Preparing for Your Fraxel Treatment

Got wrinkles, age spots or scars that you wish would go away? A Fraxel treatment might be the right option for you. A type of laser skin resurfacing, Fraxel is considerably gentler than the laser treatments of the past. Although it doesn’t leave you on the mend for weeks at a time, it does require a bit of preparation beforehand to improve your results. Here’s what you can do to prep before your Fraxel treatment.

Schedule a Consultation

The first thing you want to do when considering Fraxel is to schedule a consultation with a surgeon or esthetician. During your consultation, you’ll learn more about what to expect from Fraxel and whether the treatment will help treat the issues that primarily concern you.

The consultation is also a chance for you to let the esthetician or surgeon know about any medical problems you have. Some issues might prevent you from having Fraxel, while others might mean that certain precautions need to be taken. For example, if you’re currently pregnant or breast-feeding, you’ll want to postpone treatment until after you’ve given birth or after you’ve weaned the baby.

Make sure to tell your surgeon or esthetician if you have a history of cold sores. Even if you haven’t had an outbreak in awhile, Fraxel treatment might trigger one. Your doctor might prescribe a medication to reduce the chance of an outbreak after your treatment.

Stop Smoking

One thing that your esthetician or surgeon will recommend doing before treatment is to stop smoking if you’re a smoker. You’ll want to avoid any type of tobacco product or products that contain nicotine starting a few weeks before your Fraxel treatment.

There are a few reasons to quit smoking before your treatment. For one thing, smoking increases your risk for complications after treatment since it interferes with your blood flow. For another thing, smoking contributes to the signs of aging that you’re trying to fight. It’s one of the main causes of wrinkling and other signs of aging on the skin.

Stay Out of the Sun

The sun is another thing you’ll want to avoid as much as you can before your Fraxel treatment. It’s not just the aging effects of the sun that you’re trying to avoid before your treatment. You also want to avoid the tanning effects. It’s recommended that you don’t tan starting a few weeks before Fraxel. Tanned skin can be more difficult to treat than skin at its natural color as there’s a greater risk for hyperpigmentation happening with the laser treatment.

Make sure to minimize sun exposure and to get in the habit of wearing lots of sunscreen whenever you do go outside. You’ll be advised to use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 after your treatment to protect your skin from the sun and improve your results. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of wearing that sunscreen before treatment too.

Go Easy on Certain Topical Products

The weeks before Fraxel aren’t the time to amp up your skincare routine. Too many products too close to your treatment date can complicate things. Even if you’re having a non-ablative Fraxel treatment, it’s a good idea to skip using any skincare products that contain Retinol, glycolic acid or salicylic acid for a few weeks before treatment. Those ingredients are exfoliants and they can increase your risk for irritation and unwanted results after Fraxel.

In fact, it’s generally a good idea to avoid any sort of exfoliant in the weeks before Fraxel treatment. There’s no need to schedule minimally invasive treatments like a mild chemical peel or microdermabrasion in the weeks leading up to Fraxel either.

Skip the Wax

If you usually wax any part of your face, whether it’s the upper lip, eyebrow area or chin, it’s usually a good idea to skip your wax a few weeks before your treatment with Fraxel. Waxing can leave small abrasions in your skin, which can be particularly irritated by the laser treatment.

Prepare for Post-Fraxel Treatment Care

Along with avoiding some things before Fraxel, it’s a good idea to prepare for the recovery period after your treatment. You’ll most likely want to take a few days to a week off from work so that your skin has time to heal afterwards. While the discomfort after treatment is usually fairly  mild, similar to that of a sunburn, you might want to stock up on certain pain relievers beforehand.

It can also be a good idea to have a friend or family member drive you home after your treatment. Although you won’t be given a sedative, you might not feel up to driving yourself home from the treatment.

Take care of as many chores or errands before your treatment as possible. It’ll be a lot easier for you if you can return home and just relax after Fraxel, instead of worrying about cleaning up or getting dinner on the table.

If you’re ready to learn more about Fraxel treatment and what you need to do to prep for it, schedule a consultation at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique today. The estheticians at Mirror Mirror work under the supervision of Dr. Paul Vitenas, one of the top plastic surgeons in Houston, Texas, and across the U.S. To schedule your Fraxel consultation, call 281-810-9083 today.