Spring is here! Apart from blooming flowers and spring showers, this means that the sun is stronger and the time you have to safely do laser treatments is running out!
Certain treatments make your skin more sensitive to the sun. By sensitive, we mean that your skin will be more exposed while you are recovering from skin treatments that expose new delicate layers of skin. When you are more sensitive to the sun, then the time it takes you to burn or get sun damage is significantly reduced and can be dangerous.
Treatments to avoid during the summer
- Laser treatments (Laser resurfacing, fractional laser, Clear + Brilliant, Laser Hair Removal)
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Treatments
- Aggressive chemical peels (gentle chemical peels are usually safe)
Risks
- Hyperpigmentation of the skin (darkening of the skin)
- Increased sun damage (and increased risk of skin cancer)
- Sunburns
- Scarring
So what?
Laser treatments and chemical peels are often performed to improve the appearance of discolored skin. If you undergo a treatment and go in the sun, your skin will discolor even more and you will be at risk of scarring and extra sun damage. You will be trading one problem for another. Similarly, performing treatments such as these on tanned skin (skin that has been exposed to the sun) can often result in uneven and blotchy skin tones. Therefore, offering these treatments during summer months would be a disservice to you. You will notice that during the summer we will often recommend that your defer these treatments until the Fall.
Get your laser treatments and chemical peels out of the way now before the sun becomes too strong!
Precautions you must take for safe post-treatment skincare
Throughout the entire year, we counsel our patients who undergo chemical peels, laser treatments, IPL, and microneedling on the importance of skincare and healing after such treatments. The #1 requirement, in addition to the use of gentle, reparative cleansers and moisturizers, is SUNSCREEN. Even during winter months, reflection of the sun on the skin is risky during post-procedure healing. We, therefore, recommend the use of wide-brimmed hats, thick protective clothing, and sunscreen with broadband (UVA/UVB protection). Fast forward to the summer, and sun is even more dangerous.
If you are recommended a treatment such as these during the summer on an area of the body that is exposed to the sun daily, then you should consider waiting until the summer passes to undergo the treatment.
Schedule your laser and chemical peel services before summer so you can safely enjoy the benefits of the treatments that have been recommended to you. Our office is open Monday through Saturday!
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