FDA Warns Against Using Chemical Peels Without Professional Supervision

THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that chemical peels should not be used without the supervision of a dermatologist or other trained professional.

"FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or use certain chemical peel skin products without appropriate professional supervision due to risk of serious skin injuries," the agency said in a news release issued this week.

A dermatologist or licensed and trained practitioner should always be on hand when a peel is being applied. The FDA reminded consumers that it has never approved a chemical peel, and some contain levels of acid so high that they can cause chemical burns.

Nevertheless, many of these products "are sold in beauty product stores and online and marketed for purposes such as acne, discoloration, wrinkles, and collagen production," the agency noted. "They contain ingredients such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA), glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid in varying concentrations that are too high to be used safely at home without supervision."

Just how dangerous an unsupervised chemical peel might be depends on how concentrated an acid is used and the number of applications and length of time each is applied.

"These products remove layers of skin to varying depths and may cause severe chemical burns, pain, swelling, infection, skin color changes, and disfiguring scars," the FDA warned. "These injuries may even require emergency care or specialty care from a dermatologist or surgeon."

The FDA has highlighted six different products and has issued warning letters to their respective makers about selling the peels.

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