Just realized I've been over-exfoliating my clients for months after a derm explained the acid levels to me

I heard a dermatologist say anything over 10% glycolic acid is basically a chemical peel, not a toner, and now I'm rethinking my entire brightening protocol for acne-prone skin - has anyone else had to dial back their peels after learning this?

3 comments

3 Comments

robins831d ago

Did I basically give my clients at-home chemical peels without the fun warning label? I had to quietly swap out my 15% glycolic serum for a 7% one after my own face started peeling like a snake. At least we can all bond over accidentally turning our skin into science experiments.

jenny471d ago

Yeah @robins83 the 7% swap was smart though, I'm still trying to figure out how to use up my 15% bottle without nuking my face again. I tried mixing it with moisturizer once but it still stung like crazy after like 5 minutes. Now I just dab it on my elbows as a weird science experiment leftover. At least we all learned the hard way that stronger isn't always better, you know?

the_lisa1d ago

oh dude @robins83 i totally feel you on the quiet swap out, i did the exact same thing with my 15% lactic acid last month. my skin was red and angry for two weeks straight before i realized what was happening. it's crazy how easily we can go from "this is fine" to "why is my face peeling like a sunburn" without even noticing the signs.