If you read my blog about my first session using this device here session 1 then you may have wondered if I was still alive, or at least still had skin attached to my face. The answer is yes I am alive and up until about an hour ago my skin had gone back to it’s usual white/pale/pasty self. It took approx 24 hours to do so.
I had only used the laser for a matter of minutes but I did notice a couple of small side effects, my face looked a bit puffy and was quite itchy. It was 50/50 between readers/tweeters thinking I should give up using the machine or carry on and tell them the results. I did debate whether or not to give up but after speaking to some people who had used the device and hearing from the people who sent it to me I did come across one overall thought. What happened to me was completely normal for this machine. Now I really think that the manual that came with this device ridiculously understates the amount of side effects you can get, obviously some people will get hardly any side effects, but it doesn’t seem to mention that white people have a thinner epidermis (which we do) so all I am thinking is that because I am so soo pale my epidermis is very thin and therefore it was much more painful. I also think they need to include some further information so I have included it here:
Extras to the kit you will need to get or do
- A hairband – if any hair touches your face when it is red and raw it stings like a biatch
- Put your gels and creams in the freezer
- Buy some aloe vera gel and put that in the freezer
- Get a packet of cheap flannels from the supermarket, wet them and put THEM in the freezer too – in a freezer bag obviously. You might have to take the food out you’ve got so much beauty stuff in there.
- A water spritzer, NOT a toner – anything with alcohol sprayed onto you skin at this point and you will be on the ceiling in pain. Oh yea and put that in the fridge, a frozen spray bottle is no help at all.
- Some super thick moisturiser and some serum OR what I am going to try and get tomorrow is some Chiroxy cream, this is an oxygenating cream they gave me to use after my dermaroller treatment and people use after cosmetic surgery and alpha beta peels etc. it is the bomb, you can probably even keep that in the fridge. You can buy it here on sale for just £15.99 so I might actually order some now and no I am not affiliated with them at all http://www.facethefuture.co.uk/shop/aestheticare/more-aestheticare/chiroxy-oxygenating-skin-cream/prod_83.html
In case you didn’t catch my drift – keep stuff as cold as possible, your face will be on fire. If you have a walk in freezer, hell just get in there yourself.
How did the treatment go?
After today’s treatment
After my first rather disastrous attempt I was advised to use level 1 for 2 weeks before moving on to level 2 therefore meaning I would have to do a 10 week programme rather than an 8 week programme. Now mulling this over in my head the only think I could possibly think of that would be worse than doing this for 8 weeks would be to do it for 10 weeks! So sod that I just decided to go for level 2 and do as much as I could. I am going to be going on holiday in 12 weeks so I am hoping that having 4 weeks after the final treatment it will be somewhat back to normal.
I managed to do a full session until the sound went on my forehead and then I did another session on both cheeks – it should be one session per cheek/side of face but as I say, I did the best I could. I spent about 20 minutes doing my face overall so a big improvement from last time. After I finished my forehead I applied a very cold (but not too wet so it didn’t drip) flannel to my forehead while I did the cheeks, I think this helped me get through that bit and be able to finish as it was so nice and cooling. I would recommend doing this.
After I was done I used each cold flannel as a compress on my face until it was hot. Once I had used all 3 I rinsed my face under the cold tap so the gel came off and then applied a really thick layer of the aftercare cream from the freezer. Since then I have been spritzing myself with the super cold water spray.
So far my skin feels really numb and quite itchy. At the moment it isn’t as painful by far as the first time although there is still pain and soreness. It feels like my face is grazed if that makes sense? It’s very red.
I shall continue to update each time I do a treatment. Next one is due on Sunday. Let me know if you have any questions.