Will the Redness After TCA Peel Go Away?

If you prematurely peel off the dead skin too soon then it turns red then brown in many cases. If you use a cortisone cream on the red areas it will fade to pink then to normal color faster. Be sure to stay out of the sun and use a sunscreen and even a bleaching cream to prevent dark spots from coming.
You can always do another chem peel to correct any discolorations from this one and be sure to use a cortisone cream after all your peels to fade redness faster.

Redness of the skin is normal after chemical peels. Weeping, flaking, and irritation is also common. The degree of these reaction largely depends on the depth of the chemical peel or skin resurfacing. The depth of the peel differs based on the chemical agent, concentration, and other factors. Redness generally resolves, but may take several days, weeks, or months, again largely dependent on the peel depth and other factors. However, redness may be a sign of allergy or infection. One should closely follow the pre-treatment and post-treatment guideline of your dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon to promote healing and reduce adverse reactions.
15% TCA peel is generally more superficial with faster recovery, as compared to phenol peel or some laser treatments. Speak with your cosmetic specialist about any concern you have.

Successful post-op recovery from TCA chemical peel depends on carefully customized pre-op skin care routine, e.g. topical retinoid cream, prophylactic antibiotics, antiviral. Redness after TCA chemical peel is to be expected. Strict daily sun protection is critical. Your board-certified dermatologist may recommend a combination of topical green tea, vitamin C preparation and/or Oracea, a low-dose doxycycline which serves as a potent anti-inflammatory agent that may expedite resolution of swelling or redness after TCA chemical peel or laser resurfacing.

TCA chemical peels can be performed safely at varying depths of the dermis. In most cases, healing is dependent on the rate of epithelialization of the skin. Redness may be prolonged but will generally subside after several weeks.I would recommend pulsed dye lasers.

It is very important to not peel off the skin yourself and to allow it to slough off on its own. Regardless, at this point, I would advise that you be patient. The redness/ pink hue is common after peels/ resurfacing. It gets better but will take time. It is very important that you wear sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours; also wear a good moisturizer. Typically after the first few weeks, you should see an improvement in the color; if not, you can try a topical corticosteroid cream 1-2x a week to help minimize the erythema. After a few months, you can also have a licensed professional perform IPL or BBL to help lighten the redness.

Depending on the type and strength of a peel, a patient should expect to get some redness, swelling, crusting and peeling. We do a lot of aggressive TCA peels (35-50%), and the patients have about 1-2 weeks of redness, swelling, crusting and peeling, followed by several weeks of redness. We have a very detailed skincare regimen for after the peel to minimize the redness and peeling, and to help with healing.
Our regimen includes intense moisturization, complete sun avoidance, and telling patients never to pick at peeled skin. The redness will fade with time, it is just that it can take several weeks to months depending on the skin type of the patient and the type of peel. Keep up your moisturizing (hydrating) with bland emollients and stay out of the sun!

A TCA peels should come with some after care. I see my patients for a month or so after a peel to assure that everything is moving along as we would like.
Redness fades if sun exposure is avoided and wound care is proper. The skin should be re-evaluated by your doctor who modifies wound care accordingly.
Best Regards.

Redness is common following a TCA peel so do not worry. Your skin may take 3 weeks to completely restore itself to it's normal state. Expect a lot of peeling and irritation and make sure you stay out of the sun.

Hello Ange,
Excellent advice given to you by Dr. Hansen.
I would also add that you should remember to do basic things like use only mild /sensitive skin soaps for the next few weeks and moisturizers to help "calm & soothe" the skin.
Aquaphor is a nice water based moisturizer that is non-irritating and helps the skin heal and feel better after TCA peels.
Take Care,
Dr. Jafri