The FDA has issued a warning to consumers highlighting the dangers of using chemical peel products without proper professional guidance.1 These products pose a serious risk of skin damage and should only be applied under the supervision of a qualified professional, according to the agency.
The following retailers have been issued warning letters for selling these products:1
- Amazon
- Walmart, Inc.
- Isis.Gold
- Matte Beauty
- Skin Beauty Solutions
- Repare Skincare
Key Takeaways
- The FDA warns consumers against using at-home chemical peels without professional guidance.
- The rise of online skin care influencers has fueled a desire for quick fixes such as chemical peels. However, overuse of these products can damage the skin's natural barrier and increase sun sensitivity.
- By understanding the risks of chemical peels and common signs of irritation, pharmacists can advise patients on proper use of exfoliating products, recommend OTC remedies for irritation, and encourage sunscreen use.
Many chemical peel products are available in beauty stores and advertised as solutions for acne, discoloration, wrinkles, and collagen boosting. When used at high concentrations, ingredients such as trichloroacetic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid, can cause serious injury from chemical burns, pain, swelling, infection, skin color changes, and disfiguring scars.
“These injuries may even require emergency care or specialty care from a dermatologist or surgeon,” according to the agency.1
The depth of penetration of a chemical peel, and consequently the risk of chemical burns, depends on factors such as the product’s concentration, how often it’s applied, and how long it’s left on the skin. These variables make it difficult to provide standardized usage guidelines across products, putting users at further risk of misuse.
To date, there are no FDA-approved chemical peels on the market.
READ MORE: The Flawless Fallacy: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Skin Care in the Digital Age
In recent years, social media has ignited a fervent interest in skin care, fueled by algorithms that push skin care influencers, routines, and products to the feeds of users. In addition to trendy products such as retinol, this has led to a surge in popularity for peels and exfoliants to achieve smoother skin.
“The idea with peels and exfoliants is that you remove dead skin, and doing so can make the skin smoother and softer. It’s like taking a piece of sandpaper to a piece of wood that feels smoother and softer after you’ve sanded it,” says Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, research and clinical board-certified dermatologist involved with research in OTC, cosmeceutical, and cosmetic drugs.2 “But you can only sand your face so much. If you’re exfoliating aggressively every night, you’re eventually going to get to the point where you’re irritating your skin, and you have sensitive skin induced by the overuse of peels and exfoliators.”
An even lesser-known fact associated with using peels is that they can weaken the skin’s natural sun protection. To mitigate this, Draelos suggests that pharmacists counsel patients using these products to apply sunscreen diligently, restrict exfoliation to once weekly, be gentle in application, and hydrate the skin afterward with a moisturizer to aid in barrier repair.
Pharmacists should also take heed of patient skin care routines that layer multiple products, as this may compromise the skin barrier and lead to even deeper penetration by chemical peels. If a patient displays signs of skin irritation, Patricia Farris, MD, cofounder of the Science and Skincare Summit, host of the Skincare Confidential podcast, and clinical associate professor in the department of dermatology at the Tulane University School of Medicine, recommends that pharmacists counsel them to simplify their routine. “When it comes to active ingredients, I usually tell people to keep it to 2 steps in the morning and 2 steps in the evening,” she says.2
Farris also notes that many remedies for skin irritation can be found conveniently in the pharmacy. “Anyone who has a pretty significant irritation can benefit from simple treatments, like adding a moisturizer or using OTC hydrocortisone,” she advises.2 “There are a lot of things that pharmacists can access to help the patient very quickly.
The FDA encourages health care professionals and consumers to report adverse events or quality problems with chemical peel products to the FDA’s MedWatch Averse Event Reporting program.3
READ MORE: Dermatology Resource Center
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