I did a TCA peel on my thigh to get rid of many stretch marks. Now I have a huge purple blotch. Is this normal? (photos)

Question

I used a 25% TCA peel, I've used this before on my skin and it has worked perfectly until now. Day one is when the blotches started from where the frosting was. The instructions said to leave it on for 10 minutes then to add a second layer and to leave it for another 10 minutes. I washed off 3 minutes after the second layer. The photos are second day post peel. It hurts a lot and is very sore. I did the exact same thing to my other thigh and this reaction did not occur. Is this normal?

Zein E. Obagi, MD · Answer

I do not recommend performing TCA peels at home. Peeling the face and especially areas that are sensitive like the thighs should not be done at home. Potential issues may include scarring, hyper and hypopigmentation, textural damange, burns. I recommend you formally see a dermatologist to have this area treated.

Faiyaaz Kalimullah, MD, FAAD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for submitting your photos.  Chemical peels, particularly those with higher strength acids like TCA, are a very complex procedure and require a great deal of expertise.  If not applied properly, there is a relatively high risk of side effects and complications, including burns and permanent scarring.  As a result, I strongly recommend against attempting TCA peels at home.  Please consider seeing a cosmetic dermatologist to discuss the best way to treat this area to prevent scarring.

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I did a TCA peel on my thigh to get rid of many stretch marks. Now I have a huge purple blotch. Is this normal? (photos)

Answers (2)

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