facial rejuvenation atlanta

At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we often have consultations with patients who have already done some research about the treatments they’re interested in. There’s certainly plenty of information online (some accurate and helpful, others not so much). But the fact is that you won’t really know what a procedure will be like until you have it yourself. Sadly, technology hasn’t quite reached the point of a 4-D virtual reality skin treatment, but we have the next best thing: an uncensored, tell-it-like-it-is account by one of our patients.

Keep in mind that every patient’s experience is unique, but here’s one patient’s story about her chemical peel.

Hey there! My name is Colleen, and I’m excited to share my story with you all! I’ve been thinking about getting a chemical peel for a while. Even though I’m only 29, but let’s just say I was a big fan of the tanned look when I was younger, so I have some sun damage in the form of light brown spots. My skin has also developed an uneven texture and coloration, so my goal for my peel was just to lighten my brown spots and get a more even complexion. I spoke to Vida at Laser Lights about my concerns, and she suggested a series of three SensiPeel® chemical peels with a few months in between each one. Given what a great job Laser Lights had done with my laser hair removal and other past treatments, I was 100% on board!

I went into the office on a Thursday during my lunch break for the peel, and Vida brought me right into a room and got me set up, reclined, and relaxed. She started with a cleanser and a toner to prepare my skin. She gave me a hand-held fan to help dry out my skin, and so that I could keep a cooling element on my skin throughout the procedure.

Once my skin was ready, Vida explained that she would apply two layers of the SensiPeel®. This would give me a greater improvement even though we were still using the milder solution to keep my somewhat sensitive skin from overreacting. This is the part I was nervous about. When you think about a chemical peel, it’s essentially using acid on your face, and I was worried about the skin treatment being painful.

Vida applied the first layer and told me to let her know if it started getting painful. She gave me a few minutes to relax and let the solution do its magic, but I didn’t feel much sensation in my skin at all. Then she applied the second layer, and I thought, “Okay, here’s where it’s going to start burning.” To my surprise, I still felt very little – just a mild tingling near my chin. Here’s where you get to see what a persistent worrier I am, because while I was glad that the treatment wasn’t painful, I started worrying that because I didn’t have any pain, I wouldn’t have any results, either! I know, I know, I do it myself!

After giving the second layer some time to work, Vida applied a peptide to start the skin revitalization process. Vida explained that the longer I could leave it on, the better – ideally overnight. Challenge accepted!

When I looked in the mirror, I saw the distinctly yellow, somewhat greasy look the peptide gave me. It didn’t bother me – Vida had warned me ahead of time that I’d have this yellow look for the rest of the day of my peel, so I should schedule accordingly. Fortunately, I work in a casual office and I’d given them all a heads-up that I’d come back looking like mustard. But I have to confess, it was kind of fun to watch the looks I got on the train on the way home!

Throughout that night and until the next morning, the yellow tone on my face took on more of an orange look. When I washed off the peptide in the morning I realized that it was because my skin was getting red. Since I knew this was the first step toward seeing my results, I was thrilled! It just looked (and felt) like I had a hefty sunburn.

On Saturday morning, I saw my first hint of that glorious peeling! It started with very fine peeling around my chin, and then gradually expended throughout Sunday and Monday to involve my entire face. If I’m being honest, the toughest part of the whole experience was holding myself back from helping the peeling along. Vida had warned me to keep my hands off and just let the peeling happen on its own, so here’s a word of advice: stay away from mirrors so you forget about the peeling and aren’t tempted!

By Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly all the peeling was complete, and I was THRILLED to see my results! My skin was so much clearer, brighter, and smoother, and my complexion was so much more uniform that foundation has now become a special-occasions-only makeup rather than an everyday one.

All in all, my first chemical peel was an absolute success, and I’m so excited to complete the other two in the series and see how the results continue to improve even more! To Vida and the rest of the Laser Lights team, you’ve all been fantastic, and I can’t wait to see you for Part 2!

At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, our focus is on customizing each treatment to the patient’s precise needs. When it comes to a chemical peel, we have several formulas we use, like SenisPeel®, VI Peel®, and TCA peels, all of which can be customized by our Licensed Medical Aestheticians. To find out if a chemical peel or any of our other laser or non-laser skin treatments are right for you, schedule a free consultation at Laser Lights. Plus, browse our current specials, past blogs, skin care tips, and more on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+.