Microneedling vs Chemical Peel: when to make a choice?
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:18 pm

Hello Everyone,

I have just recently come across this forum and have been learning so much. After basically neglecting my skin for the past 15 years (aside from cleansing and daily sunscreen), at 52 I am noticing “stuff.” Small lines, lip lines, neck rings, and old (relatively mild in as far as the scars go) acne scars that are folding in on themselves and creating small wrinkles (not lovely), and just an overall unsmooth texture. I wouldn’t call what I have hyperpigmentation, but my tone could stand to be more even. Researching home microneedling has brought me to your forum.

I’ve also just started a series of home peels (40% lactic acid from MUAC) and would like to move to a 12.5% TCA when finished. With the peels, I’m hoping to address my small lines, acne scars, and overall tone due to the 15 years of exfoliating that I haven’t been doing.

But I’d also like to microneedle at .5 mm weekly and 1 mm around monthly.

I’m learning that both of these modalities are not to be done at the same time, at least not at the above schedule. One schedule that I see alluded to is to microneedle, wait a few weeks, then peel, wait a few weeks, repeat. This schedule would mean that the 0.5 mm weekly / 1 mm monthly schedule can’t be kept. Assuming that all things are equal, such as handling postpeel downtime (check, I work from home) or overlightening (not a problem, I’m Caucasian), I can’t tell what is more effective for meeting my goals.

My question is, have any of you found yourself making this choice, and what did you decide and why?

My biggest --BIGGEST-- concern is my lip lines. I can accept so many other things if I could just get any kind of improvement in this area. I understand that collagen induction is the name of the game and that either modality should give me that. My working plan is to continue with/complete my peel plan so that everything looks more even, and then STOP, wait a few weeks, and start up with microneedling and stick with that only going forward.

What is making me second guess myself is the study I am seeing that concludes that microneedling is comparable to *full-strength* TCA with respect to atrophic acne scars. I cannot post the link but its title is “Percutaneous collagen induction versus full-concentration trichloroacetic acid in the treatment of atrophic acne scars.”

Since I wouldn’t even be going near full-strength, then why do TCA at all if microneedling provides the best collagen induction? I’m kind of assuming that is the case even though the study does not state that. I mean I would think that collagen induction would be behind the scar improvement, so it would benefit my lip lines as well.

Thanks so much for reading. I’ve been devouring these DIY threads going back several years. They are so very informative and I am eager to read more of your experiences!
-Anju

Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:07 am

I don't remember if it was a study or a case study about glycolic peels and microneedling, but I read that the protocol is to correct skin pigmentation issues, not necessarily filling in wrinkles. The skin around your mouth is more sensitive than the rest of your face, so be careful -- even if you are caucasian you can experience hypo pigmentation from peels if you essentially "burn" your skin. If you were just doing maintenance with glycolic, I wouldn't worry, but you seem to be trying to do some dramatic at-home anti-aging without knowing the full risks. See a dermatologist.

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