14 replies to this topic

[LanLan]

So I went to see Laura on Saturday and had a treatment. Like everyone else said, people here are very nice and sincere. They make you feel like they know what they're doing. Im not going to go into detail of how the place is and blah blah blah. So let me describe my condition. I'm 23, asian, have acne since high school. Laura said I have non-inflamed acne. It will take 3 months to have clear skin (let's hope so). Laura also said I have a lot of dead skin, making my face look and feel rough. My skin is sensitive and oily. With past experiences, I know that my skin can get irritated and red super easily. So yesterday, Sunday morning, I started my regimen. Below is a list of the products I bought from Face Reality.

As of Sunday morning, I have one underneath-the-skin-and-about-to-be-developed pimple, on my cheek. So I washed my face with the scrub cleanser, apply salicylic toner, apply glycolic serum, and then apply the sun screen. After i used the products, my face was fine, not irritated, or red, or anything. So I was a happy camper. Then after the mall, errands, and everything else, I came home at around 9pm- ish and realized that my face was getting a lil sensitive. It felt sensitive and kidda itchy. I think the glycolic serum was kicking in and making my face sensitive, but I'm just guessing. So I went to wash my face with the Scrub, put on Acne Med (BP), waited 15 mins, and washed it off with the Scrub. Then I applied the salicylic toner and Cranberry cream (smells good by the way). At this point, my face was still red and kidda irritated from the experience I had at 9pm-ish. Then I went to sleep.

This morning, I woke up with red and irritated skin. I was freaked out. It was so red and kidda swollen that I had to call in sick today because I dont think I could go to work looking so horrible. I'm waiting to call Laura to see what's going on. So I just washed my face with water and put some Hydrocortisone and sun screen because I had to go to school. I didnt wash with the scrub or apply toner today because again, my skin is super red so I dont know if I should do my morning regimen. I wish i could cut school but it's going to be an important day and I have to turn in my paper. sigh. so, as of right now, as i am writing, my face is getting a lil better. I guess the hydro cream is helping it a lil bit. So my first day of using the regimen, i'm a lil frustrated and discouraged. But I dont know, let's hope I will be able to tolerate glycolic serum because I think it is making my face a lil cleaner-looking? but yeah, it also makes my skin red and irritated. So we'll see. Ok enough of me ranting. I'll contact Laura later and keep yall posted.

AM: Wash with Face Reality Face Scrub
Apply Face Reality Salicylic Toner with a cotton round
Apply Face Reality Glycolic Serum (Every Other day for two weeks)
Apply Face Reality Oil Free sunscreen

PM: Wash with Face Reality Face Scrub
Apply Face Reality Acne Med (5 % BP)
Wait 15 mins
Wash off with Face Reality Face Scrub
Apply Face Reality Salicylic Toner with a cotton round
Apply Face Reality Cranberry Cream (moisturizer).

[LanLan]

so i contacted Laura and she told me to stop using glycolic serum. For tonight, I will wash my face with only water. It's no longer red but still irritated/itchy. So for tomorrow, I will wash my face with the Scrub, apply cranberry cream, and sun screen. Hopefully by tomo night, I can go back to using bp acne med. well it's going to be a long day at school tomo. off to bed.

[ViperVin]

Laura started me off with the same routine as you have so you should begin to see results soon. I am on week 3 of my routine and have noticed good progress.

Good luck with your regime!

[willow569]

So are things better today??

[LanLan]

So are things better today??

ok i've been so busy trying to get all my grad school application in on time. But here is an update. Since Monday, I've been using just the scrub, cranberry cream at night, and same thing + sun screen during the day. Yesterday, my face was still kidda itcy and irritated. So I skipped on the Acne Med at night. But today, I drove to work and was on the road with direct sun expose for about 30 mins. My face was fine this morning, but now it is kidda red. I guess from the sun. But my face is 95 % recovered from the irritation. Breakout wise, I have no active pimple. There is a little one right above my eyebrow, coming to surface. But other than that, I am good. I must say Laura did a perfect job extracting the other day. No scar, didn't hurt much, and she caught it before it even fully develop. OK, so....tonight, I will start continue doing the 15 mins of Acne Med and the rest of the nightly regimen. I wonder if this whole thing will make my skin sensitive to the sun forever. ok off to class.

[LanLan]

Laura started me off with the same routine as you have so you should begin to see results soon. I am on week 3 of my routine and have noticed good progress.

Good luck with your regime!

thanks. how did u react to glycolic serum? I dont know when im going to be able to use it again. I dont think i applied too much on my face either, it was a thin application.

[willow569]

So are things better today??

ok i've been so busy trying to get all my grad school application in on time. But here is an update. Since Monday, I've been using just the scrub, cranberry cream at night, and same thing + sun screen during the day. Yesterday, my face was still kidda itcy and irritated. So I skipped on the Acne Med at night. But today, I drove to work and was on the road with direct sun expose for about 30 mins. My face was fine this morning, but now it is kidda red. I guess from the sun. But my face is 95 % recovered from the irritation. Breakout wise, I have no active pimple. There is a little one right above my eyebrow, coming to surface. But other than that, I am good. I must say Laura did a perfect job extracting the other day. No scar, didn't hurt much, and she caught it before it even fully develop. OK, so....tonight, I will start continue doing the 15 mins of Acne Med and the rest of the nightly regimen. I wonder if this whole thing will make my skin sensitive to the sun forever. ok off to class.

Aren't extractions helpful? I don't know how I lived without them before! They can really help spots from becoming full blown pimples and can also really shorten the lifespan of any pimples you do get extracted. And just keep in regular contact with the clinic if you have questions about when you are supposed to start using products again. They are always more than happy to answer questions for their clients!

What will you be studying in grad school? I studied psychology at UC Davis's grad program.

[LanLan]

Aren't extractions helpful? I don't know how I lived without them before! They can really help spots from becoming full blown pimples and can also really shorten the lifespan of any pimples you do get extracted. And just keep in regular contact with the clinic if you have questions about when you are supposed to start using products again. They are always more than happy to answer questions for their clients!

What will you be studying in grad school? I studied psychology at UC Davis's grad program.
[/quote]

oh nice. i am doing my undergrad here at davis. I'm applying for social work at some colleges throughout california, boston, and chicago. So what are you doing now with ur psych degree? I wonder what the hell i'm going to do in the future. heheh

[willow569]

[/quote]

oh nice. i am doing my undergrad here at davis. I'm applying for social work at some colleges throughout california, boston, and chicago. So what are you doing now with ur psych degree? I wonder what the hell i'm going to do in the future. heheh
[/quote]

Social work is an amazing field (and takes lots of dedication!!). What schools in Chicago are you looking at? I did my undergrad at University of Illinois at Chicago, and I think they had a good social work program when I was there. It is largely a commuter campus, so really different feel from Davis - but I liked going to school in a large city environment, it seemed more stimulating somehow. Yeah, its hard to know what kind of job you will be able to find with post-graduate degrees nowadays! It used to be a guarantee for a good-salary job. Not necessarily the case anymore. I work as a researcher at a Center for Families, Children & the Courts. It is part of the state supreme court. So, we work with juvenile deliquency, dependency, and family law courts. Before that I was a program evaluator at a children's mental health center in Sacramento. I worked with a lot of social workers there.

Isn't the grad school application process fun? I still have nightmares about taking those GRE exams!! Although, picking out schools and checking them out is exciting. So many opportunities to live and study in different places in the country - its hard to narrow it down, at least that's how I felt!

[ViperVin]

Laura started me off with the same routine as you have so you should begin to see results soon. I am on week 3 of my routine and have noticed good progress.

Good luck with your regime!

thanks. how did u react to glycolic serum? I dont know when im going to be able to use it again. I dont think i applied too much on my face either, it was a thin application.

During my first visit, Laura was surprised I did not react to the glycolic. She was skeptical so she put me on glycolic 5% for the mornings. The first two weeks went normally without hiccup. Just this week, with glycolic every morning and AcneMed all night, my skin has become super dry. Per Laura's instructions, I cut down the glycolic and apply the cranberry cream again at night.

[LanLan]

i am looking at university of illinois, chicago, and university of boston. i've been in northern cali my whole life so...i think it's time to migrate. hahah. but yeah, it is super super stressful. I'm glad i'm done with applying to 3 schools, 3 more to go. The process will go on but at least, im half way done. Do you think applying to 6 schools is enough? My TA told me she applied to 13. geeze, i think i will be in more debt before i even attend grad school. hahaha. your job, researching, should be fun, as long as it's what you like doing. i hope to find a job i like coming to everyday. we can only hope.

[LanLan]

update:

I've been applying acne med every other day because i really don't think my skin can tolerate BP everynight. I think after this weekend, I'll start applying BP every night as my skin can get use to the medication. As of right now, my skin is kidda sensitive from all the products and the sun. So I think i'll just do BP every other day for now.

So how is my skin condition now? One small pimple is kidda growing. I think it stopped growing and it's just staying there. Its size is very small. My skin is clear-looking. Not dull and rough-looking like a couple days before. It's sort of glowing actually. Maybe not glowing. hahah but, just very clear-looking. small tiny black heads are gone, making my face clean and clear. ok...thats it for now. My skin is pretty much in good shape, besides a lil bit of redness and irritation. I hope my skin will get use to the products soon.

[willow569]

update:

I've been applying acne med every other day because i really don't think my skin can tolerate BP everynight. I think after this weekend, I'll start applying BP every night as my skin can get use to the medication. As of right now, my skin is kidda sensitive from all the products and the sun. So I think i'll just do BP every other day for now.

So how is my skin condition now? One small pimple is kidda growing. I think it stopped growing and it's just staying there. Its size is very small. My skin is clear-looking. Not dull and rough-looking like a couple days before. It's sort of glowing actually. Maybe not glowing. hahah but, just very clear-looking. small tiny black heads are gone, making my face clean and clear. ok...thats it for now. My skin is pretty much in good shape, besides a lil bit of redness and irritation. I hope my skin will get use to the products soon.

Did the clinic tell you to do every other night or did you decide that on your own? If you did it on your own, I'd call them and tell them your concerns with the BP and tell them how you have changed the regimen. Its really important to stick with what they tell you to do and don't do any messing with the regimen that they don't know about. Laura's treatment plan will work, but you need to follow her directions exactly for it to be most effective.

Sounds like things are going ok though! Good to hear!!!

[LanLan]

I got a call from the clinic yesterday and I told Laura what i've been doing. She suspected that i'm allergic to BP. So, she told me to completely stop using BP. My regimen is just to wash my face with the scrub, toner, cranberry cream, and sunscreen. Laura told me to do a test with BP on the inner part of my arm, near my elbow to see if i'm really allergic to BP. I have had bad reaction to BP before. But months ago, I used Paula's choice 2.5% BP and it was fine. Supposedly, I had an appointment with the clinic this coming Friday, but Laura changed it to this coming Tuesday to check up on my skin. So i guess i'll see them on Tuesday. Skin wise, it's alright. Kidda itchy here and there. Oh and when I wash my face with the scrub, my skin stings a lil bit. I guess because it was still sore from the slight burning resulted from glycolic serum i used last SUnday. I currently have one medium size white head near my eyebrow. My chin is itchy for some reason. Little tiny white heads start to form around my chin. Ok, let's see what will happen on Tuesday.

[LanLan]

9 days ago i went to see Laura and she was surprised at how badly I had reacted to the products. So she did more testing. So last Tuesday, I started a new and very simple regimen. Laura changed me to using the Sensitive Skin cleanser in replacement of the scrub (the scrub was too harsh for my skin). I had used only the cleanser and sunscreen in the morning, cleanser and cranberry cream at night. So I had done that for a week, since last Tuesday day. So this week on Tuesday, I began incorporating the Vivant Derma Gel into my nightly routine. I used the Derma Gel on Tuesday night, and next morning, I was OK. Then again, I used it last night, and this morning, my skin was irritated and RED! My cheeks feel rough for some reason. Like two patches of dry skin on my cheeks. So I called and informed the clinic earlier today. They had told me to stop using the Derma Gel. I'm seeing Laura again this Saturday to hopefully find a way. As Laura said, my skin is super ultra sensitive. I was burnt from the toner as she tested it on my skin last week! So I dont know whats going on. Having sensitive skin is sooooo difficult. Breakout wise, 2 bumps. Nothing major, but they are there. Let's see how it will go on Saturday.