Pigmentary response of skin to chemopeel: a controlled study of phenol and trichloracetic acid applications

ABSTRACT

Chemopeel is a process in which chemical solutions are used on the skin with the intention of eliminating fine wrinkles, solar keratosis and certain other superficial dermatoses. A study was conducted on 10 volunteers, 4 females and 6 males, with phenol 48% on one side and trichloracetic acid 27% on the opposite side of the mastoid region. Color changes were observed for a period of upto 16 weeks. Scab fell off in 8.2 +/- 1.7 days with phenol and 10 +/- 2.5 days with trichloracetic acid [TCA] indicating a deeper burn with TCA. No hypertrophic scarring occurred. With both modalities, color returned in the majority of cases by 16 weeks but 40% of phenol and 20% of TCA group were still lighter-complexioned than their normal color at the end of the study. Females tended to get significantly lighter than males, with both chemicals and ethnic origin of the patient had no influence on the outcome: