iblamealen
Iron
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2026
- Posts
- 67
- Reputation
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Reason for DIY:
CROSS for icepick/boxcars.
Peels for texture, pigmentation and overall skin quality.
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Best for:
Do NOT:
Aftercare:
Best for:
80% to 20% =
1ml TCA + 3ml distilled water
Rule:
- derms charge crazy money per session
- most clinics still need multiple sessions anyway
- one bottle of 80% TCA can last a long time if diluted properly
- easier to do consistent sessions instead of dropping huge money at once
- icepick
- boxcars
- some rolling scars
CROSS for icepick/boxcars.
Peels for texture, pigmentation and overall skin quality.
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PART 1 — TCA CROSS
Best for:- icepick scars
- narrow/deep boxcars
- 80% - 100%
- 80% TCA
- distilled water
- 1ml syringe
- gloves
- alcohol swabs
- toothpicks/fine applicators
- small glass container
- vaseline
- moisturizer
- SPF50 sunscreen
- stop retinoids/taz 5-7 days before
- no scrubs/exfoliation
- don’t do on active acne/open wounds
- clean skin properly
- wash your face with gentle cleanser
- wipe skin with alcohol swab
- apply vaseline around nose/lips/under eyes
- pour tiny amount of TCA into container
- dip toothpick lightly
- apply ONLY inside scars
- endpoint is tiny white frost inside scar
- use neutralizer if skin burns a lot
- wash it off after 5 to 10 mins
Do NOT:
- flood surrounding skin
- press hard
- overlap scars
- burns/stings for few seconds
- fan helps
Aftercare:
- moisturize well
- sunscreen everyday
- no acids/retinoids for about a week
- don’t pick scabs
- avoid heavy sweating first days
- tiny scabs form in few days
- fall off naturally
- collagen remodeling takes weeks
- every 3 weeks minimum
- don’t rush healing
- redness
- peeling
- PIH if too aggressive
- widened scars if overdone
PART 2 — FULL FACE PEEL
Best for:- texture
- redness/PIH
- shallow scars
- glow
- 10-20%
80% to 20% =
1ml TCA + 3ml distilled water
Rule:
- acid into water
- NOT water into acid
- adding water into concentrated acid can splash/burn from heat
- same supplies as CROSS
- plus brush/gauze/cotton pad
- around 2-3ml total solution for full face
- clean/degrease skin with alcohol swab
- apply thin even layer
- avoid eyes/nose creases/lip corners
- don’t soak skin
- usually wait 2-5 mins between layers
- beginners should stay conservative
- light frosting = superficial
- heavier white frosting = deeper peel
- TCA self neutralizes
- cool water rinse later is enough
- skin gets tight/dry
- peeling starts around day 2-4
- DO NOT peel skin manually
- moisturizer
- SPF50 constantly
- acids
- retinoids
- sun
- picking skin
- redness
- peeling
- PIH
- burns if too aggressive