Belo Medical Clinic visit, Obagi and hydroquinone

I am far from having a flawless face. I've been faithfully applying sunscreen every day of my life since my early 20's, but for various genetic and hormonal reasons, I've had long, painful bouts of acne since that time as well. (And no, the two are not connected.) There was a period of a few years in the late '90s when my face was calm, but it was mostly because of the birth control pill I was taking at the time.

Anyway, I have some minor acne scarring on my face as well as a few small moles called seborrheic keratosis. Depending on the weather and time of day, my face can be oily or combination. Otherwise, my skin texture is fairly good, sometimes even quite smooth.

While I was in the Philippines a few weeks ago, I made an appointment at the Belo Medical Clinic near Makati Medical Center. The clinic has a national reputation, as it treats quite a few celebrities, so I at least knew that I wasn't going to some neighborhood doctor with questionable credentials and experience. It wasn't cheap, but it's much cheaper than what it would cost here: the office visit was about P450, or US$10. Not bad, eh?

I ended up doing a glycolic acid facial and microdermabrasion. The doctor also recommended that I try Fraxel, a type of laser treatment that targets microscopic areas of the skin (hence the term fractional laser, or Fraxel). I was wary at first, as it involved not only a topical anaesthetic to be applied an hour before the actual procedure, but also a sedative that the attendant said might compromise my thinking post-op. Uhm. No.

I ultimately chose to cancel the treatment and get my money back after my husband sent me some research indicating that it's not the magic bullet the dermatologist at the clinic claimed it was. Also, according to the good doc, ideally I should have had 4 separate treatments to remove the scars from my face, but not only did I not have the time (treatments are generally spaced 2 weeks apart, and I had only two weeks total in the country), I also didn't want to spend the money. (Each treatment was going to be about P17,000, or US$350, which is half of what it costs in the U.S. but still pretty spendy.)

I would advise anyone considering Fraxel to engage in due diligence and research the procedure carefully. It's not for everyone, and the risks can be difficult to reverse. It can definitely improve your appearance, but I'm an advocate of always knowing what you're getting into before forking over your hard-earned money.

The facial and microdermabrasion were wunnnnnerful, though. I had two sessions of each, spaced a week apart, and they left my skin positively glowing and clean. Not a blackhead or whitehead in sight. Yes, the facial was painful at times (extractions are never fun, and I had plenty of work for the aesthetician), but so worth the effort. If I lived in Manila I'd probably do it at least once a month. And they weren't that expensive, either: I think the two treatments together were about US$70, with no tip required. (It is a medical clinic, after all.) I was a little apprehensive about the microdermabrasion, as I wasn't sure if it was going to be painful or not, but it really was a bit like a wand with a sponge at the end gliding across my face. I slathered on tons of sunblock after each treatment, as I was heading out into an afternoon sun each time and didn't want my "new" face to start hyperpigmenting. The effects lasted for days, and I loved the feel of my skin. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a facial deep cleansing.

Lastly, I also bought a way-too-expensive "trial" kit of Obagi skincare products that the doctor suggested I try. I don't even want to say how much it cost, but I don't think it's worth it. The kit had a cleanser, toner, retinol treatment, eye cream, sunscreen, lightening cream, and a few other things I can't remember. Most of it consisted of Obagi products while the rest were Belo brand. I know lots of women swear by the stuff, but I just can't imagine spending hundreds of dollars every month on it, when surely there are equally good products for a fraction of the cost? So I can't really review it here, as I never did give it a good trial. Again, a lot of women love the line, but I would caution anyone who is considering going on the regimen to do so only under the supervision of their dermatologist.

By the way, note that one of the products in the Obagi line has hydroquinone, a well-known skin lightener. For more information on this potent ingredient, here's an article from Brownskin.net, a Web site devoted to skin concerns of women of color, created by Dr. Susan C. Taylor, a Philadelphia-based dermatologist. She also wrote a new book called Brown Skin: Dr. Susan Taylor's Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair and Nails, which I'll review in the coming weeks.