Hello everyone! I just want to document my experience with SkinMedica’s Vitalize peels. This is my first peel ever, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I wanted to share my experience anyways. Don’t forget to shop around- I’ve heard of these costing over $150/ application! I paid less than half that! Of course, it does depend on where you live, but don’t forget to ask about specials!
About a week after my initial consultation in which I expressed my concerns about my skin including clogged pores and age prevention, I got my first ever peel. The first thing the dermatologist did was clean my skin, then she used an alcohol swab on my face. Warning: it’s super stinky. I was nearly choking on it, so I turned on the tiny fan they gave me. It helped a lot.
Then came the “fun” part. The application of two layers of the peel solution plus one layer of sunscreen and one layer of Retinol. The two layers of the peel hurt a little, but honestly I have Salicylic acid solutions that I use that hurt more. Barely a “1” on my pain scale out of “10.”
The sunscreen and the Retinol don’t hurt at all, thus the “pain” part of the procedure is over. I left the office and drove home.
Later that day I noticed a bit of peeling on my nose and my skin still felt very tight. I had hidden indoors all day and applied plenty of moisturizer. I used this Acure sample I received in my BirchBox. It worked well to keep my skin hydrated. Just FYI, if you get one of these peels you’ll have a yellow hue for the day from the Retinol.
I washed my face in the evening, as per the nice lady’s instructions. It’s worth noting that my skin felt tight and a little sunburned but not too bad.
The following day, I just kept reapplying my sunscreen throughout the day, using Shiseido’s 50 SPF Broad Spectrum Sunscreen. I tried my very best to keep out of the sun and even used a parasol! I felt like a princess 🙂 That day, I noticed a little peeling on my nose.
The next day, I still only had very little peeling on my nose and on my chin. I kept my sunscreen game strong.
Over the next few days I looked pretty bad, with plenty of peeling that even the most vigorous moisturizer application couldn’t hide. So, I hid instead- venturing out only twice the entire weekend.
By Monday, however, the bulk of the peeling was over. I can’t tell if anything has changed yet, but I will keep you posted.
Since it is recommended that you receive multiple (between 3 and 6) sessions before expecting results, I decided to go ahead and get a few more peels done to reap the full benefits.
Peel Number Two:
About 5 weeks after my first peel, I went for my second. This one felt pretty much the same, a little burning but really quite tolerable. My skin also did not feel tight or sunburned this time. The peeling wasn’t as bad this time, and I was able to hide it a lot more easily than the first time. I haven’t seen any drastic changes yet, but I think my pores are getting tighter, as I’ve seen fewer clogged pores lately. In addition, and more importantly, I noticed that my acne scars are gone. They were mild scars, but they’re completely gone. I’m a fan of that. I had two. One was near my jawline and one was on my forehead. Yay!
Peel Number 3:
About 4 weeks after the second, I received my third. It actually hurt more this time, but I suspect that it was due to the batteries in the mini fan they gave me being low. Always ask for the fan. It makes it much more bearable. This one also did not make my skin tight or feel sunburned afterwards at all. But again, I did experience peeling, at about the same rate as the second peel.
Conclusion & Final Results
These peels were pretty effective at eliminating my acne scars, particularly the fresh one on my forehead! BUT I probably wouldn’t recommend them to anyone seeking wrinkle relief. They’ve done nothing for my fine lines. Next time, I will try the more aggressive form of this peel, the Rejuvenize Peel!
Thanks for reading!Â