Rejuvenize Peel by SkinMedica: COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME

I NEVER have time off work, so I was absolutely elated when a delayed start date for a job gave me nearly 3 weeks off work. FINALLY! I would have enough down time available to have a medium strength peel that might not fix all the rough texture, enlarged pores, or pigmentation issues I have, but assuredly it would result in markedly improved or at least better looking skin.
The dermatologist told me she thought SkinMedica's Rejuvenize peel would be a "1 and done for me," that it was a medium peel for moderate to severe sun damage, and that it had significant results without the prolonged down time or side effects you see with other peels--or the horror stories you see online with the phenol peels. I was very excited.

Well, very sadly, I feel like this opportunity to finally get my skin looking better has been completely wasted because this peel has done essentially NOTHING. Only my keen eye sees any difference, and it's not even really a positive--I have a few spots that look hypo pigmented now.
Anyhow, about 1/3 of my face peeled very lightly. The worse areas at my cheeks and around eyes did not peel at all. My forehead didn't peel. My nose didn't peel. Mostly just my chin and around my mouth a little, slight peeling at sides of face. That started day 3, ended day 5, no peeling or dryness or redness or evidence of any peel happening on day 6, except still needing a very gentle cleanser twice a day + moisturizer. I have not been outside or applied any makeup or sunscreen. So looking closely in the mirror and at pics (which I'm too horrified to post): Melasma: almost undetectable improvement, if you call a few small white spots improvement/negligible benefit otherwise. Pores: surprisingly no improvement. Texture: amazingly still as course as ever. Clarity: maybe slight but not something to where anyone other than me might notice. It's such a marginal improvement I might even be making that up.

I am very self conscious about my face and getting ready for work or anywhere takes so much time and depresses me everyday. As far as trying something else, I can't afford lasers, and I do not work somewhere where you can go in looking crazy with redness or peeling or have post procedure issues, and in addition it's a dirty work environment and I wouldn't want to risk infection.

I was over the moon thinking this was going to really help my skin look better and my confidence going into a new position. Instead I've ruined my time off sitting inside healing from something that didn't do one bit of good. I hardly get time off and if I do, it's usually a week or less a couple times a year, and obviously, my family wants to do something, not sit at home while I recover from facial treatments. So this misrepresentation of effectiveness is a huge deal to me as it was a lost opportunity. Now I will probably have to wait years till I retire to try to contend with what I have going on because I can't get the time off work. I have am on such a shoe string budget and have wasted thousands of dollars over the years on creams and serums and facials that have resulted in a net zero. Now this.

I am so sad, busted into tears last night getting ready for bed. Contending with heavy make up all the time, having skin issues that none of my friends seem to have--just running out the door with lip gloss, mascara and sun screen, while I have to work for long periods of time with concealers and primers and foundations. It's time consuming, embarrassing and depressing. To say I am very disappointed in the Rejuvenize Peel is a serious understatement. I know a series is recommended for "better" results, but allowing 7-10 days downtime for zero result? I wouldn't risk wasting my time again. If it didn't do *anything* the first time, I'm not confident it would do anything at time #2 or 3.

I do NOT recommend. :(