Stretch Marks!!

[Guest]

thanks cr and J for all your help

someone asked this the other day but what are you doing about showering during the process of a peel?

also being a male i was wondering how TCA peels effect hairy areas e.g. i am covered in sms on my thighs and am unsure as to whether the TCA causes the hair to fall out?

another thing J mentioned about doing a peel on her bum, i too have sms on my bum and am thinking about doing a peel there but would it not be painful and damaging to sit down then?

I really don't know about hairy areas, but fine hairs on my arms are unaffected by the peel. I shave my legs and they are unaffected from a hair point of view too, you could always shave the area a few days before you do the peel?

As to the bum, tca does not hurt, least not on me at the strength I am using, so you should have no pain, just keep the area well moisturized, if you cannot get emu oil I find olive oil to be a good alternative, basically moisturize the area as many times per day as you can manage (like minimum 5 times per day).

Washing is as normal, obviously do not scrub at the skin whilst peeling and pat dry with a towell then moisturize again.

J

[Guest]

thank you so much J your a great help

[cr]

Hi,
Showering is just fine as long as the skin is treated gently. I take shorter showers during the peeling process because water strips the skin of oils. If you apply the peel on your butt and sit for extended periods of time you may want to opt for using a triple antibiotic ointment in between using copper-peptides and emu oil during long sitting periods. I like using cp's and emu oil for skin renewal, but the ointment works well at keeping the treated areas moist if you are unable to reapply the cp's or you have a lot of friction for long periods. I have been applying the antibiotic ointment at night before I go to bed because it keeps the area hydrated for the whole duration of sleep. During the day, I apply the cp's and emu oil twice. As for your hair, I am not certain, but I believe that the hair will remain unaffected too. Even if your hair is slightly affected, I guess it is a small price (being that it would grow back) for improving, if not removing, your marks. I do not think that it should be a noticeable problem at all, though. All the best! CR

[sk 81]

I've done my first TCA peel after a long time again today, and was wondering if it's ok to just feel a tingling/itching. I diluted my TCA to about 10% first but I didn't feel anything and then I went to 20% where I felt the itching for a few minutes. Is this how it's supposed to be?? Or do I need to go higher??
Thanks for your help!!

[RandomWords]

I've heard people talking about hyperpigmentation, which I for one certainly experience as a result of peeling. Does anybody know if this ever goes away? I'm worried to continue since the marks don't really seem any better, but are now set off against darker surrounding skin!

RW

[Mai]

Everything I've read on here says hyperpigmentation fades after several months - and it can be helped along to do so with retin a. get rid of the stretch marks first then worry about the hyper-pigmented skin.
are you doing peels using glycolic of tca?

[boysforpele]

Hmmm..no one seemed to answer my question. Any thoughts?


I use 50% Glycolic from PlatinumSkinCare, leave it on for 20 minutes, wash it off and then apply Trireduction and Emu Oil.

After reading many of the posts I see people doing different things with the Glycolic. So...is what I am doing not going to be effective? I see people who leave on the Glycolic all night long. I can't even do the peel every night otherwise my skin will start to get irritated. I think in the past I was doing it 3 times weekly.

To be honest, after reading everything, I don't think this is going to be enough. Especially when people are using TCA.

So, if I continue with the GA -- how long should I leave it on for? If I leave it for any longer it itches like CRAZY and I can't stand it. But then I read someone who said to neutralize it immediately with CP/Emu oil and then leave it overnight.

If you neutralize it, doesn't that mean it's not actively working? So, what's the point of that?

~BoysforPele~

[Mai]

the person who suggested the cps and emu oil right after glycolic acid was outlining a method to prepare ones skin for the eventual use of tca peels, i don't think it was intended to be a routine in and of itself. i find that applying anything too soon after glycolic seems to inactivate it. do you take the glycolic off because it itches or because it hurts? when i apply it stings for a while but i leave it. i also am building up and not using a very strong concentration to begin with. you might want to try diluting the strength of your glycolic so that you can use it more frequently.

now general question about skin brushing. i read a lot about the benefits of dry skin brushing but why must it be DRY. why can i use a brush in the shower where it is easier?

[Neb]

Hello! on this Skinbiology.com site are a lot of different products that contains copper peptides. which did you use

[cr]

Hi Mai,
The reason why you dry skin brush as opposed to doing it wet while in the shower is because wet skin stretches. This is especially problematic if you focus on brushing stretch marks because it is believed to make marks worse if the skin is wet. Best, CR

[cr]

Hi Neb,
The Skinbio site suggest using one of four copper-peptides for stretch marks: TriReduction, Super CP Serum, SuperCop, or SuperCop 2x. TriReduction is the weakest and the cp's gain strength in the order above. TriReduction and SuperCop have a creamy consistency. I think that the SuperCop 2X does too, but I have never ordered it, so I am not completely certain. The Serum is a liquid. I originally started with TriReduction and then went staight to SuperCop. SuperCop is more effective than TriReduction, but it also can burn and sting when first applied. I take breaks with the SuperCop and trade off between TriReduction and the Super CP Serum when I need a break from the sting of SuperCop. Best, CR

[NeB]

Hi Cr!
Thanks, and some more questions:
Do you apply it directly after applying the tca solution? or after a few days, whenn the skin peels of?

[boysforpele]

do you take the glycolic off because it itches or because it hurts? when i apply it stings for a while but i leave it. i also am building up and not using a very strong concentration to begin with. you might want to try diluting the strength of your glycolic so that you can use it more frequently.

HI there,

I take it off because it itches, and because a long, long time ago (pages and pages ago) I read that you don't have to keep it on for longer than about 20 minutes?

~boysforpele~

[cr]

Hi Cr!
Thanks, and some more questions:
Do you apply it directly after applying the tca solution? or after a few days, whenn the skin peels of?

Hi Neb,
Yes, I do apply the cp's just after I rinse off the TCA because it helps with wound repair and skin renewal. If you apply Emu oil over the cp's that will help push the cp's down farther. I typically apply cp's twice a day despite where I am at in the TCA process. All the Best! CR

[RK]

i'm confused about the whole cross-linked collagen being a good thing?

"It remains unclear whether copper peptides can reverse wrinkles and other signs of aging in the intact skin. Theoretically, it is possible since copper peptides promote the degradation of abnormally large cross-linked collagen (the one found in scars and, to a lesser degree, in wrinkles). They also stimulate the production of "regular" collagen found in normal skin. In one small study, copper peptides stimulated collagen production in the intact skin. In fact, in that study copper peptides produced a stronger stimulation of collagen sysnthesis than tretinoin (Retin A, Renova) or ascorbate (vitamin C). "

(one thing Ifound _ about cross linked collagen as I can't remember the name of the book I was reading).

Mai - green tea is fine to drink, the caffeine is very minimal & it's full of fantastic anti-oxidants that are great for the skin. I drink it when I want to be good to myself but I can't say I like it. I think it tastes like pond water! White tea is also great for you & higher in anti oxidants - again I drink it sometimes but don't like it. A tea that really is yummy, caffeine free & amazingly good for you is Rooibos.

I've never had any luck with Copper Peptides but I'm thinking of (maybe) ordering some more tri-reduction to use with the retin-a (when it arrives). I remember someone on the skinbio board saying CPs failed to work for them until they added the tretinion & then the scars started to go.

I've also been thinking of re-ordering some Trilastin. It didn't really work the first time round (I don't think) but I remember when I was using it there was this weird two days or so when the marks on my arms had genuinely vanished. I was dermarolling at the time too. I may have to search back on this board because I'm not sure what else I was doing at the itme.

I'm getting very depressed about them all again really.