Is a Chemical Peel my solution?

How much downtime can I expect from a 20% TCA peel?

• I have a 20% TCA peel scheduled at a plastic surgeon's office for a Friday. I am having it done to get rid of discoloration from past acne breakouts (Retin-A has stopped my active acne for a while now). I am just wondering how much downtime I should expect with a 20% peel. I will be taking that Friday off and the following Monday and possibly Tuesday. I am just hoping I will be ok to go back to work on day 6. I have heard it might be better to schedule on a Wednesday and go to work Thurs and Fri because the first two days your skin is not peeling yet, and that days 3-5 are worse. (The doctor's office told me day 3-5 would be worst too). Of course I can call and ask the doctor's office where I am getting the treatment, but I am curious to hear from others who have had this strength of TCA peel. I bought a 12.5% solution online once and did some spot tests and there really was no peeling at all, so I'm wondering if the claim of downtime of up to a week is a bit exaggerated for a 20% peel.

• Answer:

  My mother had a 15% peel off last year it took 5days fully healed. So with 20% maybe 7-9days. Unless you want to come out with makeup. But a doctor would not ask you to use to the skin needing to breath.