My TCA Facial Peel Experience

Photo Credit: Juvemedspa.com

I mentioned in my skincare routine post here that I regularly treat my face with chemical peels as a way to improve the texture of my skin and minimize the signs of aging and sun damage. For a little over a year, I've been doing in home TCA treatments every 60 to 90 days.

TCA, or trichloroacetic acid is used on the facial skin to provide a medium depth peel that is useful for several reasons. This type of peel can smooth out fine wrinkles, remove blemishes and help correct pigmentation issues including sun damage. People who get mild TCA peels notice improvements over time, rather than a dramatic improvement after one treatment. You will notice that your skin is smoother and refreshed after one peel but treatments are somewhat cumulative. After 3 or 4 peels, you should begin to notice more dramatic changes to your skin.

My Skincare Routine: Part 1

Picture Credit: The V Effect

Many women notice that as they grow older, their skin becomes dry. I am no exception. When I was a teenager, I was spared the indignity of teenage acne but my skin was fickle, oily and prone to breakouts. Like many that age, I tried every skincare gimmick advertised on TV---pads, skin creams, foams, toners...you name it, I tried it. If I could have only eliminated oil from my skin...

In my twenties, the oil calmed down a little bit so I was pretty happy. I was on the birth control pill and the hormones helped prevent any potential breakout from starting.  By that time, I was out of college and into my first couple of "real" jobs. The income allowed me to step up my skincare routine and I began purchasing skincare systems from department stores. Clinique's system was the first one I tried. I'd use it until it was finished and try another one, never to be satisfied.

Every Woman's "Must Have"

Probably the most important item a woman can have in her beauty arsenal is a good sunscreen. The effects of long term (or short term) exposure to the sun can be devastating to the skin. An example of this is illustrated in the picture below. This 69 year old man was a delivery truck driver for years. The left side of his face was exposed to the sun from the drivers side window. Look at the difference in the left and right sides of his face! His skin looks 20 years older on the side facing the driver's side window. That's what happens to your skin, over time, without sunscreen.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Gordon/NEJM.com