Have you ever taken your skin regimen a little too far? Last week, I happened to accidentally give myself a chemical peel. It made me realize how flippant I can be about my skin. I had run out of my regular makeup wipes and did not have time to go to the mall, so I picked up some random ones at the drugstore. It would have been fine had I not started using a prescription retinol a few weeks prior.
So, I woke up on Tuesday morning looking like I had really bad plastic surgery…my face was swollen, eyes looked droopy and my skin was tight and an angry shade of red. The products that I used had caused some sort of reaction and it wasn’t pretty. As if it wasn’t bad enough that I looked like Quasimodo, my face hurt too.
After a day of hiding under a hat and sunglasses, willing my old face to come back {wrinkles and all!}, I realized it was time to call in the professionals.
After a steroid shot to my bum, an aggressive regimen of antihistamines and an arsenal of topical treatments I left my dermatologist feeling like my old face {that sounds so sad, should I say former instead of old when referring to my face?} was right around the corner.
I love my dermatologist for a few reasons. The girls that work in the office truly care about their patients. I also love that my dermatologist puts medical dermatology before cosmetic dermatology. I never feel like he is pushing something to increase his bottom line. Working in dermatology sales in the past, it is rare to find a doctor who isn’t pushing fillers, botox, etc. at every appointment. Not that there is anything wrong with a little upkeep, but there is a time and a place.
There is a time and place for joking too…all the time and everywhere. I told him I was hoping to look glow-y like JLo {do they still call her that or is she Jenny from the Block again?} but he told me I was channeling Nicholas Cage from Face Off. True, true…but maybe I can be John Travolta? At least he has some feminine features.
A week later and I am still shedding a little skin here and there, but all signs of the Hunchback of Notre Dame have diminished {other than my posture…I need to work on that}. If you do go a little too far, ease up on the products and switch to a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. I have really come to love CeraVe, the moisturizing wash helped get my angry skin under control and the facial sunscreen with zinc protected my very raw face.
This experience was a good reminder to love my skin, slather sunscreen on it, get it checked on time, and definitely feel comfortable it it!
Best,
Shahla
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