Acne.org Products
Chemical Exfoliation
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Common sense might tell us that chemical peels seem like such a great idea for acne, but in the real world, acid alone just doesn’t seem to completely take care of acne. They can also be expensive and leave the skin red and peeling for a few days every time you get one.
Chemical Exfoliation
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this procedure done. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one. Do not try this at home!
Used Chemical Peels? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 11, 2007
Cons:
Expensive. $1500 at a cosmetic surgeon.
One important point I see misssing from this forum is that if you have a history of fever blisters or even never had one since the peel can bring it out, is to take a course of Valtrex as a preventative meas
Recommend. I also use "bleaching cream" from the doctor which serves as the preparatory stage which I don't see mentioned. It definitely improved the quality of my skin and something I will continue but conservatively.
April 24, 2016
not really worth it for cystic/hormonal acne :/
I've gotten a chemical peel twice and both times have really done nothing much except for the areas where I didn't have any acne anyway
Basically, if you wanna get rid of scars or huge pores or black/white heads, then yeah, by all means this works.
It did dry up the pimples and cystic acne I had, and it came off, however, after those were peeled off, I saw brand new ones underneath. Like yes, it'll take your current pimples out, but if you consistently get acne, then there would be new ones underneath.
Basically, after both times, my skin still wasn't anything close to being clear. As tempting as it is I do not want to go through a week of that again. Not quite worth it
August 18, 2014
Pricey
I've gone to a few places to have chemical peels done but I have not gone enough times to see any results. I personally think they are way too expensive especially at doctor's offices so I prefer to let my scarring go away on its own.
September 3, 2009
Pros:
TCA peels are great but only done by a professional. I am a Licensed Medical Esthetician and I have seen terrible things on people who use them who are not qualified.
Cons:
when people say they do a 25-30% tca at home it is not actually the same strength as what a Professional does. At that % people have to be sedated. It depends who made it, what PH it has and lots of other things
They are awesome and are a good way of getting rid of fine lines and light hyperpigmentation, but only when done by a professional
August 7, 2008
Product used: Glycolic Acid Peel
Pros:
It improves skin tone, clears up acne, smooths out wrinkles and reduce pore sizes.
Cons:
It tingles.
After I had my son, my skin broke out really bad because of my hormones. I did take some medication to help with the acne, but unfortunately I still had uneven skin tone and small acne still popping up. I bought some glyoolic peels and used them for 6 weeks. I was amazed! I loved it!
July 7, 2008
Pros:
At-home TCA peel 12.5%. I found this peel on the internet and I love it. It was only about $30 for a 1 ounce bottle (over 10 peels) and I have seen better results than with the lasers for not even a fraction of the cost.
Cons:
With a mild peel only a little bit of peeling and redness. Does take about a week before skin is completely back to normal though.
If you have mild rolling/icepick scars from acne that you had in your early teens this will definitely help. I would recommend getting a mild TCA peel (I got mine on Makeup Artists Choice) and doing it yourself. Combine it with an AHA cream/lotion and you will see even better results. I am saving hundreds of dollars and I have never been more satisfied with any other procedure (Fraxel and other non-ablative lasers and microdermabrasion). If you are fed up with Dr.'s that don't really listen or pay attention to what you want, I would go this route! I love being in control of the outcome and targeting the EXACT areas that bother me!
April 22, 2008
Pros:
reduces wrinkles undereyes and sun spots.
Cons:
you look worse before you get better
I highly recommend getting this procedure done for the first time by a professional. it looks like in the reviews the people that used the higher % had bad results. now that I know how to apply it and the steps the surgeon took and what to do during the healing time I will use a at home soltution . it is important to prep the skin before you do the area . the after care is very important. if you do not keep moist it will not heal properly. you can not be on any type of hormone or birth control becuse this could cause darkening of the skin. I went to a plastic surgeon and had a peel under my eyes. I applied crisco vegetable oil under my eyes 24 hours after the procedure and had to spray with water every 2 hours and reapply the crisco oil. it took a full week to peel and my eyes look awesome. it is fresh new skin that is flawless. it is ver very important to do the prep and psot care or you will have a terrible result .
March 29, 2007
I had a TCA peel for acne scars, indents, and dark spots. I purshased 50% Tca on e-bay. Diluted it to 35%. It worked great for me the dark spots are gone my skin looks smoother and I actually look younger. My acne scars look smaller now. I feel so much better about my self now. I dont have to hide a home. I will be doing another in about 6 months.
February 2, 2007
Pros:
Vanished acne marks
Cons:
2 day Redness
Chemical peels can be very effective if done properly by licensed estatitions, they can also be very detrimental if they are not. I have had a number of chemical peels but my estatition started me with mild products and slowly advanced me into the medicated peels while preping my skin inbetween peels as well. Improvements can't been see in a couple of days with one harsh peel. Obagi espically is a very strong product, I used obagi products for the treatment of acne for less than a month rather than the 3 months I was directed to because it was far to harsh on my skin. For me GlyMed products work better. I know acne and acne marks are EXTREMELY frustrating, I developed cystic acne in my 20's that left scars. Stay positive there are mixes for everything but your conditions didn't appear over night and they won't dissapear over night either. Find licensed professionals that will consult with you and talk to you about your concers and what options you have. Best of Luck to All
July 21, 2009
Pros:
Left my skin beautiful after healing. Diminishes small lines after 3 treatments.
Cons:
Months after the treatments was exposed to sun ( with sunscreen) and had severe hyperpigmentation on upper lip and forehead where I had additional TCA places for small lines. Has taken months to begin to fade.
Great product if used properly! Does what it's supposed to , however, I don't recommend doing it at home unless you have thoroughly researched how to use because it can very easily burn.
Use a hat and sunscreen after using this product.
While you may enjoy the benefits of your TCA peel it does leave your skin more succeptible to sun damage that is hard to reverse.
Pros:
Eliminated fine lines around eyes. Made skin smoother, removed some hyperpigmentation, made pores smaller. Got a 12.5% solution from the Internet and applied one layer (4 mos after Dr. peel). Scary since it was unsupervised but so far, so good.