Not Worth It - Skin is a Blotchy Mess

I have been wanting to have my faced sloughed for about 10 years.  I am a 40 year old woman who loved tanning and tanning beds, wearing no protection of course.  I am of Meditteranean descent, so I handled excessive sun very well, hardly ever burning....but, by age 30, I started seeing the abuse on my skin.  I started Botox and wearing sunscreen which did wonders.  As I was closing out my 30s, I needed something more invasive.  I decided to go with Active FX.  I wanted my dark spots gone, my acne pocks removed, and wrinkles reduced.  A little tightening too!  My only concern was the fact that I am 100% Greek, and I have read in many journals that Europeans could develop pigmentation issues....which is why I used the lightening cream for 3 weeks prior. I had my procedure done yesterday.  I have been using a hydoquyonine cream for the last 3 weeks, and I have stayed out of the sun for the past couple of months.  I arrived thrilled and ready to get on with things.  I was seated in a chair where they applied a numbing cream for about an hour. I had filled a prescription for Adivan and Tylenol 3, and I was told to bring them to office.  I took two of each when I got there.  The doctor came in an hour later and begin sticking more meds into my face with a needle.  Bearable.  Then he started with the procedure.  I was very uncomfortable when he inserted the contact lenses... I felt like there were two heavy plungers bearing down on my eyes...  He used the Deep FX on my entire face.  It mostly hurt around the eyes and perimeter of face.  He told me I was responding  very well, since I was not bleeding.  He then switched to another handle, not sure which one... Now this hurt... scale of 1 to 10... a nine.  I asked for two more pain pills.  Got more injections.  Going over the same places with more laser...ouch.. not sure how aggressive he got considering I could not  bear the pain.  It was like getting 10 wasps stings at once on your face.... stopping for about 2 seconds to get 10 more.... and so on....OUCH!  When it was over, he gaveme a  shot of an antiinflammatory in my arm.  I then asked for some Perlane to plump my lips....  Why not? Right?  :) I slowly started to get up.... and they said I needed a wheelchair...I told them I would run to the bathroom to prove my point that I was ok... But they were right.  I stood up and instead asked for a bucket.  I puked  a bit....  Sat my happy bottom in the chair and was taken to the bathroom.  I was then given Acquafor and Cetaphil... that is it.  Wash with Cetaphil .... apply Acquafor... 2x day. Now, let me give  a word of caution, and I can only say this from my own experience.  DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF home.  I have a high tolerance for pain, and I thought, if my husband can't take me, I will just drive home myself.  DONT DO IT>  I could not even sit up.... I had to hold a barf bag .... and used it again on the way home....  sorry to gross out... but if you think you can drive, you can not.  I know I had pumped myself full of meds....but still... Last night, I slept fine.. thanks to Xanax...  Woke up fine.  DOnt feel much pain at all...which worries me..  All these threads about needing ice packs, etc...  I dont need any of it.  I have not taken any pain meds today.  Feel good.  My face is scaring my children, and my husband I am sure... but again, I was expecting worse.  I look tan with red freckles all over...little spots of blood the size of a needle head....  I can see some places where the skin has flaked off...and it is white underneath.  My lips look fantastic...hope they stay like this.  Very plump.  I will post pics of yesterday and today.  I unfortunately do not have befores.  I will ask my doctor to send me them.  If you have any questions, please contact me.  I will be posting each day until the desired result.  Wish me well.  Thank you!

Today is the 2nd day after procedure. The highlight of the day is when I can wash my face. I do it twice a day with the cetaphil and then I apply the acquafor. It feels so good to wash my face, and I would love to be able to gently rub the washcloth over it.... It is very tempting, but you are not supposed to rub at all. My face is extremely swollen still and very pinkish brown. Quite honestly, I do not see an improvement at all with yesterday. I don't have my postop appt until Tuesday ( in two days)... at this point, I can't imagine being healed enough to be seen in public. I look horrible, and there is alot of discoloration in my face. Some parts are raw and pink, others are brown, and others are white. I can see traces of the laser, especially along the perimeter of my face. I have no idea how I am faring, and I am anxious to see what my doc thinks..

Wow... 3rd day after procedure....lets just call it ....  " A Molten Mess"...  or how about "Reptilian Rapture"..  I have been shedding skin all day long..   Last night I could not sleep, so I got up at around 4 to take a shower....  From then on, I have been peeling like crazy, and Just when you think  you have reached the end of your ugliness....  it just keeps going .....  I do not feel human today.  I was not expecting all this dead skin to be coming off.  About a quarter of my face has peeled right off.  The other three quarters is in various stages of treatment...mostly crusty skin waiting to shed.  Like I posted earlier, it is very tempting to want to rub a washcloth over my face and just force it off, but I will be patient.  Today is more of the same...mostly hiding out and waiting for the improvement to be seen. 4th day:  I was supposed to go to doctors office today.  No way.  I called to reschedule.  Very supportive staff.  They said that I sounded like I was right on track....but look at me, I will not be seen in public.  Again, last night I got out of bed at around 4 to shower.  Tonight, I will definitely take something to sleep through the night.  I need rest to heal better.  My skin is about half way peeled.  I was told to shower and let the water run over my face for a few minutes to help with the peeling.   I wonder when I will be able to be seen in public.  Tomorrow does not even look promising.   Still hard to say what the results will be.  Skin looks good under peeling, but what will skin do over the next few days/ weeks?