COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS CHEMICAL PEELING AGENTS IN A MINIPIG MODEL

BACKGROUND. With the advent of newer chemical peels, there is now a wi de range of peeling agents that can be applied on specific patients. O BJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to closely examine the more co mmon chemical peeling agents at different concentrations. METHODS. The study methods were carried out by thoroughly cleansing the skin surfa ce with acetone. Different concentrations of the chemical peels were a pplied on different skin areas (2 x 2 cm each) and left on the skin fo r 15 minutes: phenol-Bakers, 25%, 50%, 75%, 88%; trichloroacetic acid, 25%, 50%, 75%; glycolic acid, 50%, 70%; and pyruvic acid, 50%, 100%. Serial biopsies were taken from each peeling site at 1, 7, and 21 days post-peel. Biopsies were then evaluated for epidermal changes, inflam mation, and collagen deposition. RESULTS. The results show that Bakers phenol peel caused the most inflammation and nonspecific reaction, an d in addition, a proportionate amount of new collagen deposition. Plus , increasing concentrations of phenol and TCA caused increasing amount of epidermal sloughing and inflammation after 1 day post-peel. The ex tent of reaction from the phenol and TCA was directly proportional to the collagen deposition at 21 days. CONCLUSIONS. The glycolic acid and pyruvic acid caused minimal nonspecific reaction. However, the collag en deposition caused by the glycolic acid and pyruvic acid was disprop ortionately increased suggesting a direct stimulatory effect by the tw o agents.