Acne flares may occur after laser resurfacing. This may resolve on its own, or can be treated with conventional acne therapies. Hyperpigmentation, and more rarely, hypopigmentation, may result in the laser-treated areas.
To prevent and manage acne after laser hair removal, remember to follow aftercare instructions, practice good hygiene, avoid exposure to the sun, use non-comedogenic skincare products, keep the skin moisturized, be gentle with the skin, avoid heat and sweating, and lead a healthy lifestyle.
What is the recovery time for CO2 laser skin resurfacing? Recovery time can vary but generally ranges from one to two weeks. During this period, patients may experience redness, swelling, and peeling as the new skin emerges.
According to Dr. Soni, this post-treatment breakout is a side effect of your pores opening up due to the heat of the device and getting clogged with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria. As your body tries to get these particles out, it creates a pus-filled bubble as a response.
Certain facials and laser treatments can also cause skin to purge. Reputable aestheticians and facialists will always inform you of these side effects, but it is worth bringing up at your appointment.
Keeping the skin moist and hydrated eases and accelerates the healing process. Any discomfort diminishes as your skin continues to heal and rebuild. Days 4 to 5: out with the old… The outer layer of the treated skin begins to exfoliate and slough off, and pinkish, fresh skin emerges underneath.
In other words, when you use certain products, your skin is likely to look worse before it looks better. A purge can look like blackheads and whiteheads, and it's likely to appear in the places where you normally break out.
Purging is a simple, practical means of preventing bloater damage in brined cucumbers. In the procedure, dissolved carbon dioxide in the fermenting brine is removed by bubbling nitrogen, inert gas, or air through the brine.
Following your treatment, you may experience a sunburn-like sensation, which will be alleviated using cold compresses/soaks until you are ready to leave the office. Before you depart, we will apply a thin layer of Aquaphor, CeraVe healing ointment, or Alastin Skin Nectar to your treatment area.
Disadvantages of CO2 Resurfacing
Like dermabrasion, this type of laser resurfacing requires a good deal of recovery time. The patient's skin will be weepy for two weeks and will require thorough cleaning four to five times daily, along with application of ointment to keep the skin from scabbing.
A typical result is an 8-10 year reduction in age appearance when laser treatment on the face is done on a highly effective setting so that a 55 year old may look 46 after treatment and healing is complete. Milder treatments can be done, but are not as effective.
After the treatment, you will notice improvements in your skin texture, tone, and appearance. Fine lines, wrinkles, and sunspots noticeably diminish, revealing smoother, younger-looking skin. On average, results from your CO2 laser resurfacing treatment can last between 3 and 5 years.
We recommend CeraVe Face Moisturizer. DO NOT apply makeup to the treated area until your skin has been reevaluated by the physician. DO NOT put any other creams or lotions on the skin except for the CeraVe Face Moisturizer.
Finally, apply a thin coat of Vaseline to keep the area moist. You can repeat this procedure every 2 – 3 hours or less often, depending on how quickly crusts re-form. 1 – 2 days after treatment: The treated skin will still look red and swollen but gradually less than on the first day.
If the skin purging stage is really troublesome, it can be helpful to decrease the frequency of your actives by alternating days of use. Stick with it - in time, things will likely improve. When the frequency of new spots starts to reduce, increase the frequency of your actives again.
Salicylic acid is one ingredient that may cause a temporary bout of acne. 1 Known as "skin purging," worsening acne is a short-term reaction to ingredients that speed up cell turnover. Salicylic acid helps your body quickly get rid of dead skin cells.
These are the only two things that should be used to maintain the healing skin over the next 4 weeks. There are also medications in the pack and you will be instructed on how to use these. After fully ablative laser the face should be washed twice a day. The first wash should be on the morning after surgery.
Hyaluronic acids: you can recommence 3- 10 days post procedure.
Fortunately, true complications of laser resurfacing are very rare (Table 2). The most severe problem, and one that often results in scarring, is infection. 13,14 Patients may be infected by a variety of agents. Herpes simplex infection may occur after laser treatment (Figure 9).
Acne and milia are common minor side effects. Spontaneous resolution can be expected.
There are a few reasons why you might break out after laser hair removal: The heat from the laser can irritate the skin and cause inflammation. The laser can damage the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to infection. The laser can open up the pores, allowing bacteria and other irritants to enter.
In the long run, skin purging helps us shed dead skin cells more effectively which reduces pore-clogging build-up and breakouts, and it does settle down after a few weeks. But you do have to buckle in and ride out a few weeks of discomfort to see the best results.