How to Recover From Hyperpigmentation Treatments
Depending on what road you take to treat hyperpigmentation, you may recover quickly and painlessly or slowly and agonizingly. In general, the more invasive the procedure, the harder it will be to recover. On the flip side, however, the invasive procedures also produce the most dramatic results. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Recover From Microdermabrasion and Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
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Monitor improvement to hyperpigmented areas from treatment to treatment. You will likely need multiple treatments to get your desired results.
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Protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays by staying out of direct sunlight, wearing sunscreen and avoiding tanning beds.
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Avoid abrasive cleansers and chemical peels following both procedures. With the top layer of your skin removed, your dermis will be more vulnerable.
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Inform your doctor if procedure-oriented skin irritation persists for more than a few days.
Recover From Chemical Peels and Laser Resurfacing
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Give yourself time to heal. Deep chemical peels can require a few days downtime, and laser resurfacing may have you down for up to 2 weeks.
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Avoid making pronounced facial expressions, as they can damage your fragile skin.
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Do not peel flaking skin. Picking at skin on your face can cause scarring.
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Stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you must go into the sun, wear a hat or use an umbrella for shade. If your doctor says it's okay after a certain amount of healing has occurred, you can and should start wearing sunblock.
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Go to all post-operative appointments to be evaluated by your doctor.
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Take medications and apply ointments or moisturizers recommended or prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will likely prescribe a regimen for you to follow as your skin heals from your treatments.
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Tips & Warnings
It's normal to feel some "buyer's remorse" when you recover from an invasive procedure. When you are in the middle of experiencing the pain and discomfort of recovery, it's hard to see the benefits you will receive in a few weeks. Keep your eye on the prize to help turn around negative thoughts.
Use ice packs to help with facial swelling and provide cool relief.
Notify your doctor immediately if you see signs of an oral-herpes outbreak. If herpes is allowed to spread to skin that has been compromised by hyperpigmentation treatments, the results could be very severe.
Even if your skin feels back to normal or the hyperpigmentation has improved, don't stop your post-operative regimens. As your skin heals, it is more vulnerable, and those regimens are designed to provide protection.
