Afraid I Burnt my Skin with 25% TCA Peel

Question

I applied the TCA 25% solution, quickly and I fear not evenly. In less than 1 min. my left cheek started to frost and I had too take it off, It burned very, very, badly. My left cheek turned brown as soon as I rinsed off the solution. The procedure was done 24 hours ago. Is it normal for my skin to turn brown so fast? My right cheek bone today is brown as well. I am keeping Emu oil and A&D ointment on my face. I will start with the vinegar rinses tom. Thanks in advance for your time~

Matthew Schulman, MD · Answer

25% TCA is a powerful peel that should be done by a medical professional.  Improper use can cause infections, permanent scarring, and pigment irregularities. Proper use requires understnding about the layers of the skin and the proper depth of penetration. This is extremely important with TCA because it will keep going deeper and deeper until it is neutralized - and it does not "self-neutralize".  I have treated several patient with deep burns from self-administered TCA.

Mary P. Lupo, MD · Answer

TCA is nothing to play with and since you have no training, you are playing with it! The damage can be mitigated under the care of an expert (I'd suggest a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who does a lot of peels). Without proper care, you will scar or at least have persistent discoloration. Unfortunatley, it will cost you a lot more to fix your complication than if you had seen a doctor for the treatment.

Afraid I Burnt my Skin with 25% TCA Peel

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Afraid I Burnt my Skin with 25% TCA Peel

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Everything you need to know about TCA Peel

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.