Question
Hi LEKAT,
I did the 12,5 peel last night a bit of stinging but no frosting. Now what do I do? Wait and see, do you think I may peel later? Feel tight but that's it not really any color change....Boy, I love the internet all the information available to MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEM!!!!!!
Thank you!


Answer
Re: great resluts without peeling?
posted by: lekat Posted Mon, Dec 5 at 5:18 PM PST
it's still early, you may peel yet-
I've been doing the 12.5% tca home peels, and I've notice too that my /mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>/mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>skin tone improves right after the peel- so somethings going on---
you may be flaking, but very lightly- give it a few more days.
O.K. O.K , I will wait a bit........LEKAT, I wish I could combine all of your post in one for my personnel inf.


Answer
Next peel you do - wait 5 days or so- after the 1st l/mmh/product/beauty/ayer/index.vm?procid=13&catid=642" target=_blank>ayer dries, dip a q-tip in the bottle and do a 2nd layer with that. I'm at the point now where the 12.5% one layer doesn't frost or cause me to peel heavily. I do a 2nd layer with a q-tip for a deeper peel if I feel I need it. Even do, just the 1 layer, with no heavy peeling freshens my face a lot.
For the light peel, it's best not to put any cremes on your face the first few days-
You will want to wet a wash cloth with warm water and compress against your face peridocially the first few days.
Though there is no noticable peeling, it will still tighten your skin.
If you do not peel or even flake with a 2nd layer, you may want to up the % next time- 15%- 20%, but do try the 2nd or even 3rd layer next time.


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THANK YOU Lekat,



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Lekat...is using make-up out until after you peel? I never got any peeling ...just flaking from my 15% /mmh/product/chemicalpeel/home_peels/tca/index.vm?procid=4&catid=1045&subcatid=1047" target=_blank>TCA. I used it last Sunday and I am still flaking. Had to use make-up for church today!


Answer
For 15%, that long after, make up is fine- it's the moisterizer that will impede the /mmh/product/chemicalpeel/index.vm?procid=4" target=_blank>peel right after- but after a few days, all is fine.
It sounds like you try a 2nd layer the next time if you are not peeling that much. Just give yourself some time for your /mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>/mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>/mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>/mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>/mmh/product/beauty/index.vm?procid=13" target=_blank>skin to heal- even though it doesn't seem like a lot of flaking, you still incurred a burn to your skin.


Answer
Hi lekat!
I did a 15% 2 days ago and here come the lizard face again. lol.
Ya know, I don't frost either except for a few spots around my chin. But it does sting so I figure that's good enough.,
This time I left in on full 4 minutes and even put a second layer on areas of concern.
Warm compresses today and I do look blotchy and yucky. I hate this part but I have to remember how smooth I am afterwards. Promised my BF this would be the last one this year because I refuse to go out with the uglies and frankly he's tired of waiting around for me to peel...
Hope you are well, thanks for all your help. A real god send.
Best,
IG


Answer
Hi Lekat,
Do you just clean your face with acohol before a peel or what do you recommend?
I am having a hard time knowing where I am applying the TCA liquid on my face . Any sugestions?
You made me laugh with your comment about your face being oily My skin as well, did you find that(TCA)helped you?
Thank you thank you thank you thank you


Answer
I do clean my face well before any peel.
I normally use pernox, its a scrub with salyciate and sulpher in it. It is probably too harsh for everyday use for most people my age- however, for me, it helps. This lathers a bit, but it is more of a scrub- the salycate and sulpher do a good job of getting rid of surface oil and congestion. The sulpher eases an inflamations from breakouts. For me, it works and I've tried just about everything out there . The oil is sort of like the wrinkles, there really no magic bullets out there for them -yet- but they can be tamed somewhat.
The tca, like glycolic, or a salyciate peel, helps keep the outer dead skin layer to a minimum- it helps in exposing the new, better looking skin- and for those of us with a tendency to break out, it help reduce congestion, caused by a pile up of dead skin cells. The acids also help 'loosen' plugs in clogged pores. I imagine it kills atleast some of the bacteria normally on our skin- staph, which in turn can cause /mmh/product/beauty/acne/index.vm?procid=13&catid=205" target=_blank>acne in those of us suseptable.
On the other hand, too frequent of the peels will cause iritation and inflamation which will cause more breakouts- so find the right balance is important.
I find about once every 3 weeks or so does it well for me .
To answer your questions, any cleanser will be fine- as long as it is a cleanser no oil in it. If your skin is ultra oily, you may want to use an astringent after the cleansing- to ensure it's clean.
For the 12.5% tca, I just fold a paper towel into quarters, put 3-4 dropper fulls of the solution on it and swipe away- checks, starting from nose outware, forehead, chin, then under the /mmh/product/eyelidsurgery/index.vm?procid=6" target=_blank>eyes (being very careful, do not do this if you are not comfortable). I will do this process once more.
If I want to go bit deeper, I will then dip a q-tip into solution and run that over bad areas. I have also been dabbing this on some larger cysts. It seem to help dry them up. I only get a few of those at a time, by the tca is the only thing that seems to help dry those up without scarring me.
I just dab tca and then forget out it. It will scab, but I just leave it alone and it goes away.


Answer
I do clean my face well before any peel.
I normally use pernox, its a scrub with salyciate and sulpher in it. It is probably too harsh for everyday use for most people my age- however, for me, it helps. This lathers a bit, but it is more of a scrub- the salycate and sulpher do a good job of getting rid of surface oil and congestion. The sulpher eases an inflamations from breakouts. For me, it works and I've tried just about everything out there . The oil is sort of like the wrinkles, there really no magic bullets out there for them -yet- but they can be tamed somewhat.
The tca, like glycolic, or a salyciate peel, helps keep the outer dead skin layer to a minimum- it helps in exposing the new, better looking skin- and for those of us with a tendency to break out, it help reduce congestion, caused by a pile up of dead skin cells. The acids also help 'loosen' plugs in clogged pores. I imagine it kills atleast some of the bacteria normally on our skin- staph, which in turn can cause acne in those of us suseptable.
On the other hand, too frequent of the peels will cause iritation and inflamation which will cause more breakouts- so find the right balance is important.
I find about once every 3 weeks or so does it well for me .
To answer your questions, any cleanser will be fine- as long as it is a cleanser no oil in it. If your skin is ultra oily, you may want to use an astringent after the cleansing- to ensure it's clean.
For the 12.5% tca, I just fold a paper towel into quarters, put 3-4 dropper fulls of the solution on it and swipe away- checks, starting from nose outware, forehead, chin, then under the eyes (being very careful, do not do this if you are not comfortable). I will do this process once more.
If I want to go bit deeper, I will then dip a q-tip into solution and run that over bad areas. I have also been dabbing this on some larger cysts. It seem to help dry them up. I only get a few of those at a time, by the tca is the only thing that seems to help dry those up without scarring me.
I just dab tca and then forget out it. It will scab, but I just leave it alone and it goes away.


Answer
Lekat...you saying this pernox maybe too harsh for "older" skin. I just turned 56 Sunday and I still get zits once in awhile and the oily skin has never let up. I do thin the Retin A micro has helped with the breakouts. I would like to get rib of a few light brown spots on my face. I will try another peel maybe next week. I am thinking about getting something stronger then 15% to use on my hands and some spots on my legs. The 15% didn't do anything on my hands. Should I use the Retin A on my hands for awhile before trying to get them to peel?


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Forgot to ask...where do you get pernox?


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Yes, absolutely, for the retin a on the hands- it will help prepare the skin for the peel.
I have been doing the 12.5% tca- I will be out of work for a bit later in the spring and plan on doing a 20% then.
You can get the pernox in walgreens - or ebay. It's not cheap ($19.00), but it works. I can't live without it .
I'm pushing 50 and have been dealing with acne for 35 years! and now fending off the wrinkles --- a 2 front battle .


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Gosh girl...you must still be a baby!!! Wish I was just pushing 50!!! Atleast I don't feel 56 so that is a good thing! I just have to battle all the outward signs! I will check out the pronex. Thanks


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I tried 12% TCA home peel a while back and I didn't know what to think of what happened -- at the time I was not aware of this forum and the good information that one can get here.
I cleand and applied the acid as instructed -- it did sting a bit, but there was no frosting. My skin felt tight for couple of days than it turned slightly brown (as expected) ... but it never peeled. I have oily, acne prone skin and while that "crust" was there for quite a long time, my pores got clogged underneath and I had the biggest breakout since highschool . not pretty!
What did I do wrong? How can I speed up the peeling process so I don't clog my pores? Should I try 18% TCA next? (I bought that too, expecting really good results and anticipating that I will want to do this more and increase the strenght too).
Any information much appreciated. ~Gidia