Chemical peels for darker skin tones

[mehrunissa]

So who can tell me about any personal experiences with that?

I have darker ethnic skin (South Asian), and am looking for a solution to uneven skin tone and dark spots from old pimples. I've been using scrubs, but other than making my skin feel a little smoother, I don't see any difference as far as those two problems. Now I've started using L'oreal's ReNoviste Anti-Aging Glycolic Peel, and it's been working better than any other exfoliant I've ever used. But I have weddings coming up this summer and would like to speed up the process, so I thought I'd look into higher concentrations that are still safe to use at home.

I've been searching on the internet, and what I've found so far are mostly suggestions for caucasian skin. The only site I've found that says anything about peels in regards to ethnic skin is www.brownskin.net, but I'd like advice that's a little more than cursory.

Please, help!

 

[bronze_chiqz]

hey mehrunnisha!! guess wad my cousin has the same name as urs!:icon_razz

well talking abt chemical peels for darker skintones, it's soooo famous here in Malaysia..here all the gals wanted to be fair ..trust me ladies, they dun prefer tanning .So loadz n loadz of skincare here muz consist of a set of peeling n whitening products.Btw,wat nc r u?like me is around nc40-45.Yep actually it's true dat we medium skin toned gals can't simply do chemicalpeels but i did twice glycolic peeling for my breakouts 2 yrs back..i can say that my skin has changed a lot especially for my breakouts..i do have but not as much as those times..They layered a thick serum n it causes initial breakouts terribly within a day..it really stings..gradually the layers thickens n peels..this process takes up to a week,u'll have a healthier looking skin but it'll be damn red..not raw but like sunburn..u muz avoid sun within this process n within 2-3weeks, it'll get better .u muz really survey which suits u before u continue.u've mentioned there's a wedding coming up or sumthing?Is it urs?Congratss (if its urs) and i advise u to go n survey carefully abt peelings..coz i tink peelings wont suit everyone unless u've consult wt a derm or esthetician...Like my fren,who simply did peeling for her face n ended up her face is terribly red n raw...but now her skin is ok but the tone on her face n neck is darn obvious.

 

[pieced]

I don't think you should do any peels, but use a cream to ligen the scars and dark areas. Shiesdo has great ligthenting products, and they seem to work. The cream will work in about 2-3weeks, but if you are looking for faster results, then visit dermatologist and see what they say, they have some suggestions. Good Luck...

 

[mehrunissa]

Yeah, that's what I figured the response would be. What I've read in articles so far is that darker skinned people should be careful with peels, but that the superficial ones might be appropriate. I just wanted some feedback from anybody who'd actually had it done. I'll more than likely end up talking to a dermatologist, to be on the safe side. Thanks though!

Oh, and bronze_chiqz: I'm not sure what my NC is yet, probably NC44 or 45.

 

[eightthirty]

Walgreens carries Dr. Adams Women of Color line as featured on Oprah and it's very affordable. I used to work there (I left in December) and I remember it being a top seller.

I hope this helps!

 

[sassy mamma]

I would advise that you use a cream only on your dark spots. Your skin can be really sensitive to peels and cause your face to form scabs causing more scars. Maybe Ambi's fade cream or using the Neutrogena Visibly Even skin line might help.

 

[mac-whore]

my skin tone is pretty pigmented.. i'd say medium to light brown and my derm actually suggested that i had a chemical peel. i do remember asking her if it would effect my skin tone since i am darker pigmented and she said no, that it wouldn't. i'm not sure if she knew what she was talking about but, i didn't go through with the process. i might very soon though, and i too would like to know more about this.

maybe you should consider having a consultation with the dermatologist that you want to have this done with.. and see what their opinion is about it.

 

[monniej]

hello mehrunissa and welcome to mut. i'm monnie from michigan. i have the same problem and what worked for me was sonya dakar's complexion corrector ($75 at sonyadakar.com). it took about 4 weeks to see marked improvement and 8 weeks to completely balance out my skin tone. i'd be very leary of chemical peels unless you go to a professional that has had experience treating darker skin tones. be very careful - some of these products can leave you in worse shape than when you started!

 

[divadee62]

I use MUAC's 30% Glycolic Peel with great results www.makeupartistschoice.com . I've always heard that women of color should not get chemical peels or microderm but I think it depends on the intensity and expertise of the person administering them. I definitely wouldn't get a TCA peel based on the pics of Black women who have tried it but I think that Lactic and Glycolic peels are pretty safe. Your mileage may vary so definitely if you try a true chem peel do a patch test 24-48 hours before.

Remember with chemical peels and evening your skin tone SPF is a must. I use SPF 30 every single day. Just get in the habit of that first and foremost!

 

[mehrunissa]

Thanks for all the input, ladies! I've decided to find a derm who specializes or has tons of experience with ethnic skin, and see what my options are. I was basically just trying to find out if there were any AHA or BHA peel products that were safe to use on your own. For now, I'm just going to stick with regular ol' scrubs, although a friend with similar skintone recommended Neova Skin Revealing Treatment, so I might try it out.

Again, thanks!

 

[lollipop]

Hi there. I don`t have experience with chemical peels etc., but I`ve found this info about taking care of "dark"skin. HTH.

Does Pigmented Skin Need Special Care?

The difference in darker pigmented skin is due to the way melanin is distributed and not to the number of melanocyte cells that produce the melanin. It is easy to overstimulate the melanocyte of persons of color to react and hyperpigment. It is not special care, it is just recognizing the products and ingredients that can harm pigmented skin.

What Products Should Be Avoided?

Most anti-aging skin care, such as alpha hydroxy acids( with the exception of mandelic acid), hydroquinone, and tretinoin pose the risk of hyperpigmentation when used on darker skin types. Because of the distribution of melanocytes in darker skin types, irritation and swelling can cause the melanacytes to react and produce pigment. When this happens, it can cause dark pigmented spots appear. It is commonly known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This does not happen on everyone. Many people with darker skin tones have been able to use glycolic acid, hydroquinone, and tretinoin without any adverse effects. It is a precaution that those with more sensitive skin should be aware of.

Mandelic Acid, a less irritating alpha hydroxy acid, has been tested and proved to be safe on pigmented skin. This system is great for oily and acne prone skin as well as combination skin. It helps prevent breakouts without drying out the skin and smoothes out fine lines and evening out skin tone. Also recommended for use on melasma or rosacea.

Kinerase® also came up with a good alternative to Renova® and Retin-A® that has been tested safely on all skin types. This product helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles, as well as even out pigmentation problems. Great for dry and normal skin. Lotion can be used on oily skin as a moisturizer. All products are non-comedogenic.

Neova® uses the wound healing capabilites of copper to heal the damage done by time. Copper is an essential element in the process of tissue repair. The regular application (just once a day at night) can help stimulate collagen growth, providing smoother, firmer, younger looking skin in just half the time of regular anti-aging therapies. However, it does not help even out pigmentation problems. It can be used with any regular skin care routine, just use it as a light moisturizer. Try using it at night, with the mandelic acid or Kinerase® in the morning.

Who is Considered to have "Pigmented Skin"?

The risk of hyperpigmentation occurs in skin types IV and up. This skin type tans easily and rarely, if ever, burns. This skin type is common among Asian, Mediterranean, Polynesian, African, Native American, Hispanic, Arabian, and Eastern European peoples.

see (http://skincarerx.com/dark-skin.html)