Officials are warning women that some at-home facial treatments can cause “severe chemical burns” and “disfiguring scars.”
The FDA warned consumers last week not to perform chemical peels on their own without the supervision of a dermatologist, or risk “serious skin damage.”
The letter from the agency stated: ‘The [FDA] has not endorsed chemical peel products and consumers should only consider chemical peel products under the supervision of a dermatologist or a licensed and trained physician.’
Chemical peels can renew your face by removing the top layers of skin, increasing collagen production and reducing wrinkles, leading to a more youthful appearance of your face and neck.
When used under the supervision of a dermatologist, chemical peels can be safe and effective
The FDA letter included 13 specific chemical peel products from six different retailers
The treatments help shed the top layers of skin and are touted as solutions for acne, scars and discoloration.
However, these chemicals are powerful and if not used properly, they can eat through too many layers of skin, leading to chemical burns, pain, swelling, infection and changes in skin color.
The FDA has listed 13 products from six different companies and sent each of those companies a warning letter.
It’s unclear what prompted the FDA to issue this warning, but the agency noted that none of these products are approved for home treatment.
It appears that in response, some of those products have been removed from the retailers’ websites.
The products include products from Amazon and Walmart, and smaller companies such as Isis.Gold, Matte Beauty, Skin Beauty Solutions and RePare Skincare.
The letter states that these products are safe for professional use, but that customers who use them at home risk damaging their skin.
The cheapest cost around $13 and the most expensive around $99, depending on the seller, the chemicals used, and the size of the container.
For a light chemical peel, a dermatologist may charge between $100 and $300, report from CareCredita company that provides financial services in healthcare.
But for a more intensive procedure, which uses more concentrated chemicals and carries a higher risk, the average cost is about $1,800, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
A chemical peel is a gel-like solution applied to the face. This gel contains an acidic chemical that eats through the top layers of old skin, revealing new, fresher layers of skin underneath.
Some chemicals commonly used in peels include lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid.
The skin has three main sections, each containing many compacted layers of skin cells. These make up your skin and house its imperfections, including scars, acne and discoloration.
In the popular TV series Sex and the City, the character Samantha Jones is confronted with the ugly consequences of a failed chemical peel
Depending on the intensity of the treatment, chemical peels can remove the first part of the skin, the epidermis, or penetrate deeper into the second part, the dermis.
A doctor may recommend different types of peels depending on your goals.
Mild chemical peels can be used to treat fine lines, acne and dryness and can be used semi-regularly under professional supervision, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Deeper, more intensive chemical peels provide the most dramatic results and can be used to remove pre-cancerous growths, deep wrinkles, blotchy skin, or acne scars.
These procedures are performed sparingly, sometimes under light sedation.
Once the doctor determines what you expect from a chemical peel, he or she can apply the solution to your face using a brush, cotton swab, or gauze.
The solution essentially eats through the top layers of skin, damaging them and causing them to flake off, revealing the newer layers underneath.
However, if the solution is left on the skin for too long, if the chemical used is too strong for your needs, or if you apply the product too often, it can penetrate the more sensitive areas of the skin and cause ‘unsightly scarring’.
The treatments can also cause pain, swelling, infection, and changes in skin color.
In extreme cases, surgery or emergency medical care may be necessary, the letter said.
