CO2 - Hoping This is Worth It

CoolPeel with aggressive Tetra CO2 around mouth and eyes.

I'm on Day 4 right now and hoping this hasn't ruined my skin. I think my skin was further burned by post laser gel they had me us around 8 hours post treatment and is now even more inflamed since using CeraVe moisturizer for the first time. I'm also a bit taken aback at the grill marks being so obvious on my face.

General details and recommendations to follow.

I've turned the corner and am feeling more confident I didn't make a mistake. Swelling going down, stuff starting to slough off, grill marks beginning to go away and only small areas sensitive to the touch. I've stopped the vinegar washes and am strictly using a gentle cleanser and splashing my face to clean it. To dry out I'm using a clean gauze and patting it. Putting the Aquafor on still makes me nervous because I have to rub it into my skin and I'm afraid of forcing peeling too soon. I did have some success putting a spoon under hot water then using the back of the soon to spread it. That way it went on easily.

Day 7 - All the CO2 peeling is done and I'm left with pink around my eyes and mouth. The sides of my cheeks still have about 1/2 of the grainy black dots still attached. Face still getting Vaseline or Aquafor every couple of hours but I'm in no pain and feel human and can go around in public without embarrassment (as day 6).

My skin is sensitive to light but I've been driving and walking from car to buildings wearing a kitchen towel to protect my face. Hahaha. I'm going to be religious about sunscreen but my provider said I needed to wait one more week because of how sensitive my skin acted. So now I'm walking around looking like a little old babushka... But it's keeping me from getting sun exposure so I'm okay with that.

ADVICE:

When choosing your provider:

Ask them if they provide ProNox, as it can get very painful and you might want it on hand. I wouldn't have made it through without it.

Also be sure and ask them what their post procedure recovery recommendations are. Mine were so simple that they didn't even give me anything in writing, just told me take ibuprofen for swelling (this is actually a big no-no) and to keep my face moist. Nor did they prepare me for the possibility it could be as bad as it was. A provider should have a fully thought out set of steps to give you... Otherwise look elsewhere.

Obviously, also ask how long the actual person doing the treatment has worked with the machine. Not "We've had this machine for years now". Oh yeah, also ask who will do the actual treatment. I screened one person but arrived to find she wasn't the one doing it. Not cool.

Lastly, ask them how you can get a hold of someone if something should go wrong or if you are concerned after hours.

Some of this information might be told to you by your provider, but mine sure didn't:

Before the procedure buy one of those face ice rollers and a small jade roller. They will feel amazing rolled on your inflamed face when you get them out of the fridge!

Do NOT use ibuprofen or addition... Only acetaminophen.

If Aquafor is irritating your skin then switch to Vaseline. Apparently the lanolin in the Aquafor can cause issues.

Vinegar washes are your friend! Mix 1t of white vinegar into 1c distilled water. Get one of those continuous spray bottles and use it to chill your face. Also soak gauze in a sealed container and after you wash your face place them on your face for 15-20 minutes. Keep them moist with the spray bottle

Cover your head with a big hat or use a scarf when out driving. Don't forget the UVs are getting to you through the windows.

I'll do updates at 1 month.