Yesterday evening, I noticed some skin peeling off my nose, and decided to help it along. One thing led to another, and I ended up exfoliating my entire face! It was a thrill, as I actually got to look decent enough to go out for New Year's Eve. At this point, I have one or two tiny whiteheads, and a few drying blood spots, but otherwise nothing terrifying apart from the markedly pink tone (down from red yesterday). And yes, I can actually comb my hair gently now, without risk of disrupting the healing process. Have a look:
The shiny appearance, as usual, is due to the moisturizer.
By the way, I tried not to pick at the dead skin, which might have caused it to bleed. Instead, I just splashed it with water, and rubbed it off with my palms and fingers. It took about half an hour, but it all came off except for a few tiny patches of skin that needed more time. If you try this on day five, do so gently. Remember that you have different skin than I do, so you may require more time. Don't force it, and end up disrupting the healing process. Sooner or later, you'll peel. After I finished, I applied a layer of moisturizer to the newly-exposed skin. It stung painfully, but nothing that a burst from the fan couldn't fix after a few minutes.
As to the preliminary results, I could hardly be more satisfied. My forehead wrinkles, which I'd had for at least 10 years, are virtually indetectable. My feather lines at the bottom sides of my eyes are gone. Generally, bumps and dents are subdued to the point of inconsequentiality. The swelling is almost gone. And this time, the camera was honest: that's my exact shade of pink. We'll see how long it takes to fade back into my normal skin tone. I'll keep the photos coming.
Don't EVER pick at the peeling skin after any type of resurfacing, it can cause scarring!
ReplyDeleteLightly washing your face with a gentle, moisturizing soap (Dove is excellent) and using your fingertips only while your face is peeling. An occlusive barrier such as Aquaphor is best used for 3-5 days (maybe longer), depending on the type procedure you had.
DL is right! I peeled prematurely by rubbing my palm against my forehead. My nose was ready, and perhaps my cheeks, but I pushed the process, which no doubt helped the acne case that appeared in later posts.
ReplyDeleteAfter washing with liquid soap, I dry my face with a clean paper towel by pressing it against my face -- not wiping it, which would disturb the healing process.