Thank you ladies for replying to my original post. However, being one who is used to getting my own way, i did indeed try the OTC peel and the EMU oil, too.
I bought some “50%” glycolic acid on e-bay and when it came in the mail it was in a little plastic bottle. I sniffed it…seemed like the real stuff. Instructions were included and they were pretty detailed.
I prepared myself for the peel and wiped on the glycolic acid…very, VERY mild tingling. I remembered my old peels and the tingling was much stronger during those. I kept it on for 3 minutes to start and neutralized it. When I was done my skin looked very nice, smooth and sleek. Minimal redness.
So, I thought, this obviously isn’t really 50% glycolic acid, but it is some mixture. I applied the emu oil, which I love; it disappears into you skin and is very light. No peeling followed. My skin was just a bit drier.
Well, 3 days go by and I decided if one peel is good, then 2 would be better. So I repeated the process and left the peel on for 6 minutes. Still just mild tingling. This time there was a bit of redness after and my skin was again, smooth and taut. I applied the emu oil and waited to see what would happen. 2 days later I had a very mild sloughing of the skin on my cheeks and chin. Nothing a good exfoliant couldn’t take care of.
Unfortunately, I have a VERY bad habit of picking at pimples and blackheads. Well, after the second peel I thought I had some blackheads on my chin and picked at them, only to find that the peel had sloughed the blackhead and what i was looking at was an enlarged pore. (I have pretty bad old acne scars from this VERY, VERY bad habit.)
When i attempted to squeeze this area, my skin almost bruised, like it was very sensitive. I learned quickly that I had to be careful and keep my hands away from my skin.
After the second peel….I decided that, 4 days later, another would be a good idea. (I know, I know) Same thing, had a little more aggressive sloughing after 3 days. But no burns or scars.
I’ve decided that once/week is enough. Clearly the glycolic acid is not full strength and i wrote a note to the seller on e-bay…but they contended it was….it probably was 50% watered down to 25%. The emu oil after each peel was wonderful and helped with the dryness. My skin looks great. Tiny lines are gone and I look fresher. Pore size is a lot smaller and some of the old acne scars have faded.
So, my take on this: Probably not a good idea for someone who hasn’t already had a series of peels through a dermatologist. I knew what to expect and didn’t overdo it (IMO). If you know what to expect, I think it was easy and produced good results. I wouldn’t buy more that 50%-labeled glycolic acid. And i would go slowly and find out how your skin experiences the peel before repeating…although many of the sites on the web I visited said this could be done twice/week. And I did VERY extensive research beforehand.
Evie and Doris, I'm so with you on this. My dad used to say, "Family is everything," but when he died, so did the family. Or, to apply the loveliness of the Holmes poetry, after horrendous abuse, I just drifted away. Family is an accident of birth. L
Hi Doris,
I am a lot older than you and can only tell you my feelings, around family, as I've aged.
My childhood was rough and my parents made so many mistakes, alcoholism, neglect, etc. For many years I resented them for giving me such a poor 
The toughest part for me, as an adult who has put my difficult childhood behind me, is dealing with family members who are in denial about anything being amiss about how we were raised and the impact this has had on our on-going relationships.
W
Continuing to use this once a week and my skin is gorgeous. Give it a try!