time, energy and money. I’m sure that other people may get better results, but for me the improvement was only temporary.
Looking for an at Home Chemical Peel?
You can do a gentler, but still effective chemical peel treatment at home using this Jessner Solution acid peel 14%. It is also much more affordable and you can get 15-20 treatments from each bottle.
Amy
Hi.
I just want to see your face looks a lot fresher and lifted in the after photos. So something has worked. Thanks for the review.
Julie
Hi, I am on day 6 from a TCA peel administered by a plastic surgeon. I was told I would feel a “spicy ” face and neck. Which was true during the application. It hurt, but was bearable beacuse they held a fan on my face. I don’t think they wiped any off, but just sent me home. What I didn’t know….was Everything else!. 1. The chemicals keep working for about 2 days. So my face got redder and probably as swollen as it possbley could. My eyes almost swelled shut and I was in misery. AND the itching was driving me crazy. I took Advil and an antihistimine which worked pretty well.
Every morning I was stuck to my pillowcase. I kept a thick layer of vaseline over my face and washed it by gently patting cetephol towelettes. My face developed areas of deep crusting. The vaseline got on everything. Even tho I took a shower yesterday, my hair is a grease pit from vaseline. And having to really put on a lot of clothes, hats etc for the cold is terrible too. My neck was so sore and sensitive, I had to wrap a pillowcase around it to keep my sweaters and coats from rubbing and getting covered in goo. Winter hat gets washed every day.
I am barely peeling because the skin is covered in vaseline, so after i wash, I have been picking a little. I KNOW it’s bad, but I cannot see how it will fall off naturally.
I wish my Dr. had told me a little of what to expect. Ive been using expensive sunscreen,but it doesn’t soak in, it just sits there white on the crust.
I had to do this because I have so many pre-cancers from sun damage, but I had NO IDEA it would be this bad. I fell asleep at the beach once in High School and was blistering before I got home. It was 2nd degree burns. This is like that only I threw up then, but I didn’t with this. ( I felt like it tho).
This maybe could have been a better experience if I had any clue what to expect, and if I didn’t have to walk the dog looking like a monster.
Oh, and every time you bend over, your face ( and neck if involved) immediately feel horrible. And since we only heat with wood, imagine all the bending bringing in wood and feeding the stove. Also normal cleaning and dog feeding. You get the idea.
It has not just been ” tingling”…believe me. I will never do this again. Good Luck to anyone reading this.
I live in a super snowy and cold place and have to walk my dog 3 x a day.
Colleen
I feel ya. You could try switching to the Cetaphil moisturiser instead as it does not leave the residue that vaseline does. I also once got my face so sunburned that it blistered, but I agree it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the TCA peel. Do your best not to go outside in the sun – I know that you mentioned you live in a snowy climate, but sun reflecting off snow can burn. And do your very best not to pick at it. Just hang in there, it will soon be over (even though it doesn’t feel like it)
Patty Floyd
Hi there. I’m on day 3 with a lactic acid peel from a spa. I’ve got redness popping out on my chin and it feels raw, so I’m a little worried. I had a mild panic attack from it. Ugh. I definitely do not want to go through this again. Too uncomfortable and too much downtime.
Personally, I think you had great results. As for myself, I’m crossing my fingers that the redness will go away.
Colleen
I hope your skin is settling down now Patty Floyd, I think you just have to be patient. Hopefully it will look great after it has healed. Don’t forget to stay out of the sun!
Jenna
This doesn’t seem to make sense how it was so painful, being only 7% TCA. I think there must be a mistake there. I use 20% and it’s uncomfortable, but definitely manageable. And that intense of a downtime just doesn’t seem accurate for a 7% TCA peel.
janemarie
i researched and did my own. first i cleaned my face and swiped with glycolic acid after 3 min swiped twice with 20 percent tca. cost 24 dollars. a professional was going to charge 850. i am super happy. 10 years younger and no lines or wrinkles. i had done this once before 10 years ago so was familiar with this procedure. co2 etc never did a thing just wasted my money!! home fibroblast and microneedling also helps im 54 but pass for 38
Kristin
Hello! I noticed you mentioned at home fibroblast. Is there a particular brand you recommend? There’s so many options available. Thank you in advance.
Ann Foley
Can I please ask what product you used like you I bought online TCA some years ago and was very happy but can’t remember what it was. I went to a salon today and it cost me 350euro so looking at doing it again myself if I find a product Thanks in advance
Colleen
This Jessner Solution Acid Peel 14% is a good home alternative.
Lisa
Thank you for your excellent review! I do a 15% TCA peel at home (just one or two passes), every month and I do peel, but nothing like what you experienced. However, I also use a .05% tretinoin (not sure what the prescription is in Australia, but it is a retinol) and have for many years, and also use a glycolic and lactic acid in-between. I think that using these helps to prepare my skin for the peels. If you ever do another peel, I’d recommend a lower strength one. Perhaps an 8% TCA peel alone, without SA or retinol? 4% Retinol is crazy strong and may have made the peel much more painful than it had to be. Also, using a fan while the acid is on helps me a lot. Best of luck to you! I love peels because they help to boost collagen and over time to reduce fine lines and sunspots. However, if I had to go through the recovery you did, I would not be too keen on them either. Best of luck to you from the States!
Colleen
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your routine and recommendations. I didn’t know about the fan trick, so I will have to try that one!
April Dillon
Hi Colleen,
I share your frustration about remedying skin issues. Several years ago I had a horrible reaction from a laser treatment to my decolletage that left me with awful red burn marks for many years. After trying EVERYTHING – I.e. more lasers, IPL, expensive creams- I researched TCA peels and began treating the area myself at home. I’ve had very good success with the 15% TCA and am FINALLY able to wear an open neckline again! From my research, I learned ONE TCA peel is rarely enough to correct any particular problem . I’m on my 5th peel at this point and am still seeing slow but very noticeable improvement since my first peel. Knowing we all react differently to skin treatment though I understand results vary between users.
Just wanted my experience. Good luck to you on finding something that helps.
Colleen
Hi April Dillon,
Thanks for sharing your comments and your experience of laser, that sounds terrible! I have had laser too, but for me it was the opposite, there was no evidence of having had any treatment afterwards, the same with IPL. I think you are right the milder more regular peels are the way to go.
Lydia
I cannot believe you “smothered your face in foundation” less than 24 hours after the peel was applied!! So not good! I cannot believe you applied foundation at all during the process. Wow
Colleen
Hi Lydia, The registered nurse who carried out the treatment said that there would be no issue with applying my foundation following the treatment. Of course it would depend on what kind of foundation you used and the ingredients. In fact you are encouraged to apply sunscreen and moisturising products following TCA treatments – all with similar cosmetic ingredients. I experienced no adverse reactions to what I applied to my skin following the treatment. I always follow the advice of experienced and qualified professionals.
Anastashya
Thank you for sharing your story. I had a 13% TCA peel done recently and seriously it was easier giving birth or microneedling without numbing cream than this peel was. Usually I can keep my skin baby smooth with mild AHA wipes but fell on the latest trend of wanting a peel! Oh, not again. I don’t see the results were worth the pain!
Colleen
I agree, it was really painful. The results were good initially, but didn’t last very long. Only about a year. Considering the pain and down time, I don’t think it was worth it so am looking at milder peels instead. I’ve also been using The Ordinary Retinol which has been quite good. You can read about it here.
Rafaela
Hi Colleen! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
I did the application of TCA 35%, and after 10 days the total peeling occurred, but I’m worried, is well delimited the mark of the peeling, where I went pink! I read in your report that after two months it was better. Is this mark really coming out? Is redness common?
Thank you for your attention and sorry for any mistake, I am from Brazil and the translation is by google translator! haha
Colleen
Hi Rafaela,
This should disappear a month or two after the peel, keep using strong sunscreen to protect your skin in the meantime.
Jolene
Hello and thank you for sharing your chem peel story with us, including pictures! I have found that level 3 peels work the best, but in a series of 4 a year. They are not quite as strong as the one you described. Also I use skinmedica products that really help with the brown spots. I think you look great after the chem peel but try the lytera and essential serum for best results. I got mine from ebay and it was cheaper.
Take care,
Jolene from Massachusetts, USA
Colleen
Thanks Jolene, I have been considering trying another peel next winter because over summer (despite wearing strong sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat) a lot of the pigmentation has returned. However, I am not keen to get another TCA because it was painful with a long healing period, so I will check out your recommended products and might write a post about it! It was also very expensive so I like the idea of a less extreme, cheaper option.