I got my first chemical peel on Monday! The peel itself was only mildly uncomfortable. My aesthetician was amazing, she's a friend of a friend. She did what felt like a TON of extractions. She even put some mineral powder over the layers of balms and sunscreen that she put on my face post-peel so I could go back to work. Here's how the last couple of days have gone:

• Monday, woke up and my skin was glowy probably from having been relaxing and camping all weekend.
• Monday afternoon, post-peel, my face was still glowy but a little inflamed in areas where I normally break out, and in areas where she did extractions (she did sooo many extractions!)
• The night of the peel, my skin felt a little tight and very slightly itchy but mostly normal. I bought Cetaphil face wash to use for the few days following the peel when I couldn't use my prescription products. At night, I began this regimen that she gave me for 3-5 days post-peel:

1. Washed with Cetaphil
2. Used rebalance lotion and soothing balm from my aesthetician.

• Morning of first day post-peel: I noticed I was itching overnight around my jaw. I did the regimen above and used extra soothing balm (soothing balm has hydrocortisone in it)
• Day 1 after the peel my skin still felt a little itchy, but I noticed it looked a lot less congested. She popped three pimples and they started healing pretty rapidly.
• Night 1: Same regimen as above. Resisted urge to touch face and went to bed.
• Day 2: No peeling yet. Still mild itching. Same regimen as above for the morning. I kept the soothing balm nearby at work and had to use it a few times around my jaw line.
• Night 2: I noticed the areas to the sides of my eyes looked like they were about to break out. I am also getting a big fat underground painful thing on my forehead near my hairline. *panic* I texted my aesthetician (as I said, she's my friend's best friend), who said I could use my Sulfacleanse face wash and Aczone topical spot treatment. She said in the morning I can continue my Mario Basedcu products and, if I'm not peeling tomorrow night, I can continue Tazorac.
• Day 3: The emergency flare up situation on the sides of my eyes seems to have subsided, thank goodness. I used Mario Basescu buffering lotion and Aczone this morning, which seemed to initiate some peeling. Then I followed with the rebalance lotion and soothing balm.

That's it so far! I am only peeling a very little bit around my mouth and smile lines, and in some areas around my hyperpigmented scars. She said even if I don't peel, I am still benefiting from the chemical peel.

Per my dermatologist's recommendations, I switched to Cetaphil 30 SPF sunscreen which is formulated for acne-prone skin, and I use it every morning. Sometimes I re-apply midday. I like it so far, it feels very light weight.

I'll post another update in a couple of days. Happy Thursday!

It has been 16 days since my chemical peel. Here's a rundown of events:

• Initially my skin didn't look much different. Then after the emergency flare up above, I started using my products again which initiated some peeling. I peeled for about 3 days.
• The next week (1 week after my peel/1 week ago from today) I had only ONE (1!!!) cyst that was healing and no others. I was so excited and thought I had been cured.
• This lasted for 48 blissful hours
• Now (about a week after that) I have one huge cyst in the middle of my right cheek, one that was big but calmed down on my forehead and a smaller one underneath that one. I also have a pretty big (recurring) one on my chin and a slightly smaller one next to it. Total: 5. FIVE. WTF.
• Last night I was crying and seriously considered calling out of work today or seeing if I could work from home. Alas, I am at work right now. I wore makeup today.

I have a checkup with my dermatologist next Thursday.

This is a constant struggle. My boyfriend wants to take me out for dinner tonight but I just want to hibernate.

This is my current regimen:

• Morning: Shower and use Sulfacleanse in the shower on my face, shoulders, chest and back.
• Morning: Use Aczone on my face and extra on spots to spot treat
• Morning: Sometimes use Mario Badescu buffering lotion
• Morning: Moisturize with Cetaphil SPF 30 moisturizer formulated for acne-prone skin
• Morning: Take probiotic before eating anything. Take 2 garlic pills, 1 MSM pill after breakfast
• Mid Day: Take Beta Carotene, 2 garlic pills and 1 MSM pill with lunch
• Night: Wash face with PanOxyl 4%; sometimes use spin brush
• Night: Use Aczone on my face and extra spots to spot treat
• Night: Sometimes use Mario Badescu buffering lotion
• Night: Every other night use Tazorac on face, especially on scars
• Night: Use PCA Skin ReBalance Moisturizer
• Night: Take 1 MSM pill and 1 allergy pill before bed.

I'm still out of oregano oil and olive leaf and have been for about a month. Maybe that's why I'm breaking out.

I had a checkup with the derm yesterday and he prescribed Solodyn Antibiotics - Minocycline HCI, USP Extended Release Tablets) 55mg.

They also injected most of my new cysts and one old one. (I got 2 new really painful cysts the other day!! Why??)

Two of the injected cysts are almost flat today, a few others are still inflamed. I sprouted a huge one literally only 5 hours after my appointment yesterday and I was so mad!!

How is the tazorac working out for you so far??