Modified Jessner's Solution

Overview

The original Jessner’s Chemical Peel, which contains equal parts lactic acid, salicylic acid and resorcinol, was first created in the 1940’s by dermatologist, Max Jessner. He discovered that the formulation was reportedly effective against hyperkeratotic epidermal lesions. Since his finding, the formulation has been used in clinical practice to address melasma, acne scarring, and wrinkles.¹ Today concerns exist over the safety of resorcinol.² As such, this component of the original formulation is in less demand, has become less available, and citric acid has taken the place of resorcinol as a complimentary peeling agent.

Lactic Acid

Lactic Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that acts similarly to glycolic acid. Because of its larger molecular structure, it may not penetrate the skin as deeply as glycolic acid. One advantage of this feature, though, is that lactic acid is generally less irritating than glycolic acid.³

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that exfoliates skin and can improve its texture and color. Salicylic acid works by softening keratin, a protein that forms part of the skin structure. This helps to loosen dry scaly skin making it easier to remove. Salicylic acid peels are suitable for most skin types and are generally well-tolerated, though skin irritation, itching, swelling, and sun sensitivity are possible.^{4, 5}

Citric Acid

Citric acid, another alpha hydroxy acid, comes from fruits. The FDA has classified this as a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) substance and is used as a flavoring or pH adjustment agent in the food industry.⁶ On skin cells, citric acid plays a different role. For example, one study found citric acid to induce collagen I and procollagen II proliferation and was concluded as useful for rejuvenating photo-damaged skin.⁷ In addition, citric acid at a concentration of 20% can increase the thickness of the epidermis and the amount of glycosaminoglycans in sun-damaged skin. Citric acid has also been found to increase the skin renewal rate and treat sun-damaged skin.⁸

The higher the concentration and the longer the application duration of the chemical peel, the greater the intensity and peeling effect. For these reasons, Modified Jessner’s Chemical Peels are best administered under professional supervision by a healthcare practitioner.