My face is red and inflamed after a chemical peel I did myself. Please help.

Hello doctor,

Five weeks ago, I did a much too deep Jessner and a 30 % TCA combination peel myself. I swelled so much 24 hours after the peel that my eyes almost shut. Yes, this was a terrible mistake. My face is still red, but slowly resolving and I have been keeping it constantly moist and have been using aloe to reduce inflammation. I have two areas on either side of my forehead that are starting to worry me. When my skin first peeled they were quite deep red, not bleeding, but almost like a road rash. The rest of my skin was red but not a deep red. These areas healed quickly but now are forming a different texture from the rest of my skin. I can feel the texture difference to the touch. I believe they are starting to form scars. So my question is, Is there anything that I can do to reduce or prevent the scar formation? I have read that massaging the area aggressively helps break down the excess collagen formation, which is what I have been doing (with my fingers), but now the area appears red and irritated from the massage. Before massaging the area, it was not red or irritated. I can definitely see a texture difference. Should I continue with the massage to try to prevent the scar tissue from forming or is this making things worse? Any help would be appreciated. I live in a country where it takes months of waiting to see a dermatologist. I wish I could just walk into an office tomorrow. Please help.

Thanks.

Hi doctor,

Thanks for the reply.

Will 1 % Hydrocortisone (OTC) be effective?

Thanks.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

When I massaged the areas today, they became very red and irritated. Should I avoid massaging or is this recommended to reduce scarring?

Thanks.