RESUMO
Chemical peeling of the skin has been an important therapeutic tool for the treatment of many skin diseases and especially for eliminating effects of solar damage, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring. Its application is safest in the fair skin types (Fitzpatrick 1, 11 & 111). This study was aimed at determining the incidence of complications in 500 Dark Skinned patients Fitzpatrick (IV, V & VI) by using the technique of applying superficial peel to an entire anatomical unit followed by "small patch" medium and deep peels only to the most severely affected areas of skin. 70 percent glycolic acid was used for superficial peel. 70 percent glycolic acid with 35 percent Trichlorocetic Acid (TCA) for medium peel, and 70 percent glycolic acid with 50 percent TCA for deep peel. Five hundred patients were evaluated for possible various complications by two independent examiners. Clinically, the combination of glycolic acid and TCA was safe and effective in peeling the dark skin: Complications included:- Hyperpigmentation - 6.6 percent; Erythema - 1.8 percent; Scaring - 0.4 percent; Milia - 0.2 percent; Poor physician/patient relationship - 0.2 percent. The incidence of complication following chemical peels of the dark skinned patient is low when medium and deep peeling are done in small patches of skin (1 to 10cm patches) in areas that needed it most and not to entire anatomical units.(AU)
