On my latest visit to Los Angeles, I couldn’t help but notice my friend, Amber, raving about a chemical peel she had experienced. Her skin always looks youthful and glow-y so I was captivated. At the same time, I was a little bit deflated, surely this peel it was only available in larger cities. I contacted the company that developed the peel – Vitality Institute Medical Products. After some research from the folks at VI Medical, we were able to track down a provider in my hometown (check here for providers in your area).

Needless to say I was thrilled. The peel has the total package of benefits: it helps reverse sun damage, minimizes fine lines, evens out skin tone, reduces acne scarring, and more. In just seven days, I was going to achieve what takes months of persistent and consistent skin care (if you are lucky).

On a Tuesday I checked into a “medical spa” like location for what was a very quick appointment. I was pretty nervous since I had never had lasers, peels, injections performed on my face. I’m an old pro at laser hair removal, but we are talking about the face here. Turns out that I had nothing to be worried about.

The medical-grade, chemical peel had zero pain. It was slightly stingy, but that was it. A little fan helped clear the air of a chemical scent. I was out of there in less than 30 minutes. Most surprisingly, I looked totally normal. I was out and about the rest of the day with what kind of looked like an embarrassed flush (if that).

You are sent home with an arsenal of follow up products. For two nights, you apply an additional peel. I’ll be honest this did sting. But it was worth it. After a couple ibuprofen and turning on the fan, I was asleep in no time. The second night of the peel is a little more intense, but same deal. So far, I was just red – presentable, but red.

On the third day, the peeling began. A very thin layer of my skin was shed from my entire face. It didn’t hurt, but I am sure I wasn’t very pretty to look at. After about 36 hours of what looked like the results of terrible sunburn, I was in for a treat.

After all that information, you probably would like to ask me “Was it worth it?” – A resounding, loud and emphatic yes. Even my dad continues to compliment me on my even skin tone. My main issues were sun damage and hyperpigmentation and I saw dramatic results. I have dry and somewhat sensitive skin and my experience was normal and manageable. You can continue to do these peels 3 to 4 times a year. I can see myself making this part of my routine. This is also a fabulous way to treat acne.

Jo Dee at Tulsa Surgical Arts performed my peel. She was knowledgeable, sweet and put up with my plethora of questions. She was even available for calls and text messages the whole week with any other questions or concerns. I highly recommend them if you are in the area.