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THE
DIARY OF A LASER FACE RESURFACING
Dear Doctor Corbin, Marnie, Corinne, Becky, Susan, Robin and
Staff,
Well, It has been exactly one month since my laser. I can't
thank you enough for all you did to help me. I am thrilled
with my results and have had no problems to speak of. Your
kindness and support meant more to me than you will ever know.
I am giving you a diary of the first 10 days of my experience.
Feel free to share it with anyone considering the laser resurfacing
procedure. Hopefully it will help them on the planning of
their future! Thank you all again!!
February
2000
This is the year I have decided to do something special for
myself I am going to have a chemical peel, to get rid of all
these acne scars I've acquired since my hormones went on a
rampage 6 months ago! I am the consummate "picker" and have
all the scars to show for it. Nobody in the family seems to
think I need this procedure, but it is something I want to
do for me. Having been a RN for the past 25 years, I know
the risks involved but am willing to take them. I have been
seeing a dermatologist for the past 5 years, but I am not
getting the results I want. Now it is time to seek out a plastic
surgeon. I know just who to pick... Dr. Fred Corbin, an extremely
talented man with the most beautiful hands I've ever seen.
I've taken care of his patients, back in the days when procedures
were done in the hospital, and I know his standards of care
are impeccable.
March 2000
I make a date for a consult to discuss a chemical peel. He
immediately tells me the advantages of having laser resurfacing,
something I've contemplated, but assumed was far beyond my
budget restrictions. No problem Ñbeing a nurse has its advantages.
Corinne offers me a discount and it's a proposition I can't
pass up! I speak with the esthetician who will get my face
"ready" for the procedure, set for April 20, 2000. I will
have a series of mini face peels, at a cost of $65-$90 per
treatment, each 1 week apart. I see dramatic improvement after
the first treatment! Maybe I won't need laser after all!
April
2000
The treatments continue, and I am seeing improvement each
week. I am starting to look on the Internet for pictures of
before and after treatments. I do NOT want to look like a
lady with the tight, stretched skin attached to the saggy
necks and old bodies. But since I run 3 miles a day, and eat
well, I think I look pretty good for a 46-year-old. I keep
telling myself that I only want to be rid of these acne scars;
any disappearance of wrinkles will just be an added benefit!
April
14, 2000
Derrell and I head off to Las Vegas for the annual police
Baker-to-Vegas Relay Race. I have to be very careful not to
get in the sun. Sunburn prior to the procedure will result
in postponement. I have my lab tests done and my EKG the week
before.... Everything looks great, and I'm all set for the
20th. I haven't told anyone but my sister, and my dad, my
daughter and my aunts. I figure my friends will just have
to guess why I look younger than they do!
April 20, 2000
The big day has arrived. I haven't slept in 2 nights, in anticipation
of the big event. A few days ago, when I went in to pay my
bill (payment is required in advance) I had the opportunity
to see a 62 year old woman who had had the procedure done
14 days prior. I don't know if that was a good thing or a
bad thing... She looked like a lobster fresh out of the pot,
and yet she seemed pleased with the outcome. I almost went
out screaming into the night, and yet, during my career, I've
seen far worse! I just couldn't imagine anyone wanting to
burn off layers of their skin voluntarily! On the other hand,
if I hadn't seen her, I may have been shocked at how bad I
was going to look. She seemed very proud of herself, so I
showed the appropriate admiration. The morning of the surgery,
I was up and showered and ready to go at 6 AM, although my
appointment wasn't scheduled until 7:30. Derrell and I arrived
at the office, and I began signing all the usual consents.
I met with Becky, the OR tech, and Marnie the RN who would
be with me throughout the procedure. I had met with them previously
and we seemed to have a rapport that is unique to this office....
Everyone who works there is dedicated, professional and genuinely
interested in his or her patient's best interest. In a few
minutes, Dr. Payne, the anesthesiologist, came in to take
a history and answer any remaining questions. I had the utmost
confidence in him, as he had delivered my daughter Angela's
anesthesia when she had her rhinoplasty performed last August.
With all questions answered, we were ready to proceed. I walked
to the surgical suite and climbed up on the table, to await
the starting of my IV. On the first stick, with absolutely
no pain, Dr. Payne started giving me Versed, and that is the
last thing I remember until I woke up in the recovery area.
I remember having heated blankets tucked around me, but feeling
very alone. I wished my husband had been with me, as he is
always my greatest source of comfort, and has a more calming
effect on me than any type of drugs!. My face ached, but nothing
too unbearable. The next thing I knew, I was being loaded
into a wheelchair, and put into our car. I got home, and gratefully
fell into bed to sleep for the next 6 hours.
April 20, 2000 6PM
The pain has started...it's intense; much like reaching into
a hot oven and burning the top of your arm while trying to
remove a dish. I made the mistake of accepting generic pain
meds, which, as a nurse, I should have known better, but I
hadn't wanted to fight with my insurance company prior to
my surgery. To make a long story short, the night was miserable.
Derrell kept a soft washcloth soaked in ice water, which he
placed on my face and changed every 15 minutes throughout
the night. This procedure really helped not only with the
pain, but also with the potential swelling.
April
21, 9AM
Called Dr. Corbin this morning, and got a new prescription
for brand name pain medication. It has made a tremendous difference,
but- the intense burning is still a constant source of irritation.
I've also started oozing clear fluid, which I knew would occur,
but I hadn't realized just how much fluid can come out of
one face! I am in the shower letting tepid water run down
my face every 2 hours, and when I come out, I keep a towel
wrapped around my neck to catch the run- off. I am diligently
applying Silvadene cream as ordered, and doing about 4 loads
of laundry a day ... partly due to boredom, but mainly because
this cream turns everything it touches black!
April
22-25
Much of the same routine.... Can't read because my eyes are
swollen and a little blurry, can't watch TV because I'm too
antsy. My sister is flying down from San Francisco tomorrow
to try and keep me sane. I'm so active, and I miss being outside,
running, gardening, etc. The itching is really bothering me,
so I've started using the Preparation H on top of the Silvadene.
It seems to provide more relief, and I'm still using ice packs
when the itch gets intense.
April 25, 5:15PM
I've just been to Dr. Corbin's for my first check-up. He seems
very pleased with my progress, and things are getting a little
easier. I'll be rechecked in one week; until then, the regimen
will be the same.
April
26-30
My sister has gone back home, and Derrell has returned to
work. I haven't told many people about what I had done ...
I just didn't feel like it was anyone's business. Of course,
my family knows (aunts, in-laws and two very close friends)
and they have been mostly supportive. However, I get the impression
that many think I am doing this purely from a vanity perspective,
and they can't understand why anyone would put himself or
herself through this. I have been really depressed the past
couple of days.... Totally unlike me, I keep re-reading the
paragraph on the post-op paper Becky gave me, to reassure
myself that this is a normal reaction, and that my body truly
has suffered some trauma which requires time to correct. I'm
such a perfectionist, that when I feel I can't control a situation,
it makes me uncomfortable. I'm sure this will pass as I see
the results.
May
2, 2000 9AM
I have been taking daily pictures to document my progress,
and will give copies to Dr. Corbin's staff so anyone interested
will be able to see for him or herself what this procedure
entails. I was thrilled today to see that my forehead and
my eyes have stopped peeling, and the swelling is gone. The
skin is so smooth and I can't wait for the rest of my face
to look the same. I am concerned that my cheeks never sloughed
... I'm wondering if something more needs to be done, or if
it will just take, more time. I have not scratched or picked
ANYTHING, in fact, I wore white cotton gloves to bed at night
to prevent any scratching I might have done in my sleep. I
never developed the scabbing or bruising I had read about,
and my face isn't bright red like I had thought it would be.
I'm sure when I start wearing make-up again, it will be easy
to hide, but at this point, with the weather being so warm
and the UV index so high, I won't be going out of the house
anyway. Tomorrow I have my next check-up, and we will see
what happens next. My feelings right now? I'm glad I had it
done.... I pray for more patience to get through the recovery
process.
Final
Entry May 20, 2000
It has been exactly one month ago that I had my procedure.
The results are remarkable. Every scar has vanished and my
eyes look like they did 10 years ago! I am religious about
my sunscreen and wearing a hat or visor when I am working
outside. I am back to all my former activities, and I feel
more confidence in myself every time I look in the mirror.
This really was an experience, which had a happy ending. Thank
You, Dr. Corbin!
 For
more information on Rhinoplasty or nose surgery, visit Dr.
Corbin's other web site www.noseexpert.com.
For
more information on weight loss surgery, visit Dr. Corbin's
web site www.cosmeticsurgeryafterweightloss.com.
For
more information on Gynecomastia or chest surgery, visit Dr.
Corbin's web site www.gynecomastiaexpert.com.
Click here
to book your complimentary cosmetic consultation
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