LASER TREATMENT AFTER CARE

LASER FACIAL

  • Wear an SPF of 30 or higher daily no matter the outdoor activity level*. Continue avoiding sun exposure for a minimum of 2 weeks after treatment or for the duration of a series of treatments.

  • Immediately after treatment, you’ll see some redness that can last anywhere from two hours to three days. For the first 72 hours after treatment, you may feel heat in the skin comparable to a mild sunburn. There’s no need to make any attempt at cooling the skin down, but you will want to keep the skin adequately hydrated and moisturized.

  • Collagen production triggered in the skin will take approximately 28 days to build. If you haven’t already scheduled your next appointment for 4 weeks, make sure to set one up today.

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LASER HAIR REMOVAL

  • Seeing red? It’s normal! Immediately after treatment, you’ll see some redness and swelling that can last anywhere from two hours to three days. You can apply ice or aloe vera gel to relieve symptoms; if the area is swollen and itchy, gently rub in a triple antibiotic cream and/or hydro cortisone.​​

  • Stay cool. For the first 72 hours after treatment, you may feel like you have a sunburn. Avoid hot baths or showers (lukewarm is fine), hot tubs and saunas, and vigorous forms of exercise that may cause excessive heat or sweating.​​

  • Get shady. It’s important to stay out of the sun: if your skin tone changes significantly, we may not be able to treat you. For outdoor activities from meandering yacht excursions to the briefest afternoon stroll, cover all treated areas with SPF 30 or higher for the entire course of your treatment.​

  • Feel the Powder. If you received underarm treatment, skip the deodorant for the first twenty-four hours to avoid irritation. You can use an unscented powder (such as baby powder) instead. For face treatments, you may use makeup immediately. We recommend using only new cosmetics to reduce the risk of infection. (As if you needed an excuse to buy new makeup!)​

  • Wax off. Avoid waxing, electrolysis, tweezing, and any other form of hair removal that disturbs the follicle for four to six weeks after treatment, on all treated areas. But you don’t have to lock yourself in a closet: shaving is still okay.​

  • Shed your inhibitions (or just your hair). Anywhere from five to twenty-one days following treatment, you’ll notice what look like new hairs growing in the treated area. This is not new hair growth: it’s actually your existing surface hairs shedding. You can clean the area and remove the hairs by wiping with a wet cloth or loofah sponge.​

  • Make your next appointment. Your hair grows in a cycle – so we remove it in a cycle, too. If you haven’t already scheduled your next appointment, make sure to set one up today.

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LASER PIGMENTATION REMOVAL

  • For the first 72 hours after treatment, you may feel like you have a sunburn. Avoid hot baths or showers (lukewarm is fine), hot tubs and saunas, and vigorous forms of exercise that may cause excessive heat or sweating.​​

  • Immediately after treatment, you’ll see some darkening or the treated pigmentation and redness that can last anywhere from two hours to three days. You may apply aloe vera gel to relieve symptoms; we carry an aloe mist and aloe gel made specifically for the face.​

  • Use only gentle cleanser for sensitive skin, no foaming or scrub type cleansers for a minimum of 2 weeks.Pat dry only, do not rub your face with the towel.​

  • Exfoliation with scrubs AHA, BHA, or devices such as a rotating brush such also be avoided for a minimum of 2 weeks.​

  • For the week following treatment keep the treated areas covered with over the counter ointment like bacitracin or Aquaphor.​

  • Direct sun exposure should be avoided for a minimum of 2 weeks and SPF of 30 or higher  is a must every day after treatment even for minimal activity outdoors. Continuing to limit sun exposure  will help keep this type of pigmentation from reoccurring.​

  • Schedule your next visit. It may take a few treatments to completely reduce the areas of pigmentation and treatments should be performed every 4 weeks until desired results are achieved. 

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Why is it important for people to use a broad spectrum SPF?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer within their lifetime. Daily sunscreen application is vital to protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Broad Spectrum SPF allows you to identify the sunscreens that protect against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are mostly responsible for giving the skin that “burn” and damage more of the top layers of the skin. UVA rays however are actually more damaging because they penetrate deeper within the skin and cause more of the aging factors like fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots. So be sure to check your sunscreen to confirm you have a Broad Spectrum SPF

 

Do people of all skin tones need to wear SPF? Why?

Yes, all skin is affected by UV rays. Darker skin types produce more melanin which is the pigment of the skin so while they do have more of a natural “built-in” UV protection they still can develop sun related damage. It just isn’t always visible on the surface. Once darker skin types start to show sun related spots, it is more challenging to treat. It’s best to be preventative and wear sunscreen daily.