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- Jul 9, 2011
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I've posted on Andi's thread, but don't want to monopolize hers,so started a new one here. Thanks to her original post on her 15% tca experience, I was brave enough to start using peels myself. I had been using an otc peel system (Revlon?) which was nice, but didn't give the results I was looking for.
I went to MUAC like Andi suggested, and started with a very low % lactic acid, worked up to 30% glycolic, and jumped to 8% tca last night. I also use Renova (prescription retin-a type product)a couple of times a week, in between my glycolic peels.
As suggested, I did a test patch of the 8% tca before actually doing a full peel. First time I tested on a small patch of skin, near my ear, for 5 min, neutralized with the baking soda sol'n, then used bacitracin for 24 hrs.Turns out I'm allergic to bacitracin, so I broke out in a rash. Just to be sure, I did a second test patch, on the other side of my face, and used a prescription antibiotic ointment (mupirocin). This time, no reaction. After waiting a week, I did a full peel using 8% tca for 5 min, on my whole face. I should mention that 5 days ago I did a 30% glycolic peel and left it on for 8 min.
Before the peel, I prepped my face with a very gentle cleansing using generic cetafil, dried, then covered nostrils, lips, and eye sockets with vaseline. Carefully put on the acid with a q-tip, left on for 5 min. Experienced no discomfort, or even tingling. Carefully neutralized with baking soda solution (2T to 1 1/2 cups tepid water), then gently washed with MUAC's green tea face wash (which I got as a free sample with my order). Covered my whole face with the prescription mupirocin. My face itched. The more time passed, the tighter it felt, and the itchier it felt. I wondered if I was becoming allergic to the mupirocin. After about a hour, I checked my face, and I had 3 bright red patches; one under each eye, on my cheekbone, and one on the side of my face next to my eye, up higher on the cheekbone. I wondered if I had prepped a bit too vigorously with the recent glycolic peel 5 days before. Anyway, the redness was gone by the next day, but the itching was getting a little worse. Since MUAC suggests having anti itch cream on hand, I decided to improvise. I mixed the anti itch cream, the mupirocin antibiotic, and MUAC's rosehip scar cream sample (I love their scar cream; it makes a great moisturizer and is very emollient). After re cleansing my face with generic cetafil, I dried and put on this mixture. I want to mention that after washing my face, it felt itchy again. After I put on the mixture, it felt itchy--at first. After about 5 minutes, the itching subsided. I really don't know what the itchiness is all about, and maybe Andi can chime in and make a suggestion. Anyway, it's the day after, the redness is gone, and my skin just feels a bit tight and looks slightly more wrinkly. Peeling for this low level of tca seem to vary quite a bit, so I'm not sure what to expect at this point. I do have to work tomorrow (and this was supposed to be a 'lunch time' peel) so I will most definitely wear a strong sunscreen for my drive to work, and at least eye make up and lipstick. Am considering wearing my Bare Minerals makeup, as it's supposed to be very gentle. I did purchased a vinyl-cling sunshade for my driver's side window, to help protect my skin from the sun during the commute.
I welcome any helpful hints or insights. I'll update as possible. Thanks
Edit update; Just took a shower and washed my face, and it's already starting to peel and flake slightly. Maybe that's why it feels so itchy and tight. In places, my face has a slightly whitish cast to it, which is probably dead skin waiting to flake off.
I'm experimenting now with mixing argon oil and anti itch cream, and using that on my face. The argon oil is supposed to have antibiotic properties, so I thought it would be good to try.
I went to MUAC like Andi suggested, and started with a very low % lactic acid, worked up to 30% glycolic, and jumped to 8% tca last night. I also use Renova (prescription retin-a type product)a couple of times a week, in between my glycolic peels.
As suggested, I did a test patch of the 8% tca before actually doing a full peel. First time I tested on a small patch of skin, near my ear, for 5 min, neutralized with the baking soda sol'n, then used bacitracin for 24 hrs.Turns out I'm allergic to bacitracin, so I broke out in a rash. Just to be sure, I did a second test patch, on the other side of my face, and used a prescription antibiotic ointment (mupirocin). This time, no reaction. After waiting a week, I did a full peel using 8% tca for 5 min, on my whole face. I should mention that 5 days ago I did a 30% glycolic peel and left it on for 8 min.
Before the peel, I prepped my face with a very gentle cleansing using generic cetafil, dried, then covered nostrils, lips, and eye sockets with vaseline. Carefully put on the acid with a q-tip, left on for 5 min. Experienced no discomfort, or even tingling. Carefully neutralized with baking soda solution (2T to 1 1/2 cups tepid water), then gently washed with MUAC's green tea face wash (which I got as a free sample with my order). Covered my whole face with the prescription mupirocin. My face itched. The more time passed, the tighter it felt, and the itchier it felt. I wondered if I was becoming allergic to the mupirocin. After about a hour, I checked my face, and I had 3 bright red patches; one under each eye, on my cheekbone, and one on the side of my face next to my eye, up higher on the cheekbone. I wondered if I had prepped a bit too vigorously with the recent glycolic peel 5 days before. Anyway, the redness was gone by the next day, but the itching was getting a little worse. Since MUAC suggests having anti itch cream on hand, I decided to improvise. I mixed the anti itch cream, the mupirocin antibiotic, and MUAC's rosehip scar cream sample (I love their scar cream; it makes a great moisturizer and is very emollient). After re cleansing my face with generic cetafil, I dried and put on this mixture. I want to mention that after washing my face, it felt itchy again. After I put on the mixture, it felt itchy--at first. After about 5 minutes, the itching subsided. I really don't know what the itchiness is all about, and maybe Andi can chime in and make a suggestion. Anyway, it's the day after, the redness is gone, and my skin just feels a bit tight and looks slightly more wrinkly. Peeling for this low level of tca seem to vary quite a bit, so I'm not sure what to expect at this point. I do have to work tomorrow (and this was supposed to be a 'lunch time' peel) so I will most definitely wear a strong sunscreen for my drive to work, and at least eye make up and lipstick. Am considering wearing my Bare Minerals makeup, as it's supposed to be very gentle. I did purchased a vinyl-cling sunshade for my driver's side window, to help protect my skin from the sun during the commute.
I welcome any helpful hints or insights. I'll update as possible. Thanks
Edit update; Just took a shower and washed my face, and it's already starting to peel and flake slightly. Maybe that's why it feels so itchy and tight. In places, my face has a slightly whitish cast to it, which is probably dead skin waiting to flake off.
I'm experimenting now with mixing argon oil and anti itch cream, and using that on my face. The argon oil is supposed to have antibiotic properties, so I thought it would be good to try.