House of Obagi: My Obagi Blue Peel experience

It was never a secret that I used to suffer from bad acne some 4-5 yrs ago. Acne is something that I didn't encounter during my adolescent years but when it finally hit me, it seriously left me with scars that I still try to cover up to this day. I've used a lot of products, one of which is Obagi Nuderm which also helped me with my acne and some scars.

I've been visiting my derma for facial cleaning and diamond peels and been using different whitening creams for my blemishes. They have been working fine but I need something that would take off these nasty scars off my face FASTER. Call me impatient, but to eliminate the need to layer my face with anti-blemish creams would not only cut my skin-prepping by more than half, is something that I've always wanted.

Being a fan of Obagi skincare, i came across the procedure Obagi Blue Peel. So what is Obagi Blue Peel?

Obagi Blue Peel

The Obagi Blue Peel is a procedure that removes thin, surface layers of aged and damaged skin and promotes the creation of healthy new ones. The process smooths the surface of the skin, improves skin tone and color, diminish wrinkles and shrinks pore size.

Obagi Blue Peel is peformed in a doctor's office. Unlike some chemical peels, your doctor can control the peel process and the depth it reaches in the skin.

The Obagi Blue Peel is usally used in conjunction with the Obagi Nu-Derm skin care system.

The Obagi Blue Peel, if repeated over a period of time, can achieve the same result as a deeper chemical peel or a laser. Healing occurs usually in just 7-10 days.

Obagi Blue Peel is for those who have:

• sun damaged skin
• large pores
• age spots and superficial pigmentation
• wrinkles

What to expect on procedure day:

The Obagi Blue Peel procedure takes less than an hour and does not typically require sedation. Your doctor will apply the Blue Peel to your face and possibly to your neck. You'll feel a mild burning sensation that generally lasts only a few minutes. You'll likely experience a bluish tint to your skin that usually washes off in 12 to 24 hours.

Following the procedure, you'll experience light swelling. Within two to three days, your skin will begin to peel. This peeling continues over the next several days. By the seventh to tenth day, your skin should be healed.

Once your skin has completely recovered and is finished peeling, you will notice a visible improvement in your complexion. Your skin's appearance should continue to improve for the next four to six weeks, becoming firmer, clearer, smoother, healthier and more youthful looking. Your doctor will advise you on how many peels are needed to give you the desired result.

I know a lot of people suffering from all sorts of pigmentation like me are interested with the Obagi Blue Peel, but the price and the thought of being blue (literally) stop them. I've been considering this treatment for a long time already, and to be BLUE isn't something i won't turn my back from just as long as it would work.

So when I was given a chance to try this treatment from our friends of House of Obagi, I didn't think twice. I readily said yes and with the Holy Week approaching, I knew it's a good time to have it done since I won't be going out of the house that much anyway.

Last Wednesday, I braved my way to SM City North Edsa despite the heavy traffic to undergo this procedure at the House of Obagi.

House of Obagi, SM City North Edsa
Ground Floor

I had a consultation first with their in-house derma and she told that it might sting a lot and the entire healing period might take 7-10 days. I was also told that I can't wear makeup for the time being, and that I can only use a facial wash and of course, sunblock before going out. You might think I would back out, but I didn't.

I was then brought to their treatment room to be prepped:

Acetone (yes, acetone) has been applied all over my face to remove excess oils

Petroleum jelly was then applied on sensitive areas like my nostrils and lining of my mouth


so here's my bare face prior to the treatment:

I still have a lot of old and new acne scars and sun spots on the apples of my cheeks


and now we start with the procedure:

after mixing a low concentration of TCA and Obagi Blue Base, the derma started with the application of the solution to my face starting with my forehead, then my cheeks and on the rest of my face.

The Obagi Blue Peel in most cases can be done in 1-3 sessions depending on the needs and with a 3-month intervals. It's like the normal TCA peel but most people prefer Obagi Blue Peel because it decreases the risk for burns which can be quite high with TCA. It's also a lot more expensive than TCA, having a price tag of Php10,080 at the House of Obagi branches. Steep, I know...but if this would speed up my quest of getting rid of these nasty acne scars, it would still be a lot cheaper than buying those expensive whitening creams for months.

after the first layer

I was told that it might start to sting with the first application, but I didn't experience it. I was totally fine and as you can see in my pic, I was still able to goof around as Sophie takes my pictures.

'application of the 2nd layer

still no stinging!

this could be a great Facebook profile pic, don't you think?
^_^

at this point, I can no longer remember how many layers have already been applied. but i started to feel some stinging most esp on my cheeks and my forehead

an electric fan to help ease the stinging:

the solution would have to stay on my face for a good 10 minutes before taking it off. to distract me from scratching my face because of the stinging sensation, i tried to laugh it off with Sophie who patiently stayed with me inside the room the entire time

time to rinse off:

they used Obagi Foaming Gel and facial tissue to take off the bluish-green tint off my face. all along, I thought I'd be walking around looking like a Merman (siyokoy)...LOL!


after rinsing:

there are still patches of the tint left on my face. it looks weird, it's as if i've applied mud pack on my face and wasn't able to rinse it off thoroughly.

I was told not to wash my face anymore when I get home. I can start washing the next day and the derma told me not to forget using a sunblock and nothing else. no other creams, no makeup...

Sophie also had the procedure done. Both of us almost chickened out when told that it might sting so bad and there has been some instances that a client would back off during the treatment. Sophie stayed with me during the procedure and made sure that I'm okay. I honestly felt a bit guilty not being with her during her procedure because I got stuck at work and in the traffic.

Sophie and I looking a bit like Smurfettes

I initially thought of being like an AVATAR but I was told that they are way too tall and that with my height, I would resemble a smurfette more. LOL

we even had dinner together trying not to mind those "judgmental" people giving us such confused, if not sharp, looks.

2 smurfettes having dinner at Phoa

I still had a couple of more errands after my treatment, and I didn't fail in getting people's attention. LoL. I know I really looked funny walking around like I forgot to wash my face but I didn't care!

and here's how my face looked like when i got home:

there's still a lot of that bluish-green tint and some redness most esp on my cheeks

I will keep you posted with my progress until my face totally gets totally healed. It was indeed a good decision to undergo this procedure before I go for a vacation when I won't have to be going out a lot.

I know that a lot of you out there is considering this treatment, but are having second thoughts because of the price and the possible downtime that might hinder you from your usual activities. Let me help you with all of that by giving you updates daily and let's all try to prove if Obagi Blue Peel is indeed worth its price.

Thanks to our dear friends from The House of Obagi (most especially to Miss Eileen), the derma and the rest of their staff from the SM City branch who have all been helpful and made sure that I feel well taken-cared of. And of course, to dear Sophie for helping me jumpstart my way to clearer and blemish-free skin.