TCA "Mixed" Peels?
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free skin care · Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:01 pm

I'm currently using TCA to try and improve the texture of my skin, every month or so. I started with 12.5% with MUAC, first 3 layers, the next time 6 layers, got quite crepey but no major skin shedding.

Tonight, I tried 18% (they say if you can handle 5 layers of a % you should go up a notch). The 2nd layer was a definite "ouch" affair; used my hairdryer on cool to lessen the flames. Frosted a little, so we'll see what happens next!

Reading around about TCA someone on makemeheal says "MUAC peels - which are mixed with other acids like alpha hydroxy, etc. (I found out they were 'mixed' after I used them for more than a year)". The consensus on there seems to be that the 'mixed' TCA peels are hotter and more unpredictable.

They're recommending Original Skin Store peels instead (as they have a lower price, lower pH and less additives than 'mixed' peels). Anyone have any opinions about these different TCA brands' formulas?

By the way, as far as results, the 12.5% peels I did had me looking a bit tighter, but the effect was only temporary.

free skin care · Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:26 am

Don't know the answer, ljk, but I will definitely be watching this thread. I have been using perfect complexions TCA complex, which is the 12.5%. I frost with 2 layers, get dry, and the dead skin rolls off in 2-3 days after holding a hot washcloth to my face (several times a day). I have been checking out the MUAC stuff trying to decide if I need something more "potent", but I also noticed that their TCA was a mixed peel, and I am not sure how effective that is. Definitely hope some people will come and give their opinions on this.

free skin care · Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:16 am

I didn't frost at all with the 12.5% MUAC attempts. There was a bit of a frost with 18%.

I know Julie's (Perfect Complexion) take on TCA is that she prefers slow and steady with the lower %s; that cumlative peels in this way are as effective as fewer higher % peels and less risky. Don't know about their formulas.

I'd have tried Perfect Complexion's TCA, but they stopped selling it on ebay all of a sudden. (Got their TCA Latte; didn't do much for me and Bio-Identical Hyaluronic Acid for the peelies).

Hope someone has an answer to my first post Smile

free skin care · Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:49 am

ljk wrote:

I know Julie's (Perfect Complexion) take on TCA is that she prefers slow and steady with the lower %s; that cumlative peels in this way are as effective as fewer higher % peels and less risky. Don't know about their formulas.

I'd have tried Perfect Complexion's TCA, but they stopped selling it on ebay all of a sudden. (Got their TCA Latte; didn't do much for me and Bio-Identical Hyaluronic Acid for the peelies).

Yes, her take is micron by micron off, which could take a long time!! I am thinking probably 60+ microns would have to be removed before I hit pay dirt!!

I found with her latte that I had to apply some and rub it in, then I had to apply a very thick layer and leave that just sitting on the skin. If I did that, then I would "peel". I only flake really, at least that is what I call it, as I don't have a sheet of skin peeling off!

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:40 pm

OK. I am bumping this thread, as I sent an email to MUAC and Platinum Skin Care asking why their TCA peels contain glycolic and lactic acid in them. Unfortunately MUAC never responded (I sent 2 emails to them regarding this), and Platinum Skin Care responded with this oh so helpful email: "It is simply the formulation that Platinum Skin Care chose to use.

That said, I will stick with PerfectComplexion TCA peels and will be bumping up to the 18% TCA for spot treating.

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:52 pm

I emailed The Original Skin Store, asking for recommendations about TCA use, not having much results yet. I mentioned what I'd read on makemeheal about MUAC's TCA.

She was kind enough to reply: "They have good peels, but I am not sure if theirs are buffered or not. If they are, ours will be "hotter", if they do not buffer and still add other acids, theirs will be hotter."

She gave me some good advice about progressing with the peels too. Smile

Hopefully someone can enlighten us on the differences between the formulations.

PS: Re the Perfect Complexion line, I've also got Miracle Peel Beta-Alpha-Retinoic from a while back (have so many bottles of stuff!) which only made me peel a little..again. Though I think my skin's quite tough with the rolling (kinda gave up at the moment as 1.5mm is still ouchie with EMLA), Vaculift, Retin-A, etc.

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:05 pm

ljk wrote:

She gave me some good advice about progressing with the peels too. Smile

Hopefully someone can enlighten us on the differences between the formulations.

PS: Re the Perfect Complexion line, I've also got Miracle Peel Beta-Alpha-Retinoic (have so many bottles of stuff!) which only made me peel a little..again. Though I think my skin's quite tough with the TCA, Vaculift, Retin-A, etc.

ljk, can you share the information she gave on progressing with the peels?

I will say, I have always considered my face to be very tough, but I used that miracle peel, and I had burnt spots from that! I mean, you could see little burnt areas on my skin. I used a thick zinc paste that healed my skin very quickly, but I don't want to use the miracle peel again. BTW, I never peeled from that one, just burned my skin! Laughing

)

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:09 pm

You burned with Miracle Peel? It's amazing how different we all are, and I thought my skin was average to sensitive Shock

More of the OOS reply: "If you can use 5 layers of a 12.5% TCA peel, you should be able to bump up to the 20% without any difficulty. Go ahead with your plan with the 18% and my suggestion at that point is to go ahead up to the 25%. You can judge the peel by the amount of frosting that you get on your skin, so you can push it up to a light frost and be completely safe still. Going for a hard frost (solid white opaque) is more risky, but usually requires a couple of layers beyond what would give you the initial light grey translucent frost that is the first frosting stage. Since you have a visible checkpoint for the TCA peel, you can fairly easily gauge your peel depth. The combo peel of the TCA/Jessner's is a strong peel, but it has a good safety profile and is what I personally do when I peel myself. We do not mix our TCA with any other acids, nor with any buffers, so I am not sure how it compares to the site you purchased from."

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 6:11 pm

Thanks so much ljk. That is good info to have! So, which percent are you going to try? (Sorry, are you spot peeling or are you doing a full face?)

I really did burn with the miracle peel! Couldn't believe it myself. I actually was using that (the miracle peel) as a light prep a few days before I was going to do a TCA peel. That was the last time I used the miracle peel! Laughing

free skin care · Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:15 pm

Interesting post. I didn't realize MUAC's were mixed. I'm getting ready to order a peel and will check out the other sites mentioned.

free skin care · Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:58 am

I'm going to try doing 3, maybe 4 if I can stand it (!) layers of the MUAC 18% in a week. When I can tolerate the 18% well I'll try OSS 25%, with the goal of ultimately using the OSS Jessner's/25% TCA.

Find the MUAC 18 TCA % pretty hot though, so I'm not looking forward to it! Beauty is pain! Laughing

free skin care · Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:28 am

rileygirl wrote:

Thanks so much ljk. That is good info to have! So, which percent are you going to try? (Sorry, are you spot peeling or are you doing a full face?)

Sorry, doing 10 things at once! Meant to add that I'm doing a full-face treatment.

free skin care · Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:23 am

ljk wrote:

rileygirl wrote:

Thanks so much ljk. That is good info to have! So, which percent are you going to try? (Sorry, are you spot peeling or are you doing a full face?)

Sorry, doing 10 things at once! Meant to add that I'm doing a full-face treatment.

Wow. You are brave! I only did the 12.5 once on my whole face! Please keep us posted on your results with this. Good luck to you. I hope you have fantastic results! After reading your above post, I am waffling between the OSS 20% or perfectcomplexion 18%!

free skin care · Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:13 am

Haven't done any peels for a while. All the MUAC TCAs I've done were applied with q-tips, 18% was uncomfortable but I managed 2 layers at the beginning of February (hairdryer on cold at the ready).

Tried the OSS Jessner's and 2 layers of TCA on Monday morning (2 days ago).

The Original Skin Store's instructions suggest you use gauze pads instead of cotton buds which gives you much stronger coverage!

The Jessner's on its own with gauze was so stingy I had tears running (5 minutes). I washed it off afterwards and then decided to do two more 5 minute 25% TCA layers with a cotton bud. I know you should do them together but I chickened out! Lots more frosting this time.

Anyway, today I look like a sunburned lizard, I itch (some Neosporin and generous slathers of oil in between) and I'm hoping for better results this time around! My face is even swollen which is a surprise as my forehead especially is pretty hardcore with everything; dermarolling, Retin-A, you name it.

Anyone have any opinions about the "mixed" peels versus the unbuffered ones?

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:22 am

I can't wait to hear what results you have from that, ljk! I am wanting to do a more aggressive peel, so your post comes at a great time!

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:37 am

Apologies, it's actually 2 1/2 days, 36 hours post-peel today (did the peel on Tuesday 1am, so got my days mixed up! ..Thursday 12.35pm UK-time here).

Wanted to hide but my doorbell has went non-stop! The electricity/gas meter man nearly fainted when he saw me.

Picture of me a moment ago, generously slathered in Vaseline: http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5471/dsc01056r.jpg

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:07 am

Wow, ljk, that looks like it is going to be a Great peel!! Thank you so much for the picture. I cannot wait for your final results! What is your goal with the peels, ljk? BTW, I thought that your skin looked great even with the skin starting to peel!!

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:28 am

I'm still going to go outside haha, if I can do it with stitched up lips (post-lip aug) then this is nothing Smile

Friend's phoned up wanting to meet, so, why not.

My skin isn't great, honestly. Not the worst but could definitely do with some resurfacing. I was recommended Accent Pixel but I've read bad things about it, so trying TCA. Probably a bit young for CO2 laser.

Me pre-TCA and after the procedures I had in November 2009 (under eye bleph, browlift; which I wasn't happy with; facelift for my cheeks, lip augmentation). You can see my skin texture here:

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/889/womakeup.jpg

The furrow between my eyes (which I thought the BL would help, drives me crazy!).

On a happier note, I really think Ageless (1 month+ in) is helping my brows/upper eyes!

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:46 am

Thanks again for the pictures, ljk. I think I am a lot older than you (!) and I have the wrinkles that I am trying to get rid of! You look fine to me, but I know we are our own worst critics!

free skin care · Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:53 am

You're a sweetheart

Good luck with your peel when you do it.

Watch out for the itching; woke up a few times last night, but it's dryness, putting oil on helped.

Hopefully a few peels like this will improve my skin, fingers crossed! I'll post more pictures once I'm healed.

free skin care · Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:37 pm

How are you doing ljk?

I did a 2 layer with the 18% perfect complexion TCA and I have to say I frosted really well this time. And, it was more painful this time than I have had in the past, nothing horrible, but more than I was used to! Have my upper lip slathered with neosporin right now. We'll see how it goes this time.

free skin care · Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:53 pm

I'm good

Definitely more itching and peeling this time around.

The first day or so was the worst for peelies, but Vaseline and rubbing it gently with kitchen towel got rid of most of it.

5 days later and I'm still a bit red. No miracles I'm afraid, still the rotten skin texture I hate. But I've read you need a course of 6 aggressive peels to see results. Using Retin-A tonight.

Hope your peel turns out well!

free skin care · Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:14 pm

ljk wrote:

I'm good

Definitely more itching and peeling this time around.

The first day or so was the worst for peelies, but Vaseline and rubbing it gently with kitchen towel got rid of most of it.

5 days later and I'm still a bit red. No miracles I'm afraid, still the rotten skin texture I hate. But I've read you need a course of 6 aggressive peels to see results. Using Retin-A tonight.

Hope your peel turns out well!

Ack, sorry to hear the no miracles part! I know you are right, though. I have read that as well that they need to be done in a series! I guess we can just keep hoping!

free skin care · Fri May 21, 2010 9:17 pm

Well, I went ahead and got the MUAC 18% TCA peel, and did my upper lip area tonight. I did 2 layers, but I couldn't keep the 2nd layer on but 2-3 minutes. I frosted a lot. Way more than with Perfect Complexion peels. I have to say the sting was more intense, as well, but nothing horrible. That could be because I only spot treated. I followed the MUAC directions for neutralizing and then applied Neosporin. It is starting to itch a tiny bit already. I hope this peel will do something!

free skin care · Fri May 21, 2010 9:45 pm

Good luck! Hope it gives you some results, from what I read about TCAs some are happy at 18% and don't go beyond.

I think my skin is a bit tougher than some people's. I got a moderate peel with 2 layers of MUAC 18% but the Original Skin Store bout with Jessner's/25% TCA was more aggressive (though it would be, it's a much stronger combination). I felt my skin needed more oomph than the 12.5% and 18% Makeupartistschoice TCAs I'd tried.

I mentioned this subject (about buffering) on Skincaretalk and I felt I got slightly rude replies: http://www.skincaretalk.com/anti-aging/11839-first-tca-peel-12.html (post 235). Still didn't get an answer either! Confused

Oh, the dramas.

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