Immediately after treatment, you may experience redness, swelling, and occasional pinpoint bleeding. Swelling can be minimized by applying cold compresses to the area for 10 minutes of every hour on the day of treatment. Heat sensation can be intense for the following 2-3 hours.
Over the next few days, skin may appear bronzed or little dark dots will appear on the treated area. The skin may feel dry and peel or flake, and some itching may also occur. You may notice a sandpaper texture to your skin, which is the treated tissue working its way out of the body as new, fresh skin is generated. This dead skin should slough off 3-4 days after treatment, and most patients complete this process 5-7 days after treatment. Once the sloughing is complete, you may notice some pinkness over the next few weeks. You may apply makeup to help minimize the redness. It is critical not to use any active ingredients for 7 days after treatment or until your skin is completely healed. Minimizing sun exposure for 7 to 14 days post treatment is also key as your skin will be more photosensitive. Always use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every 2 hrs.