Let me start off by giving you some skin history. I have always had great skin that was only problematic once a month. That all changed after my husband, my children and myself moved to germany. I have no idea what happened. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the air, maybe it was lack of air conditioning in the summer, but my face freaked out! Within weeks of moving there, my perfect skin was the worst of my life. I didn't know what to do with it. It was sensitive to products designed for acne, but anything else seemed to clog my pores even more. After almost a year I found muac. I bought the 12.5 % TCA peel, but couldn't bring myself to use it. After having it for months and doing more research i decided to buy the 25% mandelic acid and 40% lactic acid. My skin is very fair, extremely ruddy, horrible hyperpigmentation, minor ice pick scars on the tops of cheeks, and extreme blackheads all over nose with a slight smattering over the rest of my face. I started with the lactic acid. It is awesome. Then i moved on the alternating the lactic and mandelic acids for about 3 weeks to a month before I finally decided to take the dive and do the TCA.
Day one:
I washed with neutrogena naturals fresh cleansing and makeup remover and used the ph prep step. I then prepared my neutralizer and set my timer. I took a q-tip and applied the 12.5% tca all over my face. The burn was awful. My face is sensitive and the lactic acid feels like sharp bug legs crawling all over my face. This was worse. I sat in front of my fan set to high, gritted my teeth and begged my husband to talk to me to try and help me get through as many minutes as i could stand. I lasted five minutes before i nuetralized. I didn't know this was going to burn so much. After neutralizing i rinsed my face with cool water and patted it dry. I then applied embryolisse lait creme concentre and went to sleep. My face was pink and slightly tender.
Day two:
I looked great. My skin was taught but not too dry, and I could see a more evenness, if thats a word.Used the same wash and moisturizer as the first day and they worked just fine.
Day three:
I look like leatherface. Horrible. Plus my skin is breaking out in a few places. Mostly there are just a few whiteheads peeking out, but i also have to deep painful pimples side by side on the top of my cheek.
Day four:
Still slightly breaking out with whiteheads, but my two painful pimples dried up all on their own and now i just have a very thick patch of red dry skin there. My skin is peeling soooo badly. I look horrible. My skin is extremely taught and dry, but i can see my new skin peeking out and it looks really great.
Day five:
Same as day four.
Day six:
Most of my peeling has subsided, everything but my forehead, which doesnt look that bad. Im hoping my face will be done peeling because this weekend is supposed to actually be nice in germany.

Overall, I am very happy I used this peel. The results from the lactc and mandelic acid were already pretty great, this is just awesome. I can't wait until I can do another. I plan to maintain this peel with my other peels and I will update after all my peeling is finished.

I am African American, 35 years young with VERY oily skin, I usually dont break out except for that special time of the month.............BUT
I woke up about three weeks ago with a horrible break-out, I know that I am not suppose to pick my skin but I did, three days later the zits were gone but to my dismay there were 4 dark spots, that seemed to get darker by the minute. I went online, researched, and finally ordered the 8% Tca, I was soooooooooooo excited when it arrived (it only took 3 days!!!). I closed my eyes, whispered a prayer and started the peel process. 5 minutes later it was over. I woke up the next morning and my skin was flaky, not peeling. It has only been four days since the peel and all I can say is that it works!!!!!!!!! My skin is glowing, my dark spots are about 70% faded, and my big cheek pores even look smaller. My boyfriend was so impressed that he let me give him a peel too. I am so impressed that I've had a hard time getting out of the mirror. I had heard so many bad things about tca and black skin-Not true and honey, I am a dark-skinned women (check out my profile). I am so glad that I used this wonderful produce. Awesome, 5 stars!!!!!!! p.s this is a very light peel and I believe that my skin tolorated it very well as my skin can take annnyyythhing!, I'm going to layer in 3 weeks, and post results!

>>>>>>>>> Ok I'm on my fourth TCA peel and I have to admit that my skin is looking EXCELLENT. My hyperpigmentation is diminishing and overall my pores are looking a lot less noticable. I hope that this post reaches someone who has struggled with acne all their life and has had it up to HERE! Girl, go to the derm. get some 4% or > fade cream and order yourself some retinol from MUAC. Do your TCA peels once and month and BOOOOOOOM, your going to be looking BEAUTIFUL in NO time:) continued >>

Of all the peels I am very happy with this one. I started out light, with the lowest level, and then increased in strength. My skin was noticeably clearer and smoother. I am really happy with the results. My husband commented on how great my skin looked. It does burn, you peel, and have noticeable peeling and redness for a few days. Plus you MUST wear a strong sunblock to prevent sun spots.

The best for over 55 skin...yes the down time is a pain,DO NOT PICK.But the results....AMEN.Less discoloration,plumped up glowing skin...my friends rave at how great I look....Do yourself a favor...buy the 30....dilute to were you need to start...and do the proper glycolic/lactic prep peels.....Wear sunscreen(I did cetaphil 50 cream)...so worth it...and Cheap.I did a 200.00 glycolic peel in a derms office...no results...this was 30.00.I will get lots of peels..got lots of results..packaging is utilitarian....but I bought it for my looks...not its...

I have used the MUAC 30% TCA full strength - once every year, for 3 years now. Before trying the 30%, I used the 12%, layering it on multiple times and had no frosting whatsoever. So I bought the 30% and tested it out in an inconspicuous place first, and was pleased with the results.

So for the past 3 years, I have been doing a full face & neck peel using the TCA 30%. I have had no hyper-pigmentation, scaring or other issues. On the contrary, most all of my acne scars have disappeared, and the fine wrinkles on my face are vastly improved. Results are not instantaneous, however. It takes about 3-4 months to completely see the results from the peel. I finally used the last of my little 1/2 ounce bottle, and I will definitely be buying another one for next year. continued >>

NC25 Chinese, mid 30s, cystic cleared up but the discolorations and years of typical acne remains. Will TCA take care of it?


I had the 8% TCA in my drawer for several months, but until my cystic acne of the past year finally cleared up (read my notepad), I didn't feel ready to do any peel if my skin was going to continually breakout. Now that my skin is more or less clear of the cystic, I have so much discolorations and acne marks since high school days to deal with. The target areas: the dark discolorations from the jawline / under the neck (thank you cystic), minimal but starting frowny lines on my forehead (thank you putting on mascara which pulls my forehead way up), and let's see if it does anything for visibly large cheek pores.


So this is my diary..
11/24/12: Crap, didn't read the instructions for all the "needed" items. Oh well it's 8%, the lowest concentration and called the "lunchtime peel" so this can't be all that bad. No Vaseline, but I do have Blistex and Chapstick. Blistex is creamier, so I applied that around the eyes, nose and mouth. Applied 1 layer, went to mix the 2 TBS baking soda w/ 1.5 cup water during the 5 min wait time, then applied 2 layer for another 5 min. Crap, I need a gentle non-textured cloth? Well I'll just splash gently with the neutralizer baking soda liquid then followed up w/ the MUAC green tea given face wash. Skin felt tight, so just applied generous loads of Acne.org moisturizer. Skin feels normal again.
11/27/12: +3 days later from 8%, very light flaking. Moisturizing with CeraVe SPF30, not because I adore it but b/c it's more moisturizing than the typical Japanese milky sunscreens I normally wear. Just wearing powder foundation, trying to avoid anything heavy duty. I will say my forehead lines seem to have reduced in appearance.. not so readily apparent. I wasn't expecting that! Read you can do the 8% 1/x week, so going to do it a few more times. Placed an order for the 12.5% to do over the Xmas holidays.
12/2/12: +1wk later, did another 8% peel. 5min x 2 layers each. Def felt more of the "burn" then from the 1st time, and my skin looks a little dry and reddish today. Staying out of the sun as much as I can. Can't wait for the 12.5% to come in.
12/15/12: With a very minimal to no peel effect from the 8.5%, i felt prepared for some bigger gunsoon to 12.5%. Definitely more of a burn, did a 2nd layer at the 5 min mark and def had some very light frosting in very small areas.. neturalized at 8min (since I did go w/ a 2nd layer w/out testing). For the past 3 days, my skin felt tight in a good way.. looks like I have a slight sunburn. Skin starting to flake lightly in a small area.
2/1/13: I had done 2 peels of the 12.5% but with very minimal flaking as well. Tried the 15% as 2 layers 5 days ago, and now I have what I what I would call real flaking! :) Flaking, not peeling. Might go up to 18% after a few more goes w/ 15% but maybe I won't need to.

I started with the 12.5% because my skin can tolerate anythinggg. You need to do multiple peels in order to see results. I personally dont have the time to dedicate a week to the peeling. It does leave the skin smoother after peeling stops, but hyper-pigmentation improvement may take up to 6+ peels. I want to move up to the 15%

It's 6 days after my first TCA peel. 15%, 3 layers. I didn't frost and no parts of my skin darkened. I stayed inside for most of the time I was peeling, but really didn't need to. The worst of it was 48 hrs after when my skin was peeling the most on my chin. Compared to what other people have experienced though, it was nothin'. Most of my face did peel, but not in sheets, just a little more than regular flaking. The skin underneath was neither pink nor extra sensitive. I feel as though only a very thin layer came off. Because of this, I only see extremely minimal results. I also broke out during the process, after not breaking out in weeks, which is very frustrating!
I am not disappointed though, because I wasn't expecting any miracles. I plan to do a series of these peels and will update after my next.
UPDATE: It's been about 3 1/2 weeks since my TCA peel and I'm very happy. My red post-acne marks have faded considerably, and my shallow acne scars are gone! The marks seemed to fade more and more as the days went by. I have just done another peel, and will update again.

NOTE: This is a review of the MUAC TCA Peel. I intend to update this review daily.

Hello everyone! I've been a lurker forever, and decided to create an account today so I could add my two cents, as your input has been most helpful to me over the past two years. I bought my TCA Peel from MUAC (15%) last June and after 14 months, I finally got the courage (and had the time) to apply the peel. Over the past year, I have pretty regularly used their salicylic acid peel weekly, along with the glycolic or lactic interchangeably. About three weeks ago, I started using the fade peel. My skin problems include moderate acne (was severe before MUAC) and severe hyperpigmentation.

DAY OF:
After re-reading all the reviews here and watching a few YouTube videos, I followed the advice of one of you and poured myself a strong cocktail. I then whispered a prayer and headed to the bathroom. I followed the instructions by washing my face with my normal regimen (Dudu Osun Black Soap) and applying MUAC's Ph Prep Solution. I used a latex glove and a cotton pad to apply the peel. I only intended to apply one layer since it's my first time and I'm using 15%, but after the first layer, I felt nothing. I thought for sure it would burn or at least tingle, but it did nothing. So I added another layer. Still nothing, so I added a third layer.


After the third layer, it began to burn mildly (no worse than a lactic or glycolic), so I set my timer for 5 minutes. (Application only took me about 60 seconds since I was using a cotton pad). After 5 minutes, there was no frosting at all, and still no major burning, so I set the timer for another 2 minutes. After 7 minutes, I neutralized using the baking soda formula. Now THAT is what burns!!! My God!!! Anyway, after washing and toning again, I applied 100% raw, unrefined shea butter (my moisturizer of choice) and sat down to type this. I did not use Neosporin or Bacitracin because of some of the horror stories I've heard of people having reactions to them. Today, my face feels normal, as it does after every peel. No particular tightness or dryness or itchy discomfort. Just normal. Update on Day 1 tomorrow.


DAY 1 Update:
Today I have nothing to report. My face feels tight, but no real change in the texture or appearance of my skin. Absolutely nothing. It really feels just like it does after my salicylic peels. I'm wondering if perhaps the peel solution had expired although there's no expiration date or instructions on how long it will last. I ordered this last summer, so it's been about a year (it took me that long to work up the courage to use it *shrug*). More tomorrow.

DAY 2 Update:
Again, nothing to report. My face is still tight, but no change in appearance or texture. I'm pretty sure the peel was expired and I'll have to do it again. :-(

DAY 3 and DAY 4 Update:
Nothing much to report. My face is still tight.It feels a little rough, but not as rough as leather or as others have described. There's some very mild flaking on my chin. Barely noticeable.

DAY 5 Update:
Today, my chin and entire "beard area" (where a beard would be if I were a guy) is flaky. Still no real peeling, but definite and obvious flaking. I had to go out today, and I wore a little makeup (Bare Escentuals) which covered it up nicely. There's a little flaking at my temples, but most of it is at my chin and jawline, lower cheeks.

Not what I expected so far, so I'm pretty sure I'll have to redo it in a month or as soon as my skin is ready.

DAY 6 and 7 Update:
Day 6 was the same as 5, but today on Day 7, I'm noticing that the flaking is now on my right cheek and right temple, as well as the area above my right eyebrow. Still no major peeling as I expected, but noticeable flaking. Maybe the peel wasn't bad, perhaps I just didn't leave it on long enough or do enough layers. It was my first time so I didn't want to damage my skin. My face feels pretty rough in some areas, and there's lots of flaking. Lots.

DAYS 8-10
I guess I was just a slow peeler. I didn't expect it to take as long as it did, but the peel is definitely working. On day 8, my skin began to peel in sheets. It still didn't happen over my entire face, just my chin, lower cheeks along the jawline and right temple. By day 9, I had peeling on my nose, forehead (above the eyebrows and nose), cheeks, chin, and right temple. Today is Day 10 and I'm still peeling. Some areas, like my forehead and certain parts of my cheeks, still have not begun peeling, so the skin there feels a bit abrasive - not leathery, but like sandpaper. I haven't had to leave the house really, but if I did, I would be pretty embarrassed to go out looking like this. I went to the grocery store, but I was okay - just prayed I wouldn't run into anyone I knew lol. Since I'm peeling nicely, my next and final update will be when the peeling is finished.

DAY 16... WOW
Okay so after more than two whole weeks, I am finally just about done peeling. Most of my face did indeed peel in large sheets, though my forehead just flaked. I could not possibly be happier with the results. In fact, I am amazed by the results. After having moderate to severe hyperpigmentation my entire adult life, this is the first time that I looked in the mirror and saw halfway decent skin. It brought tears to my eyes and I hate that I let that TCA sit in my cabinet for a year before I used it. I could've looked this good a year ago!!! I would say that before, my skin was an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being severely hyperpigmented. Today, it is about a 5.

I can't wait to do the next one in a couple of months. My only complaint is that my downtime was really, really long because it started flaking on day 3, but the process didn't finish until day 16, and there were mostly ugly days between. That means I'd have to stay home for two weeks. But yeah, I will definitely do it again, and I think that after about 4 or 5 more, plus lactics in between, I'll probably be clo

This will be a review on the 12.5% TCA peel sold by MUAC. I will have to add more as I go through the procedure but wanted it to be a step-by-step description for those thinking about doing this.

The price is very affordable, especially when you consider how much it would cost to get this done at the doctor's office.

I washed and then prepped some areas (forehead, above upper lip, mid-cheek area where I had some brown mottling from sun damage) with acetone. I used a q-tip to apply. My cheeks frosted slightly after a few minutes and some tiny areas of my forehead, and I got more frosting when I did a light second layer on my forehead. But not a whole lot of frosting. But then, the good news was, it really wasn't very uncomfortable at all. I thought it would really hurt but it wasn't hardly noticeable at all, at least to me.

I neutralized with the baking soda/water mixture, and it didn't burn or anything, then splashed all over with lukewarm water a whole bunch of times to make sure it was all off.

I had some areas that got a little red and ever-so-slightly puffy (above my upper lip) but nothing that makeup couldn't cover.

Two days later, I have some of that "sunburned" look I expected. No peeling yet, and the areas that frosted seem to have a slightly thicker "dried out skin" cover.

I will update as I peel.