TCA vs. laser for sun damaged skin?

For sun-damaged skin and pre-cancers, you have several options.  One of the best treatments for this is application of aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a chemical sensitizing agent followed by activation of this chemical with blue light, red light or intense pulsed light (IPL).  Two treatments with a... more

While TCA peeling and numerous lasers improve the discoloration from sun damage, only ablative treatments that are more aggressive like fractional CO2, dermabrasion, and fully ablative laser treatments help eliminate pre-cancers. These mean downtime of at least 7 days. IPL, which is a non-laser pulsed light... more

Thanks for your very good question. This is a question that gets posed quite a bit, and the answer is always a good one. Both TCA and IPL are excellent choices for reversing signs of sun damage and evening out skin tone. The combination of the two will give even better results. I will explain: TCA is an... more

TCA peels unless done very deeply are not adequate to remove sun damage and pre cancerous lesions. Deeper TCA peels have a history of causing irregular pigmentation and scarring. The most modern up to date technique is called Photo-dynamic therapy which is excellent and effective. A cream called Levulan... more