A TCA peel won’t work for under-eye wrinkles, says a plastic surgeon.

A big question out there is:

Does a TCA peel work for wrinkles under the eyes?

“TCA is an excellent peel, but it doesn’t work for under-eye wrinkles,” says Allen Gabriel, MD, board certified plastic surgeon with PeaceHealth Medical Group Plastic Surgery in Vancouver, WA.

“This is usually caused by thinning of the skin and weakening of the under-eye muscle, or even the bulging of under-eye fat, all of which can be improved surgically.”

How does a TCA peel work?

Dr. Gabriel explains, “TCA is a great way of rejuvenating the skin. It works by removing the top layers of the skin and after the skin sloughs (3-7 days), the new rejuvenated skin is exposed.

” This helps with pigmentations and melasma and can overtime support with regenerating collagen as long as other prescription products are used in conjunction such as retin-A.

“However, under-eye wrinkles are multifactorial and generally a surgical treatment is needed to correct the deformities already stated.  Combination of skin treatments and surgery is ideal, as it will add to the longevity of the results.”

How to Minimize Under-Eye Wrinkles in the First Place

You should be very cognizant of what your hands and fingers do when they make contact with your face.

Do you ever rub or scratch at the skin below your eye? This pulling action, when done too much and over time, can loosen the skin.

What about how you clean the skin below your eye? Does this involve any pulling, e.g., rubbing at the area with a Q-tip swab in an attempt to remove dirt or makeup?

What about when you’re at the computer with  your face in a palm? This, too, can elongate the skin.

Be alert to how you sleep. Sleeping on your side can stretch the delicate skin underneath  your eye!

Finally, be very gentle and patient when you apply creams in the skin under the eye, such as sunscreen or moisturizer.

Don’t rub it in. Dab it on with the pad of a fingertip.

Dr. Gabriel is adept at addressing a wide range of concerns, from breast reconstruction after mastectomy and the treatment of congenital anomalies, to complex facial and breast surgeries performed solely for cosmetic improvement.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

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Top image: Shutterstock/Sylvie Bouchard