What is Obagi Blue Peel?
Obagi Blue Peel, a TCA-based breakthrough skin peel treatment controlled and performed only by Obagi-affiliated dermatologists. As publicized in the “Blue for a Day” billboards all over the metro, the Obagi Blue Peel promotes healthy skin for a lifetime.
The Obagi Blue Peel has no systemic toxicity, takes little time to perform and can be tolerated without sedation. It was designed to provide improvement on skin problems and excellent for skin tightening. It is suitable for all skin types on facial and non facial skin.
Recommended to those with blemish-prone skin, wrinkles, pigmentation problems, sun damage or generally poor skin quality, the Obagi Blue Peel exfoliates layers of dead skin cells and stimulates cell renewal, allowing the skin’s own clarity and tightness to resurface.
Last week ( which was Holy Week ) was just a quiet week at home for me. I just indulged myself in a staycation, as people would call it. With no plans for the weekend, and just simply staying indoors, it was the perfect time to undergo the Obagi Blue Peel, something that I’ve been pondering about for the longest time, but haven’t mustered enough guts to go for, as I’ve heard of the downtime involved – around 5 days for skin to actually peel in a macro level, and around 10 days for skin to totally heal. With last week’s blank days, I willingly visited House of Obagi to try and experience finally, the Obagi Blue Peel. After all, my skin was screaming dull, uneven, and screaming more of marks from my previous breakouts.
As per my consultation with House of Obagi’s in-house dermatologist, Dr. Julie Pineda-delos Santos, I was fit to undergo either the Obagi Blue Peel and the True Peel. Both choices would yield best results, but I was told that the main difference between the two is that the Obagi Blue Peel can be quite painful, while the True Peel is 100% painless. As for results, the Obagi Blue Peel is a deeper peel, while the True Peel offers 2/3 of the Obagi Blue Peel’s effect. Hmmm. Her telling me about the pain set me back a bit, as I got a little bit afraid. Haha! I kept on babbling endlessly to Dr. Julie trying to justifying about Blue Peel or backing out from it, that as soon as I realized it, and she realized it, she recommended me to have the Acne Cure Therapy Treatment first- to unclog my pores, while buying me time to decide which peel I should get.
The Acne Cure Therapy Facial was plain bliss, I tell you. It deserves a separate entry (soon!), but let me tell you that it thoroughly cleaned my face off impurities that have been built up for months.
Okay, as my time in heaven was up, Dr. Julie casually strolled in my room to ask if I have made up my mind. To tell you the truth, I seriously haven’t! So, I gave her my final question, which would determine my fate for that day :
Me :“Dr. , do I really need the Blue Peel?”
Dr. Julie : “Yes, because your skin is oily, your pores are big, and with that, your skin is suited for deeper peels like the Obagi Blue Peel. It’s also anti-aging, so yes you need it.”
It was all I needed to hear, and saying, “ok, let’s do it,” further sealed my fate. As for the pain, I fumbled for something in my bag that I’ve seen a few days prior – a 500mg dolfenal tablet to ease the pain, as I’ve read about anesthesia in Obagi Blue Peel as I googled it days ago. Dr. Julie says it has no use, but maybe it had some, in my psyche. Hahaha!
The Obagi Blue Peel Experience
The Obagi Blue Peel is actually an Obagi Blue Base mixed with TCA (Trichloroacetic) acid. The blue base enables the dermatologist to see the depth of the peel, and how much you need. As the blue color frosts on your skin, it would mean that the dermatologist has applied enough on that certain area, and it’s all your skin needs for resurfacing and rejuvenation. With that, your skin turns Avatar or Smurf blue in the process.
The Obagi Blue Peel involves applying four layers – and you definitely need to endure the burning sensation it gives you as you reach the third and fourth layer. For those who have really, really low pain tolerance, I would suggest against it, and seek for a relatively less painful peel. Dr. Julie used 20% concentration of TCA Acid on me, as she usually uses on almost all her patients, unless skin is really, really sensitive, which 15% can be used.
Okay, I was ready, and….there ya go!
Layer #1 and I was just experiencing a slight sting, the kind of sting that I experience whenever I have my PCA Skin Peel from my dermatologist. No reaction from me.
Layer #2 and it was still a slight sting, and with the help of two mini fans, I’m still very much okay, and not blinking. But very much talkative, diverting my attention by just chitchatting.
Layer #3 and I begin experience the burning sensation. It was still tolerable, thank God for the fans!
Layer #4 and I feel that I am experiencing a really really bad sunburn. Ouch. Dr. Julie also applied two layers on the thin layer of my undereyes, and that had a really burning feeling.
In a span of 20 minutes, the burning sensation just built up, and I think I was experiencing a really bad sunburn for around 5-6 minutes. As application was complete, I was about to wait for around 10 minutes before taking everything off. Slowly, the pain subsided, until I forgot about the pain already. Really – I love these two fans!
While I was enduring the burning sensation, I just kept thinking about softer, smoother, brighter, younger skin, with tighter pores. Ahhh. That enough is a mirage in the desert for me!
Realizing that I made it ( yes, I made it! ) the aesthetician proceeded to remove everything on my face by using the Obagi Foaming Cleanser, pretty much like removing makeup like a cold cream. After getting off most of the blue dye, they applied sunblock on me, and I was still left with a blue tint on my face. Look at me. Smurfy looking! Hahahaha!
I was also glad to have shared my afternoon with Brigitte, a really loyal Obagi user. She has used the Nu Derm System, and she has really seen her transform by using the entire set! Now, I am really being encouraged to take the plunge and see for myself what Obagi Nu Derm can do for my skin! Well, maybe not now – I would have to focus and see the effects of what the Obagi Blue Peel can do for me! She also had the Obagi Blue Peel for the day, and you can head on to her blog for her updates, too!
Imagine two smurfs ( I was about to say avatars, but Brigitte told me someone in her office told her that she didn’t qualify for one since Avatars were really tall – mean! Haha! ) walking around the mall, earning stares from people. We DID look like dirty people, or dead people with blue tint on our face. The folks over at Healthy Options were kinder, and told us, that we looked like we didn’t totally rinse off while using the Queen Julep Mint Masque ( oh how cute of them! )
As I went home, imagine the laughs I earned from my baby sisters, who were actually bugging me to make a pinky promise to watch Smurf the Movie with them at the local cinema once it’s available – they have a pre-Smurf moment right at home!
Now, I am not allowed to rinse my skin for the night, and skip using toners, or any eye creams/serums moisturizers until my skin has totally peeled. My designated buddies for the week are my Obagi Condition and Enhance Facial Wash ( but can also be the Obagi-C Facial Foam ) and my trusty sunblock – I could juggle between my Obagi Sunblock or the PCA Skin Sunblock. Well, wish me luck, and I hope to get really good results with this Blue Peel!
Updates are going to be available in a few days, as I’ve been keeping a journal about it!
A NOTE ABOUT PAIN TOLERANCE
We all have different levels of pain tolerance. I have a medium pain tolerance – that I can usually withstand pricking and the deepest PCA Skin peel ( which is supposedly the mildest peels in the market ). I was able to gauge my pain tolerance by having the Obagi Blue Peel – I was actually still ok!
Brigitte on the other hand, had a really high level of pain tolerance. We were chatting and chatting while having her procedure done, and she didn’t feel a thing, only a little pain when it was almost over! Hooray for her!
I would actually recommend the Obagi Blue Peel for people who have moderate to high pain tolerance. For those who have really low pain tolerance, I would suggest an alternative peel for them, called True Peel, as it is relatively less sting-y than the Obagi Blue Peel, yielding 2/3 of the results ( in terms of depth of peel ). As the Obagi Blue Peel costs P10,080.00 a session, it would be a waste if you ask your dermatologist to stop midway just because you can’t endure the burning feeling, if you have really low tolerance for pain. But then, Dr. Julie tells me that despite the burning sensation that lasts for ten minutes, people still come back for a repeat session almost every three months because of the amazing results. Soooo…no pain, no gain, as they say!
Well, my next update would be the days right after my Obagi Blue Peel experience at the House of Obagi, and how my skin looked like! Better stay tuned – really, interesting results ahead! I’m just so excited to have beautiful, fresh, new skin!
For more information on the Obagi Blue Peel and House of Obagi, LIKE House of Obagi’s Facebook Page, as well as follow them on Twitter!
Disclosure: Treatment provided by company for review. Results are 100% authentic, and disclosed fully in this blog. Comments and opinions are all mine.
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I really want to try this but I am a little scared. My pain tolerance is not that much! Lovely post, btw
Yehey, you made it Sophiedoodles! As for me, I have super low pain tolerance, patay! =P Can’t wait to see you & Jhenky, I’m sure glowing kayo so pagtiisan na si smurf for now. =) muah!
Bec : The “pain” only lasted for 10 minutes! After that, it’s all gone!
Dang : But then you like your massages super deep tissue, right?haha! When you don’t flinch when your skin is pricked, I think you can do this already
I’m liking the results, so far! 
i’m looking forward sa updates and result
Jeanny – SUPER RECO! I love it! I’ll try to put up the updates tomorrow!
I also want to try that. Tho my skin is dry naman..
By that I have to ask them directly
Thanks for sharing.
ang cute mo magkwento haha!
i want to try this din but i think i need something to address my ice pick scars muna before this kind of peeling noh?
Sarah A : I think there are peels targetted for dry skin. Not sure with Obagi Blue Peel, but this targets aging too
Yes, do have a consultation with HOO. 
Sol : I do have icepicks scars, too. So it’s still ok to have peeling while you’re saving up for procedures for your scars ( it’s a choice between Microneedling or Dermaroller or Laser Resurfacing )
I’m hoping to undergo one of those soon, but I’m too afraid it might be painful!
Hi sophie..thanks for sharing. Does this peel reduce your acne scars? i wanna try this peel too coz i have some scars..Is it okay to undergo this treatment even if you have not used the Obagi nu derm prior to the treatment?
Thanks:)
and for the acne scars, for marks, visibly. for depressions, that’s another issue. you’d need resurfacing there and the Blue Peel cannot do that
hi maam. how much is the Obagi Blue Peel?