Adventures of a Chemical Peel ...

I sit here bringing you this post from my couch, with an ice pack on my face. I've been put through the ringer once again with my skin and wanted to give you guys some tips about Chemical Peels. They are one of the best treatments that you can do, but can definitely have some side effects that aren't so pretty.

Last Wednesday, I had one of those long days that just don't seem to end. The kind of day that makes you want to get in a hot shower and scrub your entire body so hard, until the shitty day you just had runs down the drain. I took the opportunity to use a new at home peel that is going to be launching on the market very soon. It's a two step process, apply the solution to cleansed/dry skin, and a post procedure balm to use afterwards. Seems easy enough right? We are talking 25% acid base that normally would be something you would go to a professional for. The peel went great, and my skin felt amazing afterwards! I applied the balm, went to sleep and woke up with smooth and clear looking skin. Win! Everything was great, I went to work the next day, and when I got home I cleansed my skin and applied my regular skincare. The next morning, hell started. Whiteheads, swollen skin, redness for days. We are talking code red reaction.

Normally I am quick to blast products that irritate skin, but my instinct this time is telling me that it wasn't the peel that caused the reaction. I think it was my fault by putting my normal active skincare on my skin when it was still "fresh" from the peel. Nowhere in the instructions did it say to keep using the balm until your skin had a chance to heal, but I think that's where everything went wrong.

A trip to the clinic, steroid pills and a topical cream later, my skin seems to slowly be getting back to normal. This has been a life lesson for me, and should be for all of you as well! If you decide to do an at home peel, make sure you baby your skin for up to a week afterwards, wear your sun protection during the day, and make sure you use the product as directed!

Some may may say I deserve this, as we all know I have sensitive skin. I used to react to absolutely everything and I have to say my skin has become a lot more resiliant to products. Maybe this was a little too much for me, but had I continued to use the balm provided with a peel for a few days, I truly feel I would be in a much better place right now!

Have you guys ever done a chemical peel?

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Chat Soon!

​-S