How Soon After a TCA Peel Can I Use Retin-A?

I can only tell you what I do in general, and always defer to the experience and treatment recommendations of the dermatologist who sees you regularly and knows your skin. In most patients, I restart Retin A after 7-14 days, depending on the skin type and the peel method used. And as always, sun protection is CRUCIAL.

Much of this depends on the type/ depth of the chemical peel. Medium or deep ones will take longer to heal from so you would want to give your skin ample time to recover from the peel. Another big factor is how well hydrated your skin is, as Retin A has a drying out effect. For medium peels, as long as skin is well hydrated, we typically have patients resume Retin A a month after the procedure.

Once the peeling is done, you can start the retin-A. Best to start for a couple of hours & wash off every other night & increase gradually the duration. Sun screen use daily is a must to avoid pigmentation problems.