I've suffered from acne since I was 16 years old, and I have tried almost everything out there--topicals, proactiv, and even accutane. (I've actually been on accutane twice!) With the use of these, my acne would improve, but my skin would always be dry, red, and peeling--I was so self conscious of my skin. And as soon as I stopped these regimens, I would always start breaking out all over again. Finally, one year ago, my sister took me to Christine Chin Spa. My sister had told Christine my years of struggling with acne, and how depressed I was getting because nothing seemed to work.
Christine was absolutely amazing, and she was so sweet! My very first appointment, she told me that she was going to get my skin back to normal--better than normal, and she asked me to trust her. She was very honest and told me it was going to be painful, it would take some time, and that it was going to have to be a joint effort. She spent a good 2 and a half hours on my face extracting every single area of my face and concentrating on all my pores. It was painful, and I was red, swollen, and scaly for the next 4 days, but I kid you not, after the 4 days of recovering had passed, I saw an amazing improvement on my skin.
For two months, I went to her once every 2 weeks, and my skin was glowing! I wasn't breaking out, and even if I did, it was no longer cystic acne, just very small bumps. Since I had to go back to school, I started going to her once a month and stayed on the skin regimen she gave me (her products, which are affordable than what I used to use!) and my skin has been constantly improving.
Christine Chin is truly amazing. Not only does she extract and remove active acne, but she also takes the time to remove old scar tissue so that your scars fade and you do not have bumps. My skin has gotten even, and I no longer have bumpy skin! She even has the ability to take out dark freckles in one session--my dermatologist told me I would have to get laser surgery to remove my freckle, but Christine took it out in one appointment!
Yes, Christine Chin is a stickler for time, but I don't think it should be a problem for people who are really committed to seeing improvement in their skin. All she asks is that you call 24 hours in advance if you can't make your appointment, and she asks you to be on time. Meeting these rules should not be difficult for anyone who is committed to seeing improvement in their skin.
Her staff is also incredibly friendly. The two girls who work the front desk are always amiable and Christine Chin is actually very funny once you start speaking with her. And most importantly, I respect her so much because she really CARES about my skin. Overall, she really is the best in skincare--she's not some dermatologist who just wants to kill all your acne and doesn't care about the chemical damage it can do to your skin, and she's also not one of those luxury spa facialists who pampers your skin with layers of thick creams--she's someone who really KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS skin and is very practical in her approach to skincare.
Most importantly, for those people who are struggling with acne and are considering giving Christine a try--YES, it is painful and you will look red, scaly, and swollen after a facial..but please give it 4-5 days before you cross her out. Also, it is a JOINT effort on the customer and Christine--yes, she will give you a facial and work her magic..but you also have to be responsible and help MAINTAIN your skin with the products she recommends and stay on that regimen (i.e. take off your makeup every night before going to bed). For those people who have suffered with severe acne, I really do recommend you all give her a try. She is the best! :)
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