Anyone try an at-home chemical peel?

[darnelled]

I'm considering ordering one of the available online kits to attempt improving my uneven dark places on my face from a youth spent in the sun w/o sunscreen. They don't seem as strong as the dermatologist administered ones, have less of a recovery time and are much cheaper. Anyone try something like this?

 

[willpower]

DermaRoller http://www.owndoc.com/dermarolling/d...ing-explained/ http://www.owndoc.com/dermarolling/d...-pigmentation/

 

[darnelled]

Originally Posted by willpower

DermaRoller

http://www.owndoc.com/dermarolling/d...ing-explained/

http://www.owndoc.com/dermarolling/d...-pigmentation/

Have you tried that ^? Seems painful and likely to lead to multiple sites of infection.

 

[willpower]

Originally Posted by darnelled

Have you tried that ^? Seems painful and likely to lead to multiple sites of infection.
The girl who cuts my hair has. She's the one who told me about it. She had uneven skin coloring on her forehead due to a Shingles outbreak the previous year. She did say she started the process by using numbing creme but after a few sessions she got used to the sensation. The wounds supposedly close up almost immediately and she put Vitamin A&D creme on the area after every time she rolled. Her forehead did look good, I couldn't see a difference in skin tone. I've considered getting one after hearing her "testimonial". It's supposed to work well on the vertical lines on your forehead right between your brows, which is what I'd want to use it for. I also have sunspots on one of my hands that I'd like to rid myself of.

 

[Dakota rube]

"at home" and "chemical peel" just don't seem like phrases that should be in the same sentence. Sort of like do-it-yourself nuclear power.

 

[darnelled]

Originally Posted by Dakota rube

"at home" and "chemical peel" just don't seem like phrases that should be in the same sentence. Sort of like do-it-yourself nuclear power.

I know it seems unwise. I've tried prescription retin-A and hydroquinone creams already. If they helped, it is so slow and gradual that I can't really tell a difference.

I've ordered a Glycolic acid solution to try out.

 

[PTWilliams]

I have been researching this. There is a forum http://messageboards.makemeheal.com/plastic-surgery/ That may be helpful.
Applied 25% TCA after cleaning with acetone. Did go over and spot a few areas that didnt frost. Washed with baking soda and cold water. Feels like a bad sunburn right now, I was going to dilute the 25% solution to 12.5%, but after Skin Obsession telling me I wasn't going to get a deep peel anyway, I decided what the hell. I found a pretty good scientific review article which seemed to suggest that TCA peels were safe.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... ool=pubmed
Also reviews at Amazon were positive, and the peel was only $30 and it looks like its good for 2 more peels. I preform medical research myself (statistician, not an MD), so I tried to learn as much as possible. At 24 hours post application, I'm slightly red, but no other signs and no discomfort. If you go into a dermatologist office, they are going to apply the stuff, then send you home. So any problems are probably going to happen at home, not under the physician's watch. It seems to me that paying for a physician to do this makes as much sence as paying your dentist for teeth whitening, when you can get the exact same custom trays and bleach at Amazon for $53.