Nov 13, 2021
Dear Diary,
I think my last two treatments could be referred to as big guns! Both required comfort meds and both required some post-procedure healing time. The first one was thermage, which I had on Saturday, Nov 6th with Rowena. She gave me some comfort meds and applied topical anesthetic to my face, then left me to get settled on the cozy, comfy procedure table while the meds took effect. I must admit I almost fell asleep! It was very quiet with some peaceful music playing in the background – I really zenned out. The thermage itself took about an hour and wasn’t too bad. There were some sharper “zaps” on some of the more sensitive areas of my face, but all in all it was quite tolerable (hooray for comfort meds!). The next day I woke up with some red spots and small blisters on my cheeks and neck, which I had been warned was possible. They didn’t hurt, but they did look a bit unsightly. My COVID mask came to the rescue again and covered up the red bumps. Considering the next treatment, maybe thermage is actually a medium gun…
On Friday, Nov 12th I had a micro-laser peel with Michelle. I had been given my comfort meds to take at home, which I did about ½ hour before my treatment and I also applied some of the topical anesthetic to my face. I must have done a good job, because when my ride arrived I could barely feel my lips. I felt like the Weeknd, you know, “I can’t feel my face…” When I arrived, Michelle got me prepped for the treatment and put metal contact lenses in my eyes to protect them from the laser. Then she did each section of my face in a systematic manner. Michelle was very good about telling me which area she was going to do next and warned me of the particularly “sparky” areas. This treatment was definitely a step up from the thermage on the “invasiveness” scale - definitely a BIG gun. The laser essentially burns off the superficial layers of the skin, including any dark spots, and I could actually smell my flesh burning! The treatment took just over an hour then I took a cab home to sleep off the meds. I was instructed to do vinegar soaks 3 to 4 times a day, followed by a special healing balm, and also to use pain meds and antihistamines as necessary. I don’t think I was quite prepared for the face that greeted me in the mirror the next morning! My whole face was very red and so swollen around my eyes that I could barely see. Too bad Halloween is already past, since this face would most certainly scare the kiddies!! Not even my COVID mask could cover this treatment. Luckily I have the weekend and a couple more days off work to let things settle down. I’m excited to see the results!
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