Preserve Your Pretty: Non-Surgical Skin Rejuvenation, #2 : Obagi Blender and Tretinoin
It is often said that one should “Love the skin you’re in.” However, what if that skin has been damaged by years of irresponsible sun tanning in your younger years? Perhaps it also doesn’t necessarily include the effects of hyper pigmentation or the “mask of pregnancy” women may earn with childbirth. Fortunately, I love the skin I’m in enough to have tested a few products that have repaired or improved the overall health and texture of my face.
With the assistance of famed oculoplastic surgeon, Dr. Brian Biesman, we have created a five- part series, “Preserve Your Pretty: Non-Surgical Skin Rejuvenation Treatments. Dr. Biesman treats Nashville’s most recognized faces and is known as an expert in his field. Celebrity clients fly in for appointments so I trust his expertise in product and treatment recommendations.
Part two of our series will be delightfully welcomed by those afraid of needles as treatment number two is simply a combination of two creams. Obagi Blender and Obagi Tretinoin Cream (.025) are combined together to assist in reversing the signs of aging as well as improving the overall texture and appearance of your skin. The Blender is actually designed to be used with other products but is a skin lightener that effects only the pigmented brown spots while leaving unpigmented skin untouched. Tretinoin is a derivative of Vitamin A that is used to treat mild to moderate acne as well as damage caused by excessive sun exposure. It also helps will cell turnover and helps to stimulate collagen.
As a woman who lived in Florida the majority of her life and was active in water sports, I unfortunately have above average sun damaged characterized by sun spots. I spent the majority of every summer from age 14 -24 wake boarding, surfing or fishing. (You can see in the high school and college photos below that sunscreen and I were not friends.) I also have pigmentation issues left over from the mask of pregnancy that still remains a bit above my mouth. Additionally, I tend to get hormonal breakouts around my chin each month and just have felt that the overall texture of my skin seems to be a bit rough as I age.
With the use of the Blender and Tretinoin, I have noticed a vast improvement in both the pigmentation issues and the breakouts. I’ll be honest in saying at first, I didn’t see much improvement as I was expecting some sort of radical change after a week. Not until the end of week three or into week four did I really notice the change. I really didn’t have any breakouts at all and the skin that seemed a bit rougher to me definitely became smoother. The sun spots, particularly the ones by my hairline, lightened tremendously while the mask of pregnancy went completely away. I can still see some spots but they are significantly lighter. I hope with continued use, they will fade even more. Let me also add that I have very sensitive,dry skin and I’m allergic to almost everything I put on. (I’m actually writing this now with swollen eyes following an allergic reaction to eyelash glue.) I have not had any issues at all with Blender and Tretinoin with the exception of the time I doubled up on the Tretinoin on accident which caused several dry patches.
Before and After Photos:
On the left, a few days before I began Blender and Tretinoin (which when photographed, looked much worse than I thought.) On the right, three months after treatment. You can still see some of the spots but they are not nearly as noticeable. In both photos, I am only wearing moisturizer.
Who should use Obagi Blender and Tretinoin?
· Those with sun damage (also known as photo damage.)
· Those with sun spots, age spots or marks left from mask of pregnancy.
· Women with premature signs of aging (wrinkles around eyes or lips.)
· Those with mild to moderate acne or hormonal breakouts
· Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid these products.
As with everything I write about, I only promote or encourage the use of products that I have tried and that have worked for me. I am not paid to do this in any way and truthfully shy away from endorsement deals as I feel that a handful of bloggers can often lose credibility by promoting every product that they are asked to endorse. I genuinely trust in the recommendations of Dr. Biesman as these products truly have changed the overall health and appearance of my face. I am hopeful that women who may struggle with the same issues as me may find relief and improvement with the Obagi Blender and Tretinoin cream.
Dr. Biesman is offering 10% off products and shipping if you’d like to place an order through his office. The Blender is $103 and the Tretinoin .025 is $84 before the discount. Additionally, if you’re looking for a great moisturizer, try Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore moisturizer. While there is a lot of scientific jargon to explain why this works, in “mom terms,” this helps with laxity, fine lines, pore appearance, skin tone and radiance. Dr. Biesman’s nurse, Tammy, said, “This is a great overall moisturizer that plumps up the skin.” These three products have become my new trifecta of skin care. If you’re interested in trying this, call Dr. Biesman’s office at (615) 329 -1110 and mention my name for the discount and shipping.
If you’re going to buy Obagi Blender and Tretinoin, you might as well get the third product that Dr. Biesman recommends as well.