Hi everyone, so I've been trying to treat my scars by doing a 1.5mm microneedling (derminator) and 12.5% TCA peel together. I've only started doing this recently so I can't really give a report on improvement. However, if I'm not crazy, I do see one of my deeper ice pick (looks like a slash) get a tiny bit shallower (maybe 5-10%)? I have other shallow scars but I don't really examine them because I also have hyperpigmentation which is more of a priority for me. What I do is every two weeks I do a treatment (either TCA peel or microneedling). For instance, I do a TCA peel first, then after two weeks, I then do a microneedling session, then repeat every two weeks.
So I have a 10% lactic acid from Ordinary that I want to use for my hyperpigmentation. It's a pretty mild acid, and the instructions said you can apply it every night which confirms it's not really an acid "peel" but more like an acid toner. In general, lactic acid is the weakest acid too. So my question is, can I use the lactic acid 3-4 days after I just did my TCA peel? Also, how many days should I stop using the lactic acid before I do my microneedling? I tried searching in the forum but for some reason, it was easier to search for answers back in 2013-2015.
@AghhNeYou need stronger acid peels and alternating monthly, you don't do them the same time. Your not allowing time to heal if they are together which can stunt outcome. This is normal 10% improvement. It's a at home procedure and done over a long period of time. If you want greater results goto a Dr with stronger treatments. Two weeks is stunning your healing and in my experience helping thousands stopping you from getting results. You could go higher % of tca monthly. It takes your skin under the epidermis months to heal not 2 weeks.
Hyperpigmentation is not easily treated at home, pulse dye laser is pretty cheap for this and can make a huge difference. You can try retinoid, nightly niacinamide, a cream with licorice, arbutin, and kojic acid. Vitamin C serum also helps. Stamping can stimulate healing or can cause irritation, you must be the judge.
There is a great solution for you search MUAC for hyperpigmentation peel (mixture) which can help you do multiple things at once or alternate.
Regardless 10% or 100% it's a chemical peel, some call it a toner, it can disrupt your skin moisture barrier which is a problem with over pealing, this is why it's best to use a higher % less often to not cause constant damage to the skin which can stunt healing.
No why would you exfoliate and peel so close, ... where is the healing, your burning your skin on a low level. Your over exfoliating the skin.
Of course stop all chemical peels before microneedling this can damage or weaken the skin, again why we do treatments monthly not every 2 weeks, ... less is more. Use your retinoid if you need it weekly or nightly depending on irritation.
@beautifulambition Hi, I fully understand and thanks for the response. Actually, I also was under the impression of doing this monthly from tons of research 4 years ago. I normally just do 1.5mm needling spaced 5 months apart. The reason i tried this 2 week interval treatment regimen was because of a research study doing exactly 15% tca peel and micro needling spaced in a two week interval alternatively. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996784/ ) What are your thoughts on this?
From what I understand from your post regarding the "toner", I am assuming I also should stop even a 2% bha prior to my microneedling? I will be following your advice and not use any toners with acid until I have finished healing from my TCA peel. I do not plan on using the TCA peel in the following 2-3 months because I will be going on a vacation at the end of July so I don't want my skin to be too sensitive to the sun but I will also stop the 10% lactic acid peel 1.5 weeks before my vacation. During my vacation i just plan on focusing on protection and no treatment. Again, thanks for the advice 
That study is a cherry picked - there are so many questions about their outcome and goals with the paper...., several others proving the opposite - that one needs time to heal. The participants responded in the way they wanted to get a planned outcome. I have helped thousands, you need time to heal. I understand what they are doing, it's aggressive exfoliation, not targeted treatment. By doing 15% often it's a quasi retinoid with skin turnover, ... it does not work on scars. I don't know about how you heal but most people do not heal in 2 weeks nor have time to do peels every 2 weeks without the benefit of something stronger / targeted.
Scarring is customized and not based off a single study.
15% peels do quite little, look at the top chemical peel Dr's like Rullan who teach other Dr's how to use acids, he does peels a month or more apart. 15% often is acting as a exfoliant not as a"treatment." Look at fd93d's post, he did not get peels every 2 weeks. That is exfoliation.
Toner - I don't want you to double up acids, target what you need treated. If you want to do BHA stop a week before your peel and wait until after you heal, ... some may find this too much doing both as you can disrupt your skin barrier, your basically exfoliating again by doing peels every 2 weeks and then adding more exfoliating agent(BHA) - additionally. When you do all those peels you can make your skin vary sensitive. I would not want you to be miserable on your vacation. Sun is not the friend of peels, some wait out the summer to do peels as it can effect the new underlying skin.
Work on repairing the moisture barrier (google that) for your vacation and sunscreen, ... In the Fall you can start your peels again.