TCA (trichloroacetic acid) is widely used in medium depth chemical peel treatments. TCA peel is perfect to cope with facial blemishes, uneven skin pigmentation or wrinkles. Sun damaged, dry, flaky skin surface and dark spots are also removed with trichloroacetic acid. To improve acne and blackheads or get rid of an old tattoo TCA peeling is appropriate even in this case.
More information about the TCA peel procedure, its preparation, side effects and the price is written below. This article is very useful to be read, however it’s better to ask everything to a surgeon.
Generally the TCA treatment can be applied on different body parts such as the face, arms, hands, chest and the neck. It can be used for people with any skin color. But some risk can be admitted. So it’s better to consult with the well-experienced physician, having good qualification. More over one will be suggested with different mixtures of peel for achieving the best result.
Retin A is used during the preparation to the procedure. Causing the skin surface layer thinner it allows TCA to penetrate it more deeply and uniformly. Once who is not recommended Retin A, can use AHA cream. It takes up to one month or more. There is a need to stop exfoliating sponges, buff pads and hair removal at least three weeks before the treatment. Deeper TCA should be done with the help of specialist at home for a day or two.
The procedure takes from 15 minutes to one hour depending on details and skin peculiarities. The skin should be cleansed and then it applied with TCA. The stinging sense is normal.
The type of peeling depends on its concentrations (10% to 50%).
There is essential to consult with the surgeon for those individuals who have sun allergies, facial warts, past herpes simplex, radiation treatment, pregnant or breast feeding as well as bad peeling reaction to take some precautions.
TCA peel recovery
During the healing process at the first week there can appear some redness and even swelling. The most usual negative effect is the skin discoloration. But it may be in a case of sun burning after the peel with no sunscreen SPF 25. Within three to four days after the procedure when the skin dead layers will shed its useful moisturize skin with antibacterial ointment. About fourteen days later there will be the first getting better symptoms – pigmentation, wrinkles and shiny skin. If redness persists more than two weeks the doctor should know about it. Otherwise, if not treated the right way, it can become brown discoloration or scar.
TCA peel takes not so much time as the other chemical peels, so there may be need in repeated treatments for the optimal results.