This post is brought to you by Flawless Skin & Body Clinic.
Around the time my youngest child celebrated his first birthday in July last year, my skin started popping up whiteheads. At first, they were a smattering here and there, but within a month, they were everywhere. My cheeks looked like a cauliflower. Observe:
Nakakaiyak siya grabe. I went to a derma to have the whiteheads extracted but my skin got irritated and exploded into full blown inflammation. I had a serious case of acne! Now I've always had pimples. In fact, that's how I know my husband fell in love with the real me because when we met, all Vince saw was a pus-riddled face. I seriously don't know how he saw through that!
Anyway, so sanay na ako sa pimples, right? And kahit ganyan yung face ko, someone still fell in love with me (and married me pa!). So my face wasn't a huge deal. Then in my 30s, my face miraculously cleared up. The only times my pimples came back were the first trimesters of my three pregnancies, then my skin will return to perfection. I have never felt so confident and beautiful in my life! Iba pala talaga ang acne-free skin.
So when the pimples returned in July and worsened as my 39th birthday approached, I was really besieged by insecurity. Pangit na pangit ako sa sarili ko. Cauliflower cheeks nga, diba. Nakakaiyak. I tried to remind myself that inner beauty matters more but I felt my confidence erode talaga. So I was so happy when a Flawless clinic opened near my house. I went for a skin consultation right after my birthday in November.
Dr. Boyles, the in-house dermatologist who saw me, told me hindi naman daw cauliflower levels ang skin ko. She also promised better skin by Christmas. That's just 6 weeks, or a month-and-a-half, or around 3 facial treatments! I couldn't believe her! But it's true! By the time Christmas rolled along, my skin was so much better. Thanks to the Acne Control Advanced Facial of Flawless!
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| After 3 facials, no more cauliflower skin! Here I am at makeup-free at Flawless, ready for my facial! |
Here's the 12 Steps to Flawless Skin (a.k.a. the Acne Control Advanced Facial):
- Aromatherapy. The facial starts with three inhalations of the lavender-scented palms of your facialist. Lavender is supposed to relax you.
- Cleansing. It's a simple procedure lang. Your facialist will apply cleanser all over your face and neck and then wipe it off with moistened sponges.
- Eye treatment. Your facialist will apply an Eye-Destressing Cream all over your eye area, then cover them with moistened cotton pads.
- Lip treatment. Your facialist will apply a moisturizing lip scrub on your lips. I suggest you press your lips together and move them about to exfoliate your lips in the next step.
- Steaming. This is 15 minutes of basking under a warm steam directed at your face to open pores. If you have asthma like me, make sure to mention this to the derma and the facialist so they can make bantay sa iyo. Steam can irritate your sensitive air passages. Dr. Boyles was the one who told me this and I found this to be such a relief and a relevation. Previous spas and clinics (even high-end ones!) never warned me about this!
- Hand massage. While your face is being steamed, your hands will be wrapped in hot and dry towels. Then after they're warmed through, you get a hand massage.
- Vacuum. A quick vacuum treatment is applied all over your face. The tiny suction removes dead skin cells that are on top of your skin. It also stimulates lymphatic drainage.
- Pricking. This is the painful part. Your facialist will squeeze out with sterile instruments all your blackheads and whiteheads.
- Toner. Witch hazel toner is applied all over your face to disinfect it and to return the pH level of skin.
- Laser. Little laser zaps close and tighten pores. You'll notice your facialist will linger over the areas that were pricked most.
- Multivitamin serum. A small amount is massaged into your face to repair and nourish skin.
- Oxygenating mask. The final step is a thick and cold mask applied all over the face—even on eyes and lips! This mask solidifies in 10-15 minutes. It can get quite claustrophobic under that mask. Your facialist will give you a back massage naman at the last five minutes of the mask but sana the whole 15 minutes na lang! The mask is supposed to infuse oxygen into skin, reviving dull, tired skin and giving it a glow. The cold mask also calms down inflammation so you don't look namamaga after your facial.
That's it! This can take a while so prepare to set aside an hour-and-a-half to two hours of your day. This is me after the pricking. Medyo maga pa my cheeks but after the chilly Oxygenating Mask, the redness will calm down.
My tips for the best Flawless experience:
- Don't wash your face for at least 6 hours after the facial. Your wounds from the pricking, tiny they may be, need to be completely dry before you can wash your face again. Water from the tap has bacteria which can infect your fresh-from-the-clinic skin. If you get a facial at night, pwedeng tuloy-tuloy ka na matulog. If you do it naman first thing in your day, don't put on makeup after. In fact, don't touch your face at all.
- Set an appointment with the dermatologist. The consultation is free! Might as well get a professional opinion on your skin's condition, diba? She can diagnose what your real problem is, suggest the proper treatment, and give you other skincare tips. Plus, the derma will oversee your facial pa.
- Dress warmly. Maybe I'm lamigin lang but the clinic gets chilly. I guess kasi nakahiga ako ng two hours so giniginaw na ako after a while. There's a blanket naman but best to bring a jacket or a cardigan, and don't wear shorts.
I still have acne marks—dark spots and ice-pick scars—but now that the pimples have calmed down, we can now think of other treatments to address the scars and pigmentation. I'm so excited! I'm going to be flawless soon!
The Flawless Acne Control Advanced Facial is just P980. So thorough but so affordable! And most important of all, so effective. Visit any Flawless clinic near you and have your skin checked now!
I'm so happy I chose Flawless to take care of my skin. For more promos and information, visit the Flawless website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram (@myflawless).
UPDATE HERE!
Nagstop na po ba yung pagtubo nga cne after ng 3 sessions?
ReplyDeleteYes, pero may kasamang treatment at home rin kasi, and dapat every two weeks talaga ang pagpunta.
DeleteD'you still have the scar? Visible parin ba mga scars mo or hindi na?
ReplyDeleteYes. My scars are deep so the Flawless dermatologist says I need to do Fraxel treament na, pero wala pa akong pera for that. Kapag may funds na, I will definitely do that =)
DeleteMagkano po yung fraxel treatment and sa flawless din po ba yun gagawin? thanks po
DeleteAround P4,000 each session, if I remember right. It will also depend on the condition of your skin. May kamahalan. Although compared with other skin clinics, okay na the price of Flawless.
DeleteHello Po. Ask ko lang, Ilang sessions po kayo with the treatment and how many days interval between sessions po? Also you spent 980 pesos talaga for each session?
ReplyDeleteYes, P980 lang talaga. This was last year, though, so baka nagtaas na sila ng presyo. Please check na lang at your nearest Flawless clinic. As for ilang sessions, mga 5 sessions lang. After that, okay na face ko and hindi na muna ako bumalik. But dapat every month man lang may cleaning ako =)
Delete980 padin po sya. kakapunta ko lang kahapon :-)
DeleteSalamat sa sagot! Yes, P980 pa rin! =)
DeleteHello po, Ask ko lang, How many days or weeks between sessions po? And may rine-recommend bang product sila that you should take home po?
ReplyDeleteWhen I started, it was every 2 weeks. After the third session, my derma said pwede nang every 3-4 weeks kasi nag-improve na skin ko. It will depend on your skin and how well you're responding to the treatment.
DeleteMay home treatment din—soap, antibacterial lotion, and a retinol cream. And sunscreen.
sa flawless din po gagawin yung fraxel treatment?
ReplyDeleteYes. Ask the in-house derma first if you need one. Ang mahal din kasi and baka hindi mo naman pala kailangan. Baka kaya naman ng peels yung skin mo.
DeleteHi, ask ko lang how much po ung nagastos mo for the home treatment. I think ung 980 is ung session lang
ReplyDeleteYes, the products are affordable. I forget the total kasi now yung antibacterial lotion na lang ang gamit ko, which is P650.
DeleteSorry sa super late reply!
I found my review of the at-home treatment products!
Deletehttp://www.topazhorizon.com/2016/01/review-anti-acne-facial-products.html
Hi! Natanggal na po ba acne marks nyo? Ano po kaya suggestion ng in-house derma for removing acne marks? thankyou
ReplyDeleteHindi pa kasi hindi ako bumalik for the Fraxel. I'm scared haha. But maybe this year, I'll try it.
DeleteHi just want to ask the products you used at home if you bought tgemA from Flawless.And how much lapolahat. Been eyeing flawless in eastwood cybermall lately.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the total kasi now ang gamit ko na lang is the antibacterial lotion which is P650 a bottle. Plus, your doctor will recommend the proper products for you so baka mas mahal or mas mura ang sa iyo. Good luck!
DeleteI found my review of the at-home treatment products!
Deletehttp://www.topazhorizon.com/2016/01/review-anti-acne-facial-products.html
Hi.. I am planning to get a treatment for my acne. But I'm afraid that there will be a peeling after 7 days. Did you experienced peeling? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNone! If you only get a facial, no peeling agents will be applied on your face. If the derma says you need a peel, they'll usually prescribe a glycolic or a salicylic one, which is a gentle peel. You won't even see anything, yung tipong naaagnas na akin. Parang libag lang when you wash your face. Again, the derma may not even prescribe a peel. Don't worry about it!
DeleteHi! Ako po nagtry po ko ng Advanced Anti Acne Facial nila kahapon. Tapos ni recommend po ng derma na isabay na din yung salisylic peel kasi baka daw magbreak out ako kung facial lang. Pero I purchased din po yung acne kit nila. Nagbreak out po ba kayo kahit walang peeling agent?
ReplyDeleteNirerecommend din saakin yung salicylic peel pero wala akong budget nun kaya facial at mga gamot lang inavail ko. Paano yung process nung salicylic peel? May kasama na ba na pricking doon? Tapos anong nangyari sa mukha mo pagkatapos mong magsalicylic peel? Nagbalat ba or namula?
DeleteThank you po sa review! Ako po nag-try ako kahapon ng Advanced Anti Acne Facial nila at I purchased yung Acne kit at yung toner nila. Nirecommend po ni Doc na dapat daw maglagay mg peeling agent kasi baka daw magbreak out ako kung facial lang, so I tried. Kayo po ba nagbreak out po ba kayo without the peeling agent?
ReplyDeleteHello. Yung 960 pesos po ba per session po iyon?
ReplyDeleteHi. Meron na bang incident na na-allergy yung customer dahil sa mga pinapahid sa face? I really want to try their facial treatment but a bit scrared since Im very allergic talaga sa mga pinapahid sa face. Thank you in advance.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, you'll need to tell them everything you're allergic to para alam nila kung pwede yung mga products nila sa iyo. Bring a list of what products you've tried na nag-break out yung face mo. Also what food and medicines you're allergic to. Dapat sabihin mo lahat para safe. Good luck!
DeleteHi Frances! Thanks for your review. I now know where to go for my facial. Like you, I have cauliflower-like whiteheads too (pero super konti lang naman) but I do need a facial after giving birth for 2 consecutive years (whoa! :) )My question is, would you happen to know if is it safe to use their serum, toner, mask, etc if you're a lactating mom? I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 8-month old daughter kasi. TIA! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Rhamara! Congratulations on your new baby! I suggest a facial nga if only to find a place to lie down and have time for yourself =) As for their products, I was breastfeeding when I underwent all my treatments. Okay naman yung anak ko. Wala naman nangyari sa kanya haha But you may want to talk to the derma anyway just to allay your fears. Good luck and enjoy your facial!!!
DeleteThanks, Frances! I definitely need a "me-time" paminsan-minsan :) Being a mom is no joke! We both know that :D Anyway, thanks again, Frances!
ReplyDeleteHello po ate what included po sa flawless products set??? ang their uses???
ReplyDeletegusto ko rin po kc magpafacial,
thank you
I could really see changes in your skin and could tell that the treatment sits well with you. Positive changes from acne scars treatments does help in continuing with the procedure as this is quite the investment.
ReplyDelete