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the ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution burning

i just got the peeling solution today, and it started burning my cheeks immediately 😞 , it started burning so badly that i had to wash it off. i put it back on my forhead and nose and they had little to know reaction. i also notice very little amounts of peeling skin on my cheeks. can someone tell me if theyve had a similar experience or tell me why? 

 

oh and i use cerave cleanser and moisturizer and they burn my skin a little bit, but not as much.

Re: the ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution burning

@K41TLYN If your CeraVe cleanser and moisturizer normally make your skin burn (even just a little bit), you definitely shouldn't use a 30% AHA product. Sounds like your skin was either sensitive or damaged before you tried The Ordinary's peeling solution. 

 

The surface of your skin has a moisture barrier that's made of dead skin cells. Exfoliants/peels remove some of those dead skin cells. If you overdo exfoliation—say, use too powerful an exfoliant or exfoliate too frequently—you'll remove too many dead skin cells, resulting in a broken moisture barrier. This type of damage can leave your skin looking/feeling raw, flaky, red, burning, and generally angry. That's probably what happened to your skin. To fix that, you need to let your skin heal: roll your skincare routine back to a gentle cleanser and a very occlusive moisturizer—something that'll actually seal in hydration and act as a moisture barrier while your skin heals, preferably a petrolatum-based balm or ointment like Aquaphor Ointment or CeraVe Healing Ointment. Healing could take 3-5 weeks. 

 

A bit about sensitive skin: 

Spoiler
Your skin might not like one or more of the ingredients in your CeraVe products, meaning you might be sensitive to a specific ingredient. Or, your skin might be generally sensitive. My skin's a combo of those things: I cannot use certain ingredients on my face, and my skin hates excessive rubbing/patting—especially my cheeks, nose area, and undereyes. I flush red VERY easily, and it doesn't take much to spark an inflammatory response on my face.

If you normally rub your face hard (like, really scrub it a lot with the palms of your hands), that can also make your skin angry. Be gentle when rubbing anything on your face. 

Have you ever consulted a dermatologist? That's the best way to find out what's happening with your skin and get a personalized treatment. 

Once your skin's healed up, don't use that 30% AHA peel again, at least not right away. Choose a much gentler exfoliator instead. Your skin might like PHA (poly hydroxy acid) which is easier on sensitive skin than AHAs. Consider The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Gentle Exfoliating Toner 3.4 oz/ 100 mL . Don't use it daily. Start with just once a week, them gradually work up to no more than 3 times a week. Another possible option is SEPHORA COLLECTION Clear Skin Days by Sephora Collection Brightening Peel Pads which is a very gentle blend of 2% glycolic acid (an AHA) and 1% salicylic acid (BHA). Again, don't use daily. 

 

Sorry you're going through this! I just came out of a 5 week recovery from a very bad skin reaction, so I feel your pain—literally. Just baby the heck out of your skin for a few weeks with the bare minimum products necessary, and it'll thank you. 

Re: the ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution burning

thank you hahaha !!

Re: the ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution burning

@K41TLYN  Do you normally use chemical exfoliants? This tends to be a pretty strong solution especially if your skin isn’t used to the acids. How long did you have the solution on your skin for while it was starting to burn? While most peeling solutions like this shouldn’t actually have you seeing peeling skin, if you over did it, or your skin isn’t used to the acids it can happen. 

Re: the ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution burning

it probably started to burn almost immediately as i put it on- maybe 10 or 15 seconds. youre definitely right, it could be because my skin isnt used to the chemicals.

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