Skin Peels or Laser Treatments While Using Retin-A

Use of Retin-A Prior to Peels
Our office protocol is ideally to use Retin-A topically for 6 weeks or longer prior to a chemical peel or laser treatment.. It is an independent antiaging and preventative of spotty pigmentation afterwards. Your doctor/medical aeshtetician will instruct you when to recontinue this product. We have a specific protocol that also uses hydroquinone or other lightener agent prior to the procedure as well

Retin A is always good for the skin in tiny amounts and can be used prior to and about 1 week after a chemical peel. Light peels run about $175-250 each and are done every 2 weeks for 4-5 peels. Medium TCA peels are about $500-1500 and are done 1-2 peels 2-4 weeks apart. Always use a prescription cortisone lotion, sunscreen and moisturizers after peels as well as your Vit A cream or Retin A.

Hello,
Just let your doctor know you are on Retin A because for the deeper peels you might need to be off a few weeks before and after. It really depends on the big picture...what you are on as far as creams, treatments and the whole lot.

Chemical peels and laser resurfacing are great ways to rejuvinate the skin and get rid of those fine lines, wrinkles, pigmented areas and acne scars.
Retin-a itself, will help remove dead skin cells, reduce acne, fine lines, wrinkles and pigment and will also help to prepare the skin for either a chemical peel or laser treatment.
However for best results, Retin-a should be stopped prior to any of those treatments typically for three or four weeks before the procedure. In addition, it should not be restarted for a couple of weeks after the procedure. It is best to consult your physician as to exactly how long you should be off the Retin-a, as different procedures will require different lengths of time.
Mild chemical peels may only require a week or so, as the resurfacing to your skin is only superficial and healing is fairly quick; however, a laser resurfacing of the face with the Pearl laser is a much more intense and effective procedure to resurface and rejuvenate the skin that will require you to be off the Retin-a for a longer period of time.