Finally, it’s time for phase four of Shamban’s plan: Laser treatments. This is supposed to help with the acne scars … also known as the bane of my existence. Even when my skin is having a good day, it still looks red and blotchy from the scars. In fact, it really bothers me when people say, “Your skin looks so good today!” I know my acne scars are still there, so my skin obviously doesn’t “look good.” Why lie?

And yes, I know some people cover up their scars with makeup, but I feel like it’ll make my acne worse and draw more attention to it. I just really want the laser treatment to work, so I don’t have to worry about this ever again.

Lisa Beaulieu, the acne specialist, applies a numbing ointment to my face and makes me wear these funny-looking goggles before giving me the treatment. She decides to use a combination of the V-Beam and Smooth Beam laser treatments. The V-Beam laser helps with the redness and stimulates collagen in my skin, and the Smooth Beam plumps up the indented scars. Even with the numbing cream, the lasers feel like someone’s snapping a rubber band against my skin. Maybe she didn’t put enough ointment on?

[Editor’s note: The doctor says they give every patient the amount of numbing cream safely prescribed for laser treatments. However, some people still do complain about lasers hurting.]