The seating arrangement finalized, our Spanish tile favors stamped, the only thing I hadn’t tended to for my wedding in San Juan? My skin. And when I finally ran smack dab into a mirror, about 9 days before my wedding, I really feared it was too late for such a big intervention.
I've struggled with acne and scarring nearly my entire life and slathered everything short of Accutane to keep it in check. (I did fill out paperwork and get the initial blood test, but the oversized booklet stamped with bright red warning symbols on nearly each page can truly put off an adventurous gal, even during desperate times.)
Enter over-the-counter and prescription potions, light therapy, photodynamic treatments, CO2 ablative lasers, spironolactone. Sure, weaning off spironolactone two months before the wedding (we want to start trying for kids soon) was probably a decision to file under "nah, wouldn't do that again." For years the side effects had my extremities frostbitten from low blood pressure and I was tired of feeling dizzy and blurry every time I would stand up too quickly.
More: Dermatologist tips to keep Halloween from effing up your hair and skin
You can probably imagine that growing up as a teen wasn’t exactly easy. My skin was the fodder of schoolyard bullies. It was the first and only thing they could — and would — see, and the fixation doubly warped my own sense of self-confidence for years to come. Quite unfortunately the dermatologists I consulted with did nothing to alleviate the physical and emotional damage being inflicted every time a new blemish came to the surface.
Surely if I could live my life over again I’d become a dermatologist myself. While the overhead of medical school time and bills is certainly daunting, years ago I instead dove right into the world of beauty reporting. I’ve since partitioned my face into quadrants in order to test as many products as possible. Vitamin C serums, more please. Any overnight cream with slick silicone, absolutely not! If a product worked for my skin, let's agree that we can pretty much green-light it for 90% of the population. My bad skin gave me a reporting edge. Too bad wedding planning, work and my personal responsibilities had me failing to heed my own advice of sticking to a sound regimen and consulting with a dermatologist on a more routine basis. That's life, huh?
I knew time wasn’t on my side, and that running around town to get several opinions wouldn't be an option. Instead I clicked over to RealSelf’s Ask a Doctor forum where I’d be able to quickly survey a landscape of suggestions from area doctors.
More: The latest lip plumping trend requires surgery
I stopped in my tracks when dermatologic surgeon Dr. Joel Schlessinger advised no medical intervention whatsoever. Yes, nothing! "While there are many products and regimens out there to help with skin issues like you mention, I am not a fan of changing things one week before a wedding.” He noted, “there simply isn't any time to pivot if things go wrong." He recommended new makeup, a mattifying moisturizer, avoiding dairy and going cold turkey on any protein supplements as they can contribute to acne.
Dr. Sejal Shah, founder of Smarter Skin Dermatology, on the other hand, recommended a vitamin C serum and hydroquinone, an at-home light device, and either an in-office Picogenesis or a Clear + Brilliant treatment. The Clear + Brilliant is affectionately referred to as “baby Fraxel” and while it doesn’t completely address dramatic concerns, it improves skin tone, texture and clarity by creating micro-injuries that jumpstart the production of collagen and calms down sebaceous glands by drying up the oil under the skin. Plus, the only downtime is a rosy pink glow for one or two hours post-procedure, I was all in! Even if makeup applied smoother on my wedding day, that would be benefit enough. While there was a bit of a pit in my stomach considering what might go wrong at this last-minute stage — maybe I should just get that mattifying moisturizer? — I made an appointment with Dr. Shah, with exactly one week to go before my wedding. Wish me luck.
More: Does insurance actually cover cosmetic surgery?
After 20-minutes of a topical numbing cream, we were ready to 'roll' - literally! The Clear + Brilliant laser is rolled over the skin, three to four passes per section. Suffering from several active cystic blemishes, acne scarring, large pores, unbalanced skin and hyperpigmentation, I must say those butterflies of dread faded to the excited at the prospect of it working out. “At the end of a week everyone feels their skin looks so much better,” Shah reassured me.
The 15-minute procedure was quickly over and I iced for an additional few. My skin was slightly flushed and for the next few hours felt warmer, as if I was sitting poolside at a Bahamas resort. Later that night I put my fingertips to the surface of my skin. It felt soft, as if I had exfoliated pretty thoroughly. The cystic blemishes were beginning to flatten! I couldn’t believe it.
As described, the second and third day in, skin begins to slough off. There is a fine-grit sandpaper feel to the surface, but it doesn't necessarily rub off on your fingers. If you looked very close — I mean, super close, you could see tiny little black dots, evidence of the lasers columns of heat that were driven into the skin. These microscopic little wounds were healing, and in the process topping off fresh collagen, giving skin a bouncy new texture. Or maybe I had some micro-swelling. Either way, I looked plump and I liked it. I reluctantly applied makeup over the rougher surface and was shocked at how good it looked — and for hours on end! The laser had temporarily slowed down my oil production and my foundation, bronzer and blush didn’t crease, move or fade. I was already feeling optimistic about the week’s end result.
Over the course of the next few days I could see that hyperpigmentation was beginning to dissolve, pores and acne scars were tighter and the overall texture was becoming more refined and even. I could apply a makeup and concealer with a lighter hand and didn’t have to pat down creased foundation lines with the gentle tap of my ring finger to smooth things back down around my smile lines and upper cheek.
Before and after Clear + Brilliant with Sejal Shah, MD.
A quick snap on wedding night!