SmartXide CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing

About two years ago I had a photofacial done at a local medical spa. I loved the results! I had some pretty bad hyperpigmentation below my cheekbones and it basically got rid of it.

Alas, two years, birth control hormones, and a trip to Mexico did a number on my face and I found myself with quite a bit of hyperpigmentation again.

So last week I went in for another photofacial, expecting the same drill. Turns out it wasn't nearly as brown as last time, and the laser just wouldn't pick it up. The doctor suggested I come back for "SmartXide CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing". She warned me that I'd look sunburned for up to two weeks, but that it should take care of the uneven pigment.

So here's how I'm looking today. I went to work and am off to a concert tonight. I'm not at all worried about what people might think- although WC asked me why my face was bruised. How do you explain vanity to a 3 year old? :-) I know I'll love the end result!

Just another crazy Saturday

Yesterday was a crazy day. I already told you about the race in the AM. The Wild Child had her very first (other than relatives) birthday party to go to from 1:30-3:30, and the The Politician had one from 5:00-7:00. Mr. Sasha and I tag-teamed it, partly because I had a charity event to go to last night that I needed to get all gussied up for. More on that later.....

I was frantically trying to get ready for the event and noticed that The Wild Child had been pretty quite for a bit. I went in search of her and was greeted with........

The little toot looked at me and said "Uh Oh!"

So I just shut the door and when Mr. Sasha and I passed in the garage as he was coming home from the bday party and I was leaving for my event, I said "There's a surprise for you in our bathroom!"

My charity event was for an organization that I volunteer for (actually, I'm their unpaid bookkeeper....). It was a Dancing With the Stars-type event, and it was pretty fun. Although, I am still disappointed that the bar did not have sour mix, so no Whisky Sours for me. Above is a pic of me all dressed up, which happens about twice a year, if that.

Oh, and here's a pic of my face- I am so pumped about how good my skin looks and will definitely be going back for more! And Nip/Tuck starts back this week! Totally unrelated, but talking about my skin made me think of that. Can't wait to see what Christian Troy is up to.

Face Update: Day 7

Finally! I've been try to upload these damn things since lunchtime, but blogger was being snarky. Anyway, here they are. The right side of my face is looking awesome and I just have a few small scabs left (ignore the hint of the double chin please). The left side is where my biggest spots were and they are still pretty scabby. Hopefully by the weekend, I'll be back to normal.

I think I'm going to have to go back and see some spots touched up, but overall I am very pleased. The last epi of Dr. 90210 was about a 37 year old who used to be on Baywatch having a chemical peel to remove sun damage, so I am pretty excited to watch that since that was my other option. Maybe I will still do that... but I think I needed the lasering to get rid of the really bad spots.

So WTH did I do to my face?

You know, I did not explain what I did to my face very well.

Here is the description from the literature I got from the doctor: "A Photofacial is actually a series of gentle (bullshit) pulsed light treatments that dramatically improve your skin's appearance by eliminating minor imperfections using Intense Pulse Light technology."

Yeah, so basically lasering. We started with one machine, and at one point, they had me switch rooms to use a different laser to zap the blood vessels around my nose. Then I went back to the original machine and they said they need to switch to the "V laser" to do the really dark hyperpigmentatin spots, which I can only assume stands for "Very Bad". But seriously, it really didn't hurt and was not uncomfortable at all.

The literature says you are a candidate for Photofacial if you have: broken capillaries, unwanted freckles, acne scars, sun spots, large pores, dark circles under your eyes, rosacea, and generally just have crappy skin that makes you look older than you are (I added that last one).

No photo update today because it basically looks the same. Hopefully tomorrow it will look better and I'll post a pic. It sure better look better by Saturday because I have a wedding and reception to go to that will be sort of swanky and I don't want to look like I have flesh-eating bacteria while there.

Face Update: Day 4

So my face is looking a little better. Definitely less swollen under my eyes. We are fixing to go to a tailgate thing that most of Mr. Sasha's family will be at, so I know I'll have to explain myself a million times and I'm starting to feel vain. Was it nutty to have sun damage lasered off? I really didn't think it was, but I am starting to doubt myself.

Today's funny: The Politician just told us he wanted catfish for lunch. Catfish? WTH? I've never cooked cafish. I refuse to cook anything that swims in my house because of the after-smell. So he is now eating a mini chicken sandwich.

Also, I ran OUTSIDE today, which I never do. I ran my route from a few years ago that I used to run before training for my first 5K. I wasn't sure how long it was, but I was pretty sure it was about 3 miles, and I finished so fast, I was pumped- like I am Olympic bound! I did get in my car and drive it out a bit ago, and turns out it's just under 2 miles. Bummer.

Face: Day 3

OK, so whatever fluid was in the blisters has gone down, but the dark brown areas are still there and I am still very puffy in the area underneath my eyes. Yesterday at my meeting with our insurance carrier, the head dude was kinda looking at my like "WTF is wrong w/ her and are we having to pay for it?". So I told them what I've been telling pretty much everyone else I pass in the street, "Don't mind my face- I had some lasering done. No big."

I know the picture above sucks- it's super hard to take a pic of my face myself and although viewing screen flips around so you can see it for self-portraits, I can't figure out the damn focusing because the little box disappears. But you get the idea. Those brown spots are all over both cheeks and look worse in person actually.

During my day of beauty Wednesday I also got my hair did, and I'm wondering about the whole blonde thing. I wonder if I look better with my natural color, although last time I let it grow it people would look completely shocked when they saw me and always say "Hmmm.... You just don't look right with brown hair." So I'll look for some pics and you can tell me what you think.

New Face: Day 2 update

Well, I'm just not sure their definition of "no down time" is the same as mine. My makeup just doesn't cover these dime-size brown blisters all over my face. Seriously, I have like 6 on each cheek, and it looks pretty nasty. And also, my face is kinda swollen. Like under my eyes and stuff. And I have a meeting with some VIPs today....

Yesterday when I picked The Politician up from school, his little girlfriend A said, "Hey, your face looks weird." Yeah, yeah, I know. The price of beauty is high. Prepare yourself A, it'll be you someday.

So we'll see. These results better be earth-shattering and land me a spot in the Mrs. American contest. Actually, I'll be happy if I just don't look like I spent too much time in the sun. I have my 15 year HS reunion next month and I want to justify that "Look the Youngest" award thing.

On to other things:

This morning when getting dressed, The Politician said "My bottom is getting too big for my underwear." WTH? He has the smallest butt ever, and no way are his undies too small. In fact, if I got the next size up, they would fall off him. He is still wearing a 18 month or 2T short because his butt is so small. I don't know where he gets this shit, but it is comedy and blog material, so I'm not complaining.

Anxious and Excited

In just a few minutes, I am leaving work to go to a consultation at a medical spa. I have some super-bad hyper pigmentation on my face as a lovely souvenir of my pregnancies and wacky hormones. My BFF is going to have "pixelating" or some such done on hers, and she suggested that I make an appointment too.

While there, I am also going to ask about:

• These stupid deep lines that go from the edges of my nose to the corners of my mouth
• Some sun damage spots from worshipping the sun for way too long
• My indentation on the side of my face from forceps when I was born

So I am super excited because let me tell you, if you look closely, my skin looks way older than almost 34. And I was voted "Most Likely to Look the Youngest in 10 Years" when we graduated high school. I was also voted "Most Likely to Still Live in This Town", but I did get the hell out of Dodge, so there.

I did have fat transfer done about 6 years ago on my forceps indentation, but the doctor said one time probably wouldn't be enough. So I'll report back with what the doc says, and hopefully it won't cost a million dollars or anything crazy like that.

Edited to add: Well, evidently I have so much damage that I needed a "Photo Facial" rather than the pixel stuff. Basically, lasering off all the bad stuff. So $325 later and about 2 hours later (part of that was the wait time, not the procedure), here I am back at work looking like I am rather sunburned, and my skin kinda feel fiery. But they tell me that all the brown stuff will slough off and I will look radiant! That wasn't their exact words, but that's what I'm thinking. I totally should have taken a before shot, but you know DH can't take pictures, and every time I try to take one of myself I end up looking like an elf with a really big nose.

We decided to deal with the pigmentation stuff before tackling the lines and the dent. I swear I'm not going to go all Dr. 90210 on you, but I can totally see how whats-her-face (the porn girl on Dr. 90210) got addicted to plastic surgery. It's awfully nice to have someone tell you how pretty you are (yeah, you just want my $325) and how their quick and easy procedure is going to make you even prettier. Although I would draw the lines at Dr. Rey fondling my breasts and telling me how cute they are.

And if anyone is wondering about the pain factor, I'm not a good judge. After that failed epidural, I feel no pain. Seriously, if that was a 10 on the pain scale, nothing else I've ever experienced can even be a 1, that's how bad childbirth was. Not to scare you or anything if you are currently a pregnant mom-to-be, just be ready to raise some hell if you don't think it's working.