Skin Care After Laser Treatment
Skin Care After Laser Treatment | Now the Real Work Begins
Imagine this: your skin is smooth, glowing, and radiant after your recent laser treatment. You can’t wait to show off your fresh new look for months to come. But then something happens. You make a mistake. A big mistake.
You incorrectly assume that laser treatment is the first and last step to flawless skin.
At West Linn Aesthetics, we’re here to help you avoid this costly and frustrating misstep so you can get the most out of your laser treatment. You first need to understand this very important yet rarely discussed fact. Laser treatment is only the beginning. The real work begins after the procedure if you want to maintain healthy, radiant skin.
Go ahead and read that again because we can’t stress its importance enough. Laser treatments provide incredible results, but if you want those results to stick around, the choices you make after your laser treatment are the most critical.
Why is aftercare so important?
When we make a big investment in our lives, we usually do it with the understanding that investments require time, effort, and care to maintain their value. Think about this…
Would you buy a million-dollar house and go to the thrift store to furnish it?
Would you spend four hours getting your hair colored and then use non-color-safe shampoo?
It’s probably safe to assume you answered “no” to the above questions. Now let’s think about these questions:
Would you spend thousands of dollars on a laser treatment and then go to the drugstore to buy low-quality skin care?
Would you spend thousands of dollars on an initial laser treatment but never return for maintenance treatments?
Unfortunately, many people are guilty of answering “yes” to the two questions above. However, you shouldn’t treat your laser investment any differently than your other investments. If you want something to hold its value, you must prioritize quality care and maintenance.
Now that we’re on the same page about the importance of skin care after laser treatment, let’s talk about how we can maintain those results.
Skin care after laser treatment | The short-term
While this blog mostly focuses on skin care in the months following your laser treatment, we can’t leave out the importance of skin care in the days directly after your laser treatment. These days are critical to ensure you get the best possible results.
Here’s a quick breakdown of tips to follow in your first week after the laser:
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
- Do not scrub or exfoliate the skin
- Apply a medical-grade moisturizer when your skin feels dry
- When peeling starts, do not pick off the skin
- Avoid sun exposure and use sunscreen daily
- Avoid sweating for 1-2 weeks after treatment
- Wait 5-7 days to apply makeup
- Avoid retinol for 7-10 days after treatment
Your provider should send you home with detailed information and instructions for skin care in the days following your treatment. It’s important to follow those instructions exactly. If you get your laser treatment at West Linn Aesthetics, we’ll provide you with all the resources and recommendations for both short-term and long-term skin care.
Skin care after laser treatment | The long-term
Quality and effective long-term skin care is often what gets neglected after laser treatments. Let’s talk about the 3 most important changes you should make to your skincare routine to maintain flawless skin after your laser treatment.
1. Use medical-grade skincare products
One of the most important things you can do to maintain laser results is to pitch over-the-counter (aka drugstore) skin care and replace it with medical-grade skin care.
What is medical-grade skin care?
Medical-grade skin care is only available through medical professionals (think medspas, dermatology offices, doctor’s offices, etc.) Medical-grade skin care has three important differences that make products significantly more effective.
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Prescription-strength ingredients
Medical-grade skin care contains high-quality ingredients and a high concentration of active ingredients that are proven to benefit the skin. On the other hand, over-the-counter skin care can contain low-quality, unregulated ingredients and fillers. Many of these skin care products advertise that they have active ingredients, but they only use a tiny amount (which is not enough for the product to actually make a change to your skin.)
2.Clinical evidence
Medical-grade skin care must have clinical research studies to back up claims about the product. So when you choose a medical-grade product, you can feel confident knowing the product will be effective. On the other hand, over-the-counter skincare products don’t usually get tested in clinical studies. When you select drugstore skin care, you don’t know if the product can actually do what it claims to do.
3.The delivery
Medical-grade skin care is designed to penetrate the skin to reach cells that live deep beneath the surface (like the important ones that produce collagen.) This results in making lasting changes to the skin. In contrast, over-the-counter products only treat the surface of the skin. This means that when skin cells turnover (every 28-40 days,) you’ll be back to square one.
Why should I use medical-grade skin care after laser treatment?
We get it; it’s a whole lot easier to pick up products at Walgreens. But it’s important to use medical-grade skin care if you want to extend the results of your laser treatment. When skincare products have a high concentration of active ingredients that soak deep into the skin’s layers, your skin will experience significant results.
By following the science and the research, we can determine which products are actually worth using. If you’re going to put the effort into using something twice a day, you may as well use something that works!
What medical-grade skin care should I use?
We know there are a lot of skincare options out there. But as we get older, there’s really no time to mess around. You need products that actually work and have the science to back them up. Our skincare experts at West Linn Aesthetics are here to help you find the best products for your skin’s needs. Let’s talk about some of our favorite products!
TNS® Advanced+ Serum
This serum improves the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, skin tone, and texture. But how? Let’s get technical. This product contains a unique growth factor blend that helps the skin regenerate and repair. As the only growth factor product that’s proven to address sagging skin, this is one of the best products we can recommend.
HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator
We love this hydrator because it immediately smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while helping the skin retain moisture. How does this one work? First, let’s talk about hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural molecule in the skin that holds in water. HA5 works by supporting the skin to replenish its own hyaluronic acid, resulting in healthy and hydrated skin.
Retinol
Retinol rejuvenates the skin and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Prescription-strength retinol increases collagen production and exfoliates the skin. At West Linn Aesthetics, we recommend our patients add Retinal Complex products to their skincare routine 7-10 days after a laser treatment.
Remember, skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. Our team at West Linn Aesthetics can start you on a very simple routine that you can easily add to your lifestyle.
2. Protect your skin from the sun
Sun protection is always important, but it becomes even more crucial after a laser treatment. This is because your skin is especially vulnerable and sensitive during this time, and UV rays can cause damage quickly. We recommend patients completely avoid direct sun exposure for two months after treatment.
After two months, it’s still extremely important to use sun protection if you want your laser results to last. Because UVA light can cause fine lines and wrinkles, you’ll want to get in the habit of wearing sunscreen every day. Even if it’s winter or you don’t plan to be outside much, sunscreen will protect your smooth, gorgeous skin.
But sun protection doesn’t stop at sunscreen! Use these tips to help extend the results of your laser treatment:
- Limit sun exposure between 10AM-4PM
- Use an umbrella for shade
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat
- Choose clothes that offer sun protection
3. Follow up with maintenance treatments
Laser treatments are not a one-and-done procedure. Just like you take your car in for tune-ups, you need to visit us for maintenance! West Linn Aesthetics is the premier med spa near Portland that offers treatments for clients wanting to extend the results of their laser treatment. Some of our favorite treatments to recommend include:
ClearSilk®
ClearSilk is a gentle laser that treats fine lines and wrinkles, pigmented lesions, and redness. We love ClearSilk because there is no downtime and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete. ClearSilk is a great way to maintain results after your HALO laser treatment!
Microneedling
Microneedling is a treatment with no downtime that uses tiny needles to stimulate collagen production and keep your skin looking youthful. This treatment only takes one hour, and you’ll see results in 3-4 weeks!
Medical-grade facials
Medical-grade facials are an easy and convenient way to preserve the effects of your laser treatment. West Linn offers 3 types of SkinMedica® Medical Peels that you won’t find in traditional spas. These facials use prescription-strength ingredients and are a great way to complement your new skincare routine.
Now that you know all the tricks to make your laser results last, take the above steps and you’ll be enjoying youthful skin for many months to come!
Visit us for your post-laser skin care near Portland.
When you come to West Linn Aesthetics, expect to be greeted by friendly and knowledgeable staff. We are here to help you navigate your skin care after laser treatment. Our experts deliver the high-quality aesthetic care you deserve, with friendly service personalized to your unique needs and goals.
If you’re ready to get started, book a consultation! During our in-depth consultation, we’ll discuss your unique needs and desired results, and make expert treatment recommendations. We’ll ensure you have all the educational materials necessary to make an informed choice on your treatment pathway. Contact us today. We can’t wait to hear from you!