5 replies to this topic

[california_dreamer]

before i begin my rant, i want to let you all know that i am fully aware that smoking and hiking in the sun are a BAD idea when you've just had a medium-depth chemical peel.
that being said, i want to share my story.
i had a hetter peel and dermabrasion on my face to treat acne scars last march.
after the peel, i stayed inside for 2 weeks, but i smoked. i couldn't quit. i stopped smoking for about a week post-peel, and then i started smoking 7-8 cigarettes per day.
i also went for a few hikes in the summer sunshine, which i regret, because i think this is what made my skin look permanently sunburned.

my skin looked fine for about 6 months post-peel.
but now? it looks terrible.
i have fine wrinkles on my left cheek, jaw, and chin. my nose is red. all of my skin is kind of sallow, and i can tell that this peel caused mild scarring all over my face. when i go in the sun now, my skin starts to hurt and it feels like it's going to melt off.

i wish someone had stressed the importance of a)avoiding sunlight, and b)not smoking to me, during one of my many appointments with the plastic surgeon in portland, oregon. i was told to avoid smoking and sun exposure, but i was not told that i might have permanent scarring if i failed to do so. my skin looked 'normal' albeit slightly red about a week post-peel, and the doctor said everything was healing up 'wonderfully' at my follow-up.

i thought i'd share my story so that people know what can happen when you don't take care of your skin post-peel. i thought it wouldn't make too much of a difference because i was only 20, but i was wrong.

Edited by california_dreamer, 22 April 2012 - 04:27 PM.

[Zante]

Thanks for posting this, it's good to share this sort of information.

Do you have any before/after photos?

[*Can*I*Live*]

an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. i wish people would have warned me about alot of shit. If anything this should stress the importance of doing 100% research and asking a ton of questions. thanx for sharing.

[LoveGreenSmoothies]

Did you have dermabrasion or microdermabrasion? Dermabrasion is a lengthy recovery period where your skin takes about a week to grow back and there's bleeding and oozing.

[Syn1122]

after laser or cosmetic surgery should always stay out of the sun for at lease 4 months from what ive been told the sun will dry the healing process and locking it in place
if your scars havent heal properly , ;( or if your skin made an inferor copy of its self which leads to scaring.

[LoveGreenSmoothies]

I had never heard of the hetter peel so I looked it up and it's one serious peel. It's a step down from A phenol peel. This type of peel likely causes risk of scarring and PIH. I don't think it was your fault. These deeper peels are hard to control.