I've Tried a Lot of Treatments—This Is the Only One That's Truly Transformed My Damaged, Acne-Prone Skin

My favorite part about covering beauty is learning about cutting-edge treatments that provide real results. My own skin journey has been long and oftentimes frustrating. Because of this, I take any opportunity I can to try something new if it will help me achieve clear, glowing, healthy skin. Recently, I learned about a treatment from my incredible aesthetician Sonia Vargas. Created by legendary skincare brand DMK, this treatment is unlike anything I've ever experienced. I always like to say that the brand is the industry's best-kept secret. I'd heard from industry professionals that its treatments are out of this world because they provide visible results in a short amount of time. The brand's home prescriptive skincare can also only be purchased through a licensed aesthetician. It's very exclusive but worth it because it's incredibly effective. DMK takes an integrative approach to skincare, combining innovation with traditional holistic ingredients—my favorite type of brand.

The treatment I received is called StemZyme. Now that I've experienced it for myself, I can say it's totally underhyped. Vargas told me that StemZyme is a wonderful treatment for aging skin, but it's also equally amazing for skin that's damaged and in need of a reset aka my skin. I had the privilege of doing the full DMK StemZyme program with Vargas, and the results speak for themselves. If you want to learn more about this treatment and what it can do and see my before-and-after photos, keep scrolling. I'm sharing it all ahead.

What is DMK StemZyme therapy?

StemZyme is one of the most unique treatments out there because it can tackle so many different concerns at once, from dark spots, inflammation, uneven texture, and acne to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. The brand calls it the ultimate age-management system because it reduces the effects of impaired stem cell function in the skin.

Stem cells in the skin are responsible for differentiating cell types for the skin's specific needs. StemZyme therapy works at the cellular level to refine skin cells' life cycle at every stage. It assists with stem cell renewal, stem cell differentiation into the various skin tissues, immune response, aging management, and more. While this advanced treatment is essentially the same for everyone, the amazing thing about it is that it's tailored to you. Vargas said the stem cells will provide aid where they're most needed in your skin.

Additionally, StemZyme is great for extremely sensitive and hyperreactive skin, as it works to correct this response in the skin. This is what I was most excited about because I've struggled with extremely damaged, sensitive skin for years now.

If you opt to do the full StemZyme program, it's a 50-day commitment. The initial treatment consists of one stem cell activation facial and four follow-up facials spaced out every two weeks. For the follow-up facials, you receive DMK's Enzyme Masque, a detoxifying treatment that stimulates the internal processes of the skin to provide oxygen and nutrients to boost cellular activity and repair.

There's also a pretty extensive homecare component. You receive a kit of DMK products to use throughout the program, and you should refrain from using any other skincare as not to disrupt the StemZyme process. While it does sound like a lot initially, the homecare instructions are easy to follow, and your practitioner will give you detailed guidance so you know exactly what to do and when. Read more on my experience below.

My Experience Getting DMK StemZyme Therapy

When Vargas first told me about the treatment, I was immediately interested. After she showed me results her other clients had gotten, I was blown away. While this treatment is fantastic for things like fine lines, skin sagging, and enlarged pores, I was curious to see what it could do for my type of skin.

My skin is pretty prone to acne and congestion, but it's also extremely sensitive. It's been hard to find a routine that works for me but doesn't cause irritation or damage at the same time. I used tretinoin daily for years, and to be perfectly honest, it totally ruined my skin. My moisture barrier was completely shot, and my skin became even more sensitive, reactive, and prone to inflammation. It seemed like nothing I did helped or corrected the damage as much as I hoped until I tried this treatment.

Stem cell therapy sounded exactly like what my skin needed. I'd never gotten anything like it before, and since my skin was low-key traumatized, I knew I could use a regenerative treatment that worked at the cellular level to help perk it up. To start me off, Vargas detoxified my skin with DMK's Enzyme Masque #1. I already noticed a big decrease in inflammation after that treatment alone and was excited to continue with the program.

After the initial detoxification session, it was time for the fun part. Special StemZyme serums were applied to my skin to initiate cell signaling. Then contrast therapy was applied to my skin (alternating intervals of a heat pack and ice pack), which was a little intense because it caused slight discomfort, but it was over pretty quickly. After a few cycles of this, that completed my initial treatment. I was then sent home with a follow-up kit containing the at-home topicals to use along with two twice-daily supplements to take for the rest of the program.

Like I mentioned above, I received four follow-up facials with Vargas, and my skin looked better and better after each session. I started to really notice a difference after two weeks. I did experience skin purging, but Vargas told me this is normal as your skin starts to detox and release any congestion that might be inhibiting its renewal cycle.

Vargas also told me that StemZyme keeps working for up to six months after you finish the program, so your skin will only continue to get better and better. As you can see in the photos above, I was really struggling with dark spots and inflammation. No matter what I used, it seemed like everything made my skin angry.

Doing this program was the gentle reset that my skin desperately needed. During the 50-day program, I used only a super-gentle exfoliant, but sometimes, I felt like I didn't even need it. Some days, I would wake up, and bumps I'd had the day before would be completely gone. My dark spots started to disappear around the two-week mark, and I noticed my skin was less reactive to everything. Most importantly, the treatment reduced redness pretty dramatically for me. The photo on the left was taken before my first treatment. The photo on the right was taken immediately after my final session, so my skin does appear a bit red. In the photo below, you'll see it really changed my skin for the better. My skin isn't 100% perfect, and I still have some work do to, but this treatment provided the most dramatic results for me.

My skin's texture also really suffered after that initial tretinoin damage, and again, it seemed like nothing I did really helped until I got this treatment. I used DMK's Wetter Than Water ($80) during the treatment program, and the first time I used it, my skin's texture improved drastically the next day—no joke. All of DMK's products are designed to work seamlessly with the program, and I was shocked by how well it boosted the StemZyme treatment. I still have a bit of low-level congestion I'd like to correct, but I can't say enough good things about this treatment. I struggled with inflammation and acne for so long it was hard to see an end in sight, but after doing this program, my skin continues to improve more and more each day. I also now find that exfoliants don't irritate my skin like they used to, and I can even tolerate using a gentle one daily.

While this treatment is definitely expensive (if you book with Vargas, the full program is a $5000 investment), I can say with full confidence that this is one of the few treatments I've gotten that I consider worth the price. It targets exactly what you're looking to target, works at the cellular level to promote long-term skin health, and keeps working long after your final session.

Vargas is so skilled at her craft, and her approach to the process gave me so much confidence. I knew my skin would be in good hands, and I can thank her for introducing me to DMK's incredible professional treatments. Next, I plan to get a DMK peel with Vargas to further enhance my results. Like I said, I've tried a lot of treatments at this point in my career and honestly have been underwhelmed by the results, but this is not one of those times. This is a treatment that's great for damaged skin. If you're struggling with it like I did and have the money to spare, don't hesitate to try this one out.

Products I'm Using Post-StemZyme