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So. I'm 22 years old, brown-skinned, oily skin...
So. I'm 22 years old, brown-skinned, oily skin type, and never really battled with acne. I just get a few here or there, or around "that time of the month. But sometimes when I'd break out, it would leave behind PIH (post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation). I wanted to get rid of these dark marks. I started getting chemical peels around March of 2013. Started with 'Vitalize' then 'Rejuvenize' then the 'Vi peel'. ALL of which are great peels, but didn't go deep enough to remove my PIH. So I decided to go for a TCA peel.
December 20th, 2013 - I went to the Doctors office where I was asked routine questions. He has worked on African American skin before so this kinda eased my mind. I did not go through skin preconditioning either. Next I washed my face and he applied the chemical in soft sweeps to my face. I believe he did second sweep as well as more solution applied to my troubled areas. I was trying to overcome the stinging so blocked everything out lol it does sting but it's not unbearable, they gave me a fan to help. So my face felt tight after, then over the course of a few minutes turned BLACK. Like BLACK. Lol I was instructed that I shouldn't wash my face until before bed or when I woke up and not to moisturize (every esthetician has told me to moisturize, but the two doctors I've seen have told me not to because that skin is dead. You only need to protect the new skin underneath.) that made sense to me so I didn't moisturize. He also told me that I could splash my face with water anytime I liked, and to wash no more than 3x a day.
December 21st - my skin was still black as heck! Haha only now crusting and kinda oozing? It was gross man, thank Goodness I was in holiday break because I looked horrible.
December 22nd - when I would wash my face, black sort of residue would come off? Idk what it was. At first I thought I didn't wash the chemical all the way off, but then when the crusties came off, my skin looked as is If had just had a peel. Skin cracked around the mouth.
December 24th - skin didn't start peeling until laaaate that night. Very minimal peeling.
December 25th and 26th - skin peeled, pretty much in sheets. Would roll off when face was washed, and in shower. I've now started to use my moisturizer (I used a cetaphil), but NONE of my other products. Skin was peeled by the 26th. My skin was kinda leathery or dry and crepey like it was going to peel again. And it did. Nothing like before though. This time peeling was kinda like a very superficial peel, like the vitalize peel. My skin was verrrrrry pink (totally normal but still freaked me out lol) and I had a few pimples (also normal). I started using my regular products (just an acne gel on my few pimples) on the 26th.
December 29th - skin is ALOT smoother and healthier. Hydrated and shiny, but not oily. YAY! Skin isn't reddish or bright pink anymore, but like a light brown. I've also started using a mineral make up to cover the light spots. You can't even tell the skin is light. I've started using the obagi skin bleaching cream to avoid further hyper pigmentation and a using a sun screen religiously. I have a follow up tomorrow with the doctor.
I can't wait. So glad my skin is doing better and almost healed in time for New Years :) All of my acne is gone, those little random pimples have dried up. I apply a little PCA acne gel and it dries those suckers up in no lie, three days or so. A little flaking of the skin occurs so you shouldn't use it while your skin is peeling from a chemical peel. I'll update in a couple days.
December 20th, 2013 - I went to the Doctors office where I was asked routine questions. He has worked on African American skin before so this kinda eased my mind. I did not go through skin preconditioning either. Next I washed my face and he applied the chemical in soft sweeps to my face. I believe he did second sweep as well as more solution applied to my troubled areas. I was trying to overcome the stinging so blocked everything out lol it does sting but it's not unbearable, they gave me a fan to help. So my face felt tight after, then over the course of a few minutes turned BLACK. Like BLACK. Lol I was instructed that I shouldn't wash my face until before bed or when I woke up and not to moisturize (every esthetician has told me to moisturize, but the two doctors I've seen have told me not to because that skin is dead. You only need to protect the new skin underneath.) that made sense to me so I didn't moisturize. He also told me that I could splash my face with water anytime I liked, and to wash no more than 3x a day.
December 21st - my skin was still black as heck! Haha only now crusting and kinda oozing? It was gross man, thank Goodness I was in holiday break because I looked horrible.
December 22nd - when I would wash my face, black sort of residue would come off? Idk what it was. At first I thought I didn't wash the chemical all the way off, but then when the crusties came off, my skin looked as is If had just had a peel. Skin cracked around the mouth.
December 24th - skin didn't start peeling until laaaate that night. Very minimal peeling.
December 25th and 26th - skin peeled, pretty much in sheets. Would roll off when face was washed, and in shower. I've now started to use my moisturizer (I used a cetaphil), but NONE of my other products. Skin was peeled by the 26th. My skin was kinda leathery or dry and crepey like it was going to peel again. And it did. Nothing like before though. This time peeling was kinda like a very superficial peel, like the vitalize peel. My skin was verrrrrry pink (totally normal but still freaked me out lol) and I had a few pimples (also normal). I started using my regular products (just an acne gel on my few pimples) on the 26th.
December 29th - skin is ALOT smoother and healthier. Hydrated and shiny, but not oily. YAY! Skin isn't reddish or bright pink anymore, but like a light brown. I've also started using a mineral make up to cover the light spots. You can't even tell the skin is light. I've started using the obagi skin bleaching cream to avoid further hyper pigmentation and a using a sun screen religiously. I have a follow up tomorrow with the doctor.
I can't wait. So glad my skin is doing better and almost healed in time for New Years :) All of my acne is gone, those little random pimples have dried up. I apply a little PCA acne gel and it dries those suckers up in no lie, three days or so. A little flaking of the skin occurs so you shouldn't use it while your skin is peeling from a chemical peel. I'll update in a couple days.
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