I finally found something that works to fight my hyper-pigmentation. This is my second time doing the Power Peel from Tricia Dikes, who works out of a plastic surgeon’s office in Beverly Hills. Technically, it’s called a microdermabrasion, but it really isn’t the typical one you’ve heard about. You name it, I’ve tried it: IPL, laser, all types of resurfacing facials like acids and enzymes. Some just didn’t work, and IPL and laser actually caused increased pigmentation. Thankfully, my doctor did a test spot behind my ear to find this out, instead messing up my entire face! I have such severe hyper-pigmentation that most irritants cause more pigmentation, so I was at my wit’s end and seriously just thought I had to live with it.
Then a friend referred me to this place and like all the procedures before, I figured it was worth a try, so I went. Tricia explained what she was going to do. First, she cleans the extracts; then comes the good part. She gives a warning, “This might hurt a little. It will feel like ground up shards of glass being scrubbed on your face.” Oh, okay. Thanks for the honesty! Holy bejesus, she was not kidding. It freaking hurt, this apparent glass scrub (which actually consists of ground-up sea urchin shells). This somewhat violent action allows the acid to penetrate beneath the surface. The concoction sits on the face for 15 minutes, until Tricia comes back and scrubs some more, almost literally adding salt to a wound. She then cleans it off, also is quite painful. As if all of this isn’t awful enough, there is a mask that stays on, after you leave the office and for the rest of the day. It contains Ultraquin LC, KojiLac acid, and copper peptides and it’s very powerful for removing old pigments and preventing new pigments from forming.
The next day I looked like a tomato and two days later, I was molting like a snake, with everything peeling off. I’m aware that this sounds super-miserable, but naturally there’s a payoff (there’d better be after this ordeal): skin soft like a baby’s, luminous skin as if there is a light under the surface, and an even complexion. But the best part is the lightening of my spots. I’m talking about a serious difference that is undeniable.
Doing this one a month will force all the spots to disappear, though it’s continued maintenance that will make the most difference. With a goal of milky, peachy skin, along with wrinkle reversal (thanks to new collagen buildup) and the prevention of aging and fine lines. I have been complimented on how amazing my skin looks (now that I’m looking normal again and not like a snake), and after everything, I’ve done this is the most effective even if it is a bit extreme.
What about you: would you go this far for new and improved skin?
