Unrealistic Downtime and Side Effects - Clarkesville, MD

I am a 24 year old African-Caribbean female with medium-dark skin (think NC-45 for MAC pressed powder). On Monday February 11, 2013 I called a local medi-spa for a consultation for a Vi Peel (there was a LivingSocial deal!!). When the Esthetician/Doctor saw my hyperpigmentation she gasped! Lol! My consultation morphed into my first appointment.

First, my face was cleansed and an INTENSE pore extraction was performed prior to the solution for the peel being applied. I was allowed to wear make-up over the solution that evening because of work. For me, the application of the solution was a little more uncomfortable because I got an extraction done.

I washed my face that evening when I got home from work so the solution was on my face for roughly 9.5 hours. The night of Day 3 I prematurely washed the flaking skin from my face during a hot shower and my skin itched the entire night. I called the Spa but they were closed so I was miserable and without sleep until the office opened.

The morning of Day 4 I stopped by the office because the receptionist was no help in getting the Doctor on the phone. When the Doctor saw me, she yelled at me for washing off the skin before time and for using the cleanser to wash and for taking a hot shower. Please keep in mind she up sold me on the cleanser and gave me no further instructions except not to scrub my face, which I didn't do.

I was instructed to cover my face in neosporin and take benadryl to help with the itching for the next 48 hours. My hairline and jawline peeled last and after that my skin was pretty nice. I even went to a party that Saturday night and was allowed to wear makeup. The days that followed, my skin was lookin good aside from a little discoloration since my face was still healing.

Fast Forward to 3 days ago. I noticed white heads appearing on my forehead, so I used a semi-abrasive face sponge to wash my face and then moisturize before bed, like I've done in the past. I noticed the next day more appeared so I decided to call the office to find out if it was a normal reaction. Again, the receptionist was useless so I decided to stop by. The Doctor saw me and told me my skin was healing nicely and the white heads just mean my skin is breathing. She did a thing, not sure of the right term but she wiped my face with something, then ran the thing that zaps your pores closed over my skin. Told me to keep Neosporin on my face, that I should be keeping Neosporin on my face all the time because my skin needs the moisture. Please keep in mind she didn't tell me to keep doing the Neosporin after the 48 hour, I just happened to be doing it out of paranoia.

Today, after leaving Neosporin on my face for 24 hours so far I have whiteheads covering my entire face, especially my forehead, hairline, jawline and chin/mouth area. I'm not allowed to wash my face. I washed when I got home from a hair appointment yesterday, called the Doctor and got yelled at for washing my face.

Naturally, I'm annoyed because I have to be home for the weekend with a face full of Neosporin and Doctor that doesn't care to follow up or give clear instructions to begin with. Instead she keeps taking my money. $177 for a tretotonin and hydroquinone prescription that I can't use until my face calms down. Which she tells me I can't use yet after I made the purchase thinking it would solve the whiteheads.

I will post an update soon. Right now, I'm not happy. The down time and vague after care instruction is quite disappointing.