My quest to find a suitable (affordable) dermatologist
It started this afternoon and lasted way into the evening. A friend of my sister recommended one whose clinic is located in the Pasay area near Taft. I arrived to find the doctor was out. Reason - she had a migraine. Her assistant told me to come back tomorrow, 10am-1 pm. Frustrated and visibly melting from the heat, I left.

Next stop - facial care center. So I called its hotline and set an appointment for a consultation at 4 pm. Time was tight, traffic was jammed but we made it on time, barely. So I fill out forms, write past medical history, products being used while sitting in comfort at their airconditioned office on the 36th floor of the GT Towers, in Ortigas. A lady in a white suit looking very professional ushers me into a room, examines my skin and enumerates the treatments needed.
6 sessions of Deep Acne Bleaching Treatment
7 sessions of Diamond Peel Treatment
4 sessions of Laser Tone.
It would span for 3 - 4 months, depending on my schedule. Then she hits me with the price - total cost came at a whooping P31,300. That is already with a P6,000 discount because of an ongoing promo valid till Saturday. My head aches, I'm hungry and suffering from heat exhaustion. So I mumbled something about thinking about it and hie my ass off their premises. Thank God the consultation was free. Phew.

So to recoup from the shock, my sister and I decide to fill our tummies with food before we starve to death. While munching on Pasta Italspagna and baked clams at Piadina, she contacts another friend of hers inquiring about another dermatologist. I call their office and find out her working hours are from 4pm - 7pm on Tuesdays & Thursdays. No need for appointments - just show up.

I check my watch it's 5:30 pm. So we discussed if we can make it before 7pm, checked the rush hour situation by sending an SMS to trapik.com, looked for Evangelista street (Bangkal Makati area) on the map book and if I should do it today or wait till next week.
Verdict - let's go for it.

I was again stressing out, my stomach was wracked with spasms from overeating but I was confident in my sister's driving abilities to get me there on time. Voila 6:45 pm on the dot, I made it. This time more forms to fill out, they weigh me (106 lbs) and check my blood pressure (150/100 - way too high). I go up and see a pleasant faced lady doctor in a tiny office. She asks me a ton of questions, trying to find the source of my break outs then takes a go at it.
She pricks, she pokes, she cauterizes, she injects and all this time I am laying on my back, I can see her tissue paper smeared with my blood and I try to focus on something else.
I look at the ceiling, I stare at the bright white lights, I clench my teeth enduring the pain, I close my eyes trying not to tear up from the torture. She prescribes vitamins,antibiotics, creams, cleansers and ointments for my face. Then she sets up my next session for May 7 at her private clinic in Mandaluyong City (located nearer my residence!) All this 'agony' for a mere P1,258.00

My face is terribly sore now. I feel it burning, it stings like a bee but I'm positive I will see the results soon and it's more affordable.

Thank God for small mercies and a sister who bears my inadequacies!