[PRK] My minimal skincare routine during recovery feat Kiehl's

I was told not to use any eye makeup and eye cream for a week after PRK.  I asked them what happens if my skin gets dry and if it's ok to still use face cream.  They said yes, as long as I stay away from the eye area.  The idea is to make sure that nothing gets into the eyes to prevent infections, not even water.

I knew I needed to be careful, so wanted to minimize using chemicals on my face just in case I accidentally get them in my eyes.  I skipped eye cream entirely, used only Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate at night; in the mornings I used Kiehls Acai Damage-Repairing Serum and my beloved L'oreal Dermo-Expertise UV Perfect Long Lasting UVA/UVB Protector SPF50 PA+++.  I know I know, I have been using a non-natural sunscreen but the Loreal UV Perfect is the best and I ain't going back to using Worst of 2011 - Loving Naturals Sunscreen SPF 30+!

As mentioned in [PRK] Day 1 + Cleansing Express Sebum, I wasn't able to wash my face and the Cleansing Express Sebum is a lifesaver.  I think it works well but I think my skin is a bit whack now from this minimal routine.  I am going back to my Clarisonic today and it is time to exfoliate and masks!  Skin recovery mode - on.

[PRK] Day 6

Today was my post-op follow up appointment. They removed the bandage contact lens that were put in after the surgery. The contacts are to help minimize discomfort and remained in place for 5 days. Unlike the contacts I used to wear, these contacts were comfortable, I couldn't feel them at all.

I was pretty happy earlier today before the appointment because I was starting to see street signs. But after they took out the contacts, the street signs were blurry again. @_@

They said I'm recovering normally and everything is on track. I just have to make sure I continue to put in lubricating drops every 1 - 2 hours because the cells need to stay moisturized to grow back.

Oh, I had to ask when I can get water in my eyes. I'd like to wash my own hair and not pay for hair washes anymore. They said wait till Sat, same for makeup - that is a total of 8 days of no water in eyes and no makeup. I didn't want to wait to wash my hair though, I decided to jump in the shower anyway. But I did pay extra attention to keep my eyes shut while rinsing my hair and also made sure I didn't rub my eyes.

This is the place I went to: Furlong Vision Correction in San Jose. The staff is nice. The facility is nice. They even have drinks and snacks in the waiting area for patients and their family and friends.

[PRK] Day 4

Today was probably the worst day since the surgery- I wasn't able to see for the bulk of the day; the world was blurrier than my original eye sight before the surgery without glasses, and I wasn't able to see the screen nor my phone. Surprisingly I am able too see again now before going to sleep so I thought I'd give you a quick update.

An improvement though is that my eyes felt pretty normal physically, they didn't feel sore like the previous days, and I didn't need to put in numbing drops. I think this means that my eyes are healing and now I just have to wait for the cells to grow back and then I'll be able to see!

Oh, I got my hair washed today. I'm not supposed to get water in my eyes so I haven't washed my hair by myself. I'm wondering how other people did it. I went to Imagine Salon, the same one I've been going to for months. They charged me $18 for the wash. A bit pricey but you gotta do what you have to do, right? I think I can wash normally after my follow up appointment on the 28th. Phew.

That's it for now. Good night, @_@

[PRK] Day 3

Merry Christmas! Today is the 3rd day after my PRK. The doctor was right, vision does fluctuate, I feel my vision yesterday was better. I went out for lunch today and I had a hard time keeping my eyes open even after putting in numbing drops. I think it was because of the sensitivity to light.

After I got home my eyes immediately felt better because it was dim. Now that it's night time I am feeling much better.

My vision is still a bit blurry, can't see street signs and can't read small fonts in the screen. But overall this recovery process isn't as bad as I imagined. It hasn't been painful or anything.

Can't wait for good vision. Happy holidays everyone!

[PRK] Day 2

Second day after my PRK: this morning I woke up sore eyes, probably because they were dry from the entire night. I needed to use a lot of drops. I have also been very sensitive to light, I didn't open any of the curtains and kept my sunglasses on all day and all night. I was able to watch tv, with my sunglasses on, even at night :p.

The numbing drops really help, this morning I had trouble keeping my eyes open and the drops really helped me stay functional. I am also able to see the computer screen. When I went out to get groceries I noticed my vision is ok but not as clear as wearing contacts, I thought potato was ginger haha.

Hopefully it gets better tomorrow.

[PRK] Day 1 + Cleansing Express Sebum

I had my PRK today! PRK is a laser surgery to correct refractive errors in the eyes like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It is an alternative to LASIK that people are more familiar with, it is mainly for people whose cornea tissues are not thick enough for LASIK. I can go into more details later but I can't see that well and my eyes are kind of sore so I just want to give you a quick update.


Basically, I had my surgery this afternoon, each eye took about 5 mon during the surgery. There were a lot of metal things going over my eyeballs, and the laser beams started. There were lots of bright lights and you can hear the pew pew laser sounds, and yea you can smell the burning ... At the end they put in lots and lots of cold water on my eyes to help with the swelling.

I could see pretty clearly right away, but my eyes are kind of sore and i have 4 different eye drops that I have to use, everything from antibiotics to steroids.

I came home, took a nap and now I feel better. The drops really help. With the PRK procedure, they laser directly on your eyeball, so it will take time for the cells to grow back, during which time the vision is expected to fluctuate and I think my vision will actually go down as the cells start to grow back.

They also say not to get water in the eyes, so instead of using water and soap to wash my face I'm using Mandom Cleansing Express Lotion Sebum, not sure what brand this is but I think it's some Japanese brand and I've seen it in Asian markets here. Basically it's like a toner with cleansing agents. Works pretty well :)

Will update you later on my recovery. Can't watch tv because it strains my eyes, will listen to my Steve Jobs audiobook now, good night.

[Frowns] Worst of 2011 - Loving Naturals Sunscreen SPF 30+

I don't normally write super negative reviews because I think every product has its goods and bads.... but I just don't think I've tried anything so horrible as the Loving Naturals SPF 30 Sunscreen, and I'm having a hard time thinking who would actually like it.

First of all, I bought it because I wanted a sunscreen that is natural (at least, one that isn't AS chemical) since it is something I use everyday and I should really try to minimize the amount of chemicals I put on my body.  I figured if this is meant for babies, it should be good enough for my décolleté area.

But it's not really the case...

[Fancies] Hello Kitty iPhone 4/4s Hard Case

I opened my Christmas present early - yup I ALWAYS do, I am impatient and can't stand waiting =p  One of the presents I got this year is the Hello Kitty iPhone 4 / 4s Hard Case.

I love everything about it, I think it is the BEST Hello Kitty iPhone case out there :)  The plastic is white and bright and shiny, and the coolest thing is the ear, I call the "power ear" because instead of pressing the power button, you press the ear instead!  Very cute :)

Thank you 哥哥and Stella!

[Fancies] Laura Geller Spackle - Tinted Under Make-Up Primer in Ethereal

You know I love Laura Geller, and I am adding one more to my favorites list - Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer Ethereal.  Laura is known for her under makeup primers (amongst many other products), and since I am also a fan of her Ethereal Rose Baked Powder,  I decided to give Spackle in Ethereal a try.

About Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer Ethereal:

[Sponsored] Proactiv Holiday Travel Kit + Oil Blotter Sheets

Are you racking up frequent flier miles this holiday season? You should consider the Proactiv Mini Maintenance System Travel Kits! This carry on-friendly kit contains 1oz. bottles of the famous Proactiv 3-Step System so you won't break stride on your acne treatment while on the road. And best of all, the Mini Maintenance System Travel Kits are available in all three versions of Proactiv's specially formulated solutions, so whether you have sensitive skin or require an extra-strength treatment, Proactiv has you covered while you travel :)  The Travel Kits are also really good stocking stuffers and perfect gift for those that have heard of Proactiv but have yet to try it.

If you are like me, you'd appreciate having oil blotting papers with you at all time.  I have them at work, in the living room  + bedroom + bathroom at home, and in my purses as well.  My T-zone gets shiny through the day and oil papers are my best friend.  Proactiv Oil Blotter Sheets are pocket-sized, natural-fiber blotter sheets that deliver quick on-the-go mattifying for a shine-free finish, fast!  What I love the most is the packaging, it's like those tissue paper boxes where each piece can be easily pulled out - it's much better than most that are hard to get just a single sheet out of the packaging :)

[Deals] 61% off Laser Hair Removal with Dr. Shahin Fazilat in Mountain View on Groupon

Teehee I bought the Groupon deal for Laser Hair Removal with Dr. Shahin Fazilat in Mountain View.  He seems to have pretty good reviews on Yelp.  I know laser treatments usually require 4-6 sessions and this deal is only for 3 session but I think if he's good I can continue treatment with him or maybe there will be another deal elsewhere, we'll see.

There's only 1 more day left and over 150+ deals have been purchased already. I can't wait! Hair no more! Pew pew pew!