This is combination of acids and phenols used to peel the skin to within three cell layers of a skin graft. It was used most often in dermatology and plastic surgery offices during the Jurassic Period. You will occasionally hear of this being used by amateurs in skincare forums on the web, some who use it every day. They are in serious trouble sooner or later.

The practice of applying this chemistry has the intention to improve the skin visibly. Not an undesirable goal.

But the time it takes to recover is at least one month and often two and three and during that ‘downtime’ the patient must literally hide in doors or risk catastrophic irreversible radiation damage from the sun.

No matter. The skin will go into upheavals as it heals and dramatic changes in pigmentation will occur. This will at first seem like soldiering through to win the war.

Somewhere in the campaign, the skin will appear smooth and blemish free and even old age spots will be gone. At that point the use of powerful retinoids (VITAMIN A) and pigment formation inhibitors, like hydroquinone, will be applied. The skin in such a weak, dependent regimen will emerge fresh as a baby – for maybe a few glorious months and then everything goes back to worse than before.

It’s midnight, Cinderella. So, sorry.

Worse. Than. Before.

Big expense, long downtime, no net visible gain going forward.

If this is an enrollment prerequisite for the Marquis de Sade Academy, well then, okay.