Lactic Acid Peel: Can I Use a Peel on Acne?

Trying a Lactic Acid peel for the first time? If you’ve never seen or used a peel before, it can sound really scary (Acid! On my face!). For those of you new to peels, I hope this answers some of your questions and puts your minds at ease.

Can I use a peel if I’m breaking out? Will putting Lactic Acid or Glycolic Acid on top of acne burn or sting areas that already painful?

Using a peel will help clear active breakouts by gently removing top layers of skin so that the breakouts can purge (i.e. bring all the gunk and bacteria to the surface). It shouldn’t sting any more than the rest of your face, unless you have an open sore. In the case of an open sore, just try not to put the peel on top of it, but the surrounding area is fine.

For breakouts, I’d say use a low-acid peel like our Lactic 10% Gel Peel 3-5 times a week for 1-3 minutes each time. That will help keep skin and pores clear, preventing future breakouts and speeding up getting rid of active acne breakouts.

Reduce Skin Inflammation

It sounds counter-intuitive: putting acid on my face will make my skin less red and inflamed? Yes, over time, using an Alpha Hydroxy Acid like a gentle Lactic Acid Peel will actually lessen redness and irritation. You should already see improvement on active acne breakouts and clogged pores the next morning even after just the first use (if you’re using the peel at night, which you definitely should). Peels in general should always be used in the evening, so if your skin is a little red, it will recover over night, and then you also won’t be exposing newly-peeled skin to UV rays.

Can Using a Lactic Acid Peel Make My Skin Breakout Even Worse?

Yes and no. In the short term, some people experience “purging” i.e. acne that was already forming, is now brought to the surface after peeling away the top layers of skin. It’s not the peel’s fault! It was acne you were going to get anyway, but since it can happen right after the first few treatments, it seems like the peel caused it.

BUT, after all that pre-existing acne heals, and with continued use of a chemical peel, acne-causing bacteria is reduced, and pores are cleared so new acne doesn’t start. It can take 3 weeks for the purging to complete. After that you should see clear, smooth skin!

The rule of thumb for peels are, the deeper the problem, the longer it will take to clear. So acne is on the top layers of skin, and that should be the first skin issue to resolve from using peels. Fine lines next, then dark spots will take the longest, since the melanin is deeper down than the top layer of skin.

I’m african-american, are any of your products safe for my skin?

Yes, and especially when it comes to chemical peels, it’s so important to ask in advance before trying a new product. Darker skin can be very sensitive and prone to scarring if the treatment is too strong. The Lactic Acid Peel is made for medium and darker skin tones, since it contains a low acid percentage which will still get you great results, without the risk of chemical burns or scars. It does not contain any irritating added fragrance, colors, or preservatives, nor any added lighteners, so your natural skin tone is not altered. Our Lactic Acid Gel will reveal your naturally perfect skin.