Which Chemical Peel for Old Marks and Blemishes on Legs?

Hello,

Chemical peels are unpredictable in darkly pigmented skin and in the legs. I would not recommend them.

 

Best Regards,

 

John Di Saia MD

While chemical peels are very effective for many types of dark spots, they are not very effective for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation on the legs.  Darker skin type patients are more prone to dark spots after bug bites/ acne/ etc.  We call this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation-- as the inflammation from the bug bite causes excess melanin production in the area.  

In this situation, I would caution against doing any peels, as this can cause further inflammation and more pigmentation.  The legs, particularly, are not very forgiving-- they do not respond well to chemical peels unlike the face.  Give it some time-- these will fade on their own.  To speed up the process, I will sometimes prescribe a low strength bleaching cream such as hydroquinone.  Sun protection is a must-- as the more sun you get, the darker these spots will be.  

Best of Luck!

-Dr. Mann