Reviews you can trust, from real people like you.
How it works
- Our highly-trained Review Moderation team evaluates all reviews before they're published to ensure they're written by people like you and not a member of a doctor's office.
- This multi-step process takes up to 24 hours from review submission to publication.
- Doctors can't pay to have reviews removed or hidden.
- Reviews are only removed at the reviewer's request or if they violate our Terms of Service.
If you have questions or believe we should re-evaluate a published review, let us know.
Sort by:
*Treatment results may vary
I was very excited to start my at home TCA 12%...
I was very excited to start my at home TCA 12% peel. Initially, I read and re-read the directions and blogs concerning the dangers of a peel. At the end, I was convinced that this would be in my best interest to at least experience.
The one and only warning I wish they really underlined and that I wish to for you is that you must have some down time [NO WORK OR OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES] while attempting the process. I received stares as if I had some leprasy and these are all within days 3-7 of the healing/peeling process, so I would NEVER do it while working ever again. TCA peels are optimum for when you'll be home on vacation and best in warm climates.
Overall the experience was worth it just that when you start your peel it's confusing on how much of the 'burn' is good vs dangerous. I applied it twice within one day and another coat, the next day for good measure because I never did get that frosting that everyone spoke of. As soon as it touched my skin, I was burning, red and swelling so I immediatly washed it off with COLD water. Hours after, I still had to fan myself because it felt as if it was still burning. I decided to wait a few days and 'try again' but that was not needed as my skin became instantly TIGHT and rubbery then dry and crackish ..
the next morning I saw some peeling form around my lips [who knew you didn't have to have it frost]. I put ALOT of sunscreen on and my skin was a nice brown ashy grey color! [never again, I tell you!] wash with warm water and a little soap, gently, and repeat with sunscreen. Only after days 4 or 5 did I discover vaseline to be BETTER than anything else -- this is what I should have started with but the next go around, I will be better prepared with my vaseline in hand.
Anyway, for the next 7-10 days, my skin looked just as ashy grey with some flaking .. nothing more .. so, I don't know if it's because I didn't let it really get down in there and burn ..err.. frost or because of my complexion [caramel brown] whatever it was, it took FOREVER to heal. But at the end, I feel confident enough to know that I'll be back with another coat in a couple of months. I have some deep embedded acne scars which are slowly fading [tca didn't do anything major for them] so maybe I'll attempt the cross method with simply isolating the problem spots and reapplying daily until .. {?} .. that's another thing I've discovered during this whole process, no one [Dr.s, facialists] really has a set of rules as TCA is an individual experience and the person can figure out what works for them and adjust to suit their specific needs. If you're trying it at home, I guess you'll have to use that 6th sense to figure out when to call it quits, what to use to cool and moisturize. Lastly, the main thing I wish to leave with anyone thinking of experimenting with this is that you should ALWAYS start [and stick with, at least with me] the 8%-12% concentration ONLY. I really don't see why anyone would go higher because this does the job without the discoloration. And it is perfect for dark skin tones!
All in all, everyone should TCA their skin at least mid-life to awaken the pores!
The one and only warning I wish they really underlined and that I wish to for you is that you must have some down time [NO WORK OR OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES] while attempting the process. I received stares as if I had some leprasy and these are all within days 3-7 of the healing/peeling process, so I would NEVER do it while working ever again. TCA peels are optimum for when you'll be home on vacation and best in warm climates.
Overall the experience was worth it just that when you start your peel it's confusing on how much of the 'burn' is good vs dangerous. I applied it twice within one day and another coat, the next day for good measure because I never did get that frosting that everyone spoke of. As soon as it touched my skin, I was burning, red and swelling so I immediatly washed it off with COLD water. Hours after, I still had to fan myself because it felt as if it was still burning. I decided to wait a few days and 'try again' but that was not needed as my skin became instantly TIGHT and rubbery then dry and crackish ..
the next morning I saw some peeling form around my lips [who knew you didn't have to have it frost]. I put ALOT of sunscreen on and my skin was a nice brown ashy grey color! [never again, I tell you!] wash with warm water and a little soap, gently, and repeat with sunscreen. Only after days 4 or 5 did I discover vaseline to be BETTER than anything else -- this is what I should have started with but the next go around, I will be better prepared with my vaseline in hand.
Anyway, for the next 7-10 days, my skin looked just as ashy grey with some flaking .. nothing more .. so, I don't know if it's because I didn't let it really get down in there and burn ..err.. frost or because of my complexion [caramel brown] whatever it was, it took FOREVER to heal. But at the end, I feel confident enough to know that I'll be back with another coat in a couple of months. I have some deep embedded acne scars which are slowly fading [tca didn't do anything major for them] so maybe I'll attempt the cross method with simply isolating the problem spots and reapplying daily until .. {?} .. that's another thing I've discovered during this whole process, no one [Dr.s, facialists] really has a set of rules as TCA is an individual experience and the person can figure out what works for them and adjust to suit their specific needs. If you're trying it at home, I guess you'll have to use that 6th sense to figure out when to call it quits, what to use to cool and moisturize. Lastly, the main thing I wish to leave with anyone thinking of experimenting with this is that you should ALWAYS start [and stick with, at least with me] the 8%-12% concentration ONLY. I really don't see why anyone would go higher because this does the job without the discoloration. And it is perfect for dark skin tones!
All in all, everyone should TCA their skin at least mid-life to awaken the pores!