Glycolic Acid Prep for 30 Percent TCA Peel?

You may be asking for trouble as you start to dabble with higher concentration with glycolic acid or TCA chemical peels on yourself without explicit guidance from your board-certified dermatologist. I have seen few semi-permanent scarring from self-applied chemical peels. To get the best results from TCA chemical peels, your dermatologist may recommend prepping your skin with prescription-strength topical retinoid prior to the TCA chemical peel, possibly immediately preceded by Jessner's peel done in the office.

I would consult a professional prior to administering any of these peels by yourself. An assessment of your skin type and tolerance are essential. Although this may seem to be trivial and of relatively minor concern, serious complications can arise especially when treating the delicate periorbital area and structures.

We have almost 22 years experience with glycolic acid in our practice. We have an extensive glycolic acid superficial peel program with a large following of patients who are very happy with their results. Our program consists of a 50 % glycolic acid peel performed every 1 to 2 months (with no downtime) in conjunction with a home maintenance of a glycolic acid cream or solution applied twice a day at home. This home product is 10% unbuffered glycolic acid at a desired low pH. With this program, there is no need in our practice for TCA peels.
We find that glycolic acid peels are much more effective and better tolerated than TCA peels. Also, there is no reason to perform glycolic acid as a prep for a 30% TCA peel.