I'm African-American (brown/dark skinned) and I have really bad marks and blemishes from old mosquito bites from the Carribean. I'm so self-conscious, I can't wear shorts or skirts! Which chemical peel would help me? Please help!
October 18, 2010
Answer: Not recommended.
Hello,
Chemical peels are unpredictable in darkly pigmented skin and in the legs. I would not recommend them.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Helpful
October 18, 2010
Answer: Not recommended.
Hello,
Chemical peels are unpredictable in darkly pigmented skin and in the legs. I would not recommend them.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Helpful
January 25, 2015
Answer: A tinture of time, sunscreen, and hydroquinone
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
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
January 25, 2015
Answer: A tinture of time, sunscreen, and hydroquinone
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
Helpful 3 people found this helpful