Humans by nature are obsessed with looking young. It's no wonder, with newsstands everywhere selling magazines full of "how-to" beauty tips: the photofacial, the vbeam laser, the vpluse dye laser….all guaranteed to provide the desired results.
Cathy Bennett
I've been very fortunate: I was blessed with nearly flawless skin. But just months after I turned 35, it took a turn-around -- and not by nature!
I went to a local dermatologist office seeking information on the ever-popular photo facial and was told I'd be a great candidate for the procedure because I didn't have any broken capillaries on my face.
It was summertime, so I had to wait until I was out of the sun to come. Meanwhile, they gave me a primer that I was to use to achieve "the desired condition" for my skin until then.
It was a sample of a product by Skinceuticals, Topical Vitamin C Serum 20. There would be some stinging, they said, but that just meant the product was working.
The next day I woke up to a new, frightening face. "This can't be happening!" I thought.
I returned to the facility, only to be dismissed by the same young lady I met with earlier. She said I had no proof of anything -- I took no photographs before using the product.
A doctor on staff said I had sun damage. I explained that I never had this kind of issue before using the product.
He referred me to another doctor.
Meanwhile, I contacted the manufacturer and was told I should have never been give a serum 20. I should have started off with a serum 10, with a spot test for sensitivity.
Back I went to the posh facility, determined to have the staff there take responsibility for the situation. I used the doctor's emergency number, and had my call returned by an assistant who rudely put me off.
It took only one day for the face I'd lived with for 35 years to be gone, and I was left to figure out what to do on my own.
So I went to Duke Medical Center and spoke with the head of laser surgery. The Vitamin C was most likely the cause he said; it produces these kinds of results.
His prescription including waiting three months before doing anything. At the point, he said, it was possible my body would absorb the capillaries -- essentially healing itself.
If not, he said, he'd laser them.
Well I can tell you the 3 months seemed like an eternity. I also got a second opinion from a plastic surgeon who is a former Duke employee. She had done some surgery on a family member and they were quite pleased. She agreed there would be no laser until we were certain that it would not go away on its own.
Ten months later, I opted for her to treat me.
In one visit, all of the spidery veins on the right side of my right cheek were gone. It took a combo of zaps targeting the capillaries at various settings to keep my natural pigmentation, all for only $150.
I noticed a couple more spots -- tiny little things here and there -- so I went back to her for a 2nd treatment. Grand results again!
Now I was addicted, looking to fix things I never noticed before. One day, after setting an appointment for myself as a Christmas present, my gut told me to pick up the phone and cancel. But I didn't.
All I got for Christmas that year were two perfect holes in my face! Apparently, the doctor turned setting up too high, like she was cranking up the amp in a rock band.
I still have two little scars from that day.
I also have this advice for you: We all have different skin textures and qualities. What works for one may not work for another. So be safe, especially with aggressive treatments.
Ask questions. Check credentials. Get a list from the doctor's office itself of people who've had the same procedure, so you can speak with them about their experience.
Most importantly: Pay attention to any product you put on your skin. Did you know that every beauty product has a shelf life, and that when they get old they actually break down?
This is particularly true with any type of acid. Same with retinol, a great product that can thin the skin and, over a period of time, expose capillaries.
So be armed: Have that list of concerns in hand BEFORE you visit the professionals. After all, it's your money, your life -- your face! Things move quickly in doctor's offices. Mistakes are possible. So slow down the pace.
And if you have a line or two you've been looking at lately, leave 'em there. You've earned them.
