My Body VI Peel Experience
Jasper Harker
Why did I get a VI Peel on my back and arms?
“What are those annoying bumps? Why won’t they go away? How do I get rid of them?” These questions are racing through my head as I try on my gown two weeks before our Holiday Benefit and notice dry skin patches and little bumps on my back and upper arms. The next day I desperately consult our wonderful aesthetician Taylor.
“What are these bumps and how do I make them go away?” I plead with Taylor.
“ Those are KP. I can fix that.” she exclaims with a small reference to the hit movie Holes.
Taylor further explains what KP is. Keratosis pilaris, more wittingly termed “chicken skin,” is an overproduction of keratin in the skin that can cause painless dry patches and tiny bumps most commonly on the upper arms, legs, and buttocks. It affects 30-50% of adults and is more common in women. Despite the statistics, it had me and it had me good. Taylor continues to explain that a VI Peel, or a chemical peel, usually used to fight acne, dark spots, and uneven skin tone, can be used to minimize the appearance of KP.
~I will take it! One VI Peel please!~
What does the body VI Peel treatment feel like?
The day has come. The day for my chicken skin to grow wings and fly away/ peel away. I walk into Taylor’s room, immediately grab a piece of my favorite candy, and make myself comfy on her heated bed. Is it time for my nap yet? Taylor begins the treatment with a deep cleanse which includes a wipe down with acetone to make sure my skin is squeaky clean. She starts applying the VI Peel to my upper back and arms. The orange solution (looks like a bad self tan) has a distinctive but not awful smell and the sensation is easily comparable to the feeling of Icy Hot used on sore muscles. My skin does start to turn a little pink (I turn pink for anything) but the sensation is very tolerable. She does a few extra passes on my rougher spots and a few acne scars.
I just begin to sink into the bed to start my nap when Taylor says “All done!” Easily the quickest treatment I have ever had! I feel a little sticky but I am able to put my sweater on and get back to work! I was instructed after 4 hours to wash the peel off and start my post care. Taylor set me up with my post care products: a gentle cleanser from ZO, a topical to help the peel penetrate the skin that I applied twice a day after cleansing, and another to help if I had any itching.
Am I Peeling Yet?
I am an impatient person but Taylor had warned me that the peeling can take 3-4 days and sometimes longer when the peel is done on the body opposed to the face. I kept up with my post care and kept a close eye on the area where the peel was applied. I started to think I wouldn't peel…..
Side note: Not peeling after receiving a chemical peel is completely normal! The amount of physical peeling can vary per person depending on the amount of chemical/physical exfoliation that area receives on a regular basis. It is satisfying but amazing results can still be achieved without any peely action!
….and then, around day four post peel, I started to notice peeling at the base of my neck. I was so excited and it was SO SATISFYING. I was instructed to stop the peel topical but continue to use the anti-itch as needed. It was needed at times but the itching was not as bad as I expected! The hardest instruction to follow was DO NOT PEEL THE DEAD SKIN. The peeling looked just like when you would put glue on your skin as a kid and peel it off or like peeling after a sunburn but was not painful at all. After resisting the urge to peel, I could see my skin shining through the peeling and started to get even more excited about my results.
My Results
My peeling lasted about 4-6 days after the peeling started with a few dryer spots lingering here and there. After the peeling had completed, my skin felt SO soft to the touch. The majority of my texture on the back of my arms had disappeared and my dry patches had peeled right off. I could see an improvement in my redness and darker spots as well. The most noticeable result was how incredibly soft my skin felt. Like new skin had been waiting under there all along! This is a treatment I would definitely get again and is especially great in the winter months when I am wearing long sleeves to cover up the oh so satisfying peeling!
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