Chemical Peel Q&A
63%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers
that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not.
See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings
or Add Your Review
View Before and Afters
Average Chemical Peel Cost: $475
Learn about Chemical Peel
788 people and 257 doctors are talking about Chemical Peel
Get Free Email Updates
Chemical Peel for Melasma on African Skin?
asked 2 years ago by Jay33 in South Africa
Latest answer by William Coleman III, MD
Question viewed 3,515 times
Tags: age 25-34, cheeks, face, female, African American, birth control, melasma
I have Melasma around my cheeks and I'm considering a Chemical Peel for treatment. How safe is the procedure and what are the after effects? My age is 33 and have had the pigmentation since 2005. I have stopped taking oral contraceptives since January 2007.
4 answers to Chemical Peel for Melasma on African Skin?
+1
Dark skin types with melasma must be peeled conservatively
Dark skin types with melasma must be peeled conservatively. Deeper peels may actually make things worse. I prefer a series of light combination peels, the compostion of which are customized for each patient.
William Coleman III, MD
Metairie Dermatologic Surgeon
Metairie Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
Chemical peels are great choice for treatment of melasma in darkly pigmented skin
A series of superficial chemical peels would be a great adjunct for treatment of melasma in darkly pigmented skin. Focus on meticulous sun protection and get advice on the best regimen of OTC and prescription skin care products for your skin type from your dermatologist. Start this regimen before and continue during and after the peels. If the peels are too aggressive and you are not taking optimal care of your skin, the pigmentation could worsen.
Allison J. Stocker, MD
San Antonio Dermatologist
San Antonio Dermatologist
+1
Chemical peels in darker skin tones
Even more darkly complected individuals can have discolorations in part due to sun exposure. Melasma is a caused by a combination of hormones and sun in a genetically predisposed person. Sunscreen which covers both UVA and UVB must be a part of any treatment regimen for melasma even in African skin. In my experience, TCA peels work very well with all skin types. I would start with a 10% TCA peel and increase the concentration with each subsequent peel based on patient tolerance. I would...
more
Pamela Carr, MD
Sugar Land Dermatologist
Sugar Land Dermatologist
+1
Several Jessner's 14% or TCA 10% peels would probably be best for melasma
Jessner's solution peels or 10% TCA peels would do well for most blacks with melasma but usually you need 3-5 peels at 2 weeks apart at a cost of roughly $175-250 each followed by a good prescription cortisone lotion and sunscreen and bleaching cream.
