how to protect your face from the winter cold....

this article is well-timed, not so much that's in January and bloody freezing; rather i am in Vail and had Fraxel re-fine treatment last week. i am wearing factor 85 sunblock by Neutrogena, given to me by my dermatologist. i didn't even know the factor went that high...! the Fraxel treatment was primarily for scarring, but it turned out that i have horrendous sun damage - as revealed by photographs taken on the day of my appointment. you know when you see those photos in magazines etc and the woman has what looks like freckles - and the dermatologist shrieks at the awful damage as evidenced by said freckles? well, my photo was more like "where's the white stuff? everything is one huge freckle. oh shit". suffice to say my dermatologist wasted no time in giving me the paddington bear hard stare followed by a lecture in protecting my skin. the Fraxel treatment should help to significantly remove some of the damage.

as for the treatment, it hurts. quite a lot. and that's after the numbing cream has kicked in. after an hour of just hanging out waiting for the cream to work (during which time my lips went totally numb, as did my eyelids - very odd sensation), the treatment began. the laser technician did the treatment and was very professional about it all. the first few passes were fine, the cream was doing a brilliant job. by the third or fourth pass, it started to hurt. imagine hot flicks being passed over your face - hot as in hold your finger over a lighter hot. i have a very high pain threshold but still... it took a lot of deep breaths and willpower not to say rude words or speak in a high pitched voice. the worst part admittedly is the hour afterwards. despite ice packs, it freaking kills. it's like when you've burnt yourself on the oven. imagine that pain covering your entire face. for an hour at least. it's all well and good to say "just keep applying the ice packs" - what happens on the walk from their office to cab? the packs they gave me looked like breast implants. why is that woman walking down the road holding two boobs against her face??? and what do you do when the packs are no longer cold - oh hold on and ignore the pain whilst it takes them 30 mins to refreeze. thank god for 800mg motrin.

the swelling is quite something. so are the panda eyes, followed by what they call bronzing (very dark brown scaliness - gorgeous). on day three the itching starts. today i look fine, albeit a bit pink in places. i have to go back for another 4 treatments with a month inbetween. i'm not sure i can go back. then again, i am the vainest cow on the planet, so of course i will go back, what am i saying.