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How much will it hurt? All patients experience some pain after surgery. Most often this can be controlled with plain acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol). Ice packs and/or cool moist packs also help with pain and swelling. Will there be any bandages or dressings? Plastic sandwich wrap (Handiwrap) is all that is necessary for only the first few days. This is placed over a generous layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline). This keeps the skin moist and it aids in healing. After two to three days the skin surface will be healed although there will be some skin discoloration for seven to ten days. When can I shower after laser treatments? You may shower the day after laser treatments. Wash the treated areas gently with soap and water. You may use the antibacterial soap that you used before your surgery. Do not take a bath or swim for one week. How long does it take to heal? Skin healing takes two to thee days. Skin discoloration will take about seven to ten days to resolve. Body massage is very effective in relaxation. However, it cannot be done while the skin is healing due to the risk of skin injury and discoloration. All therapeutic massage treatments must be discontinued for two weeks. You can return to work the day after treatments. Avoid scratching the treated areas for two weeks. You may be self conscious about meeting with people face to face until your face discoloration has passed (two weeks). You may apply make up to conceal remaining discoloration two to three days after surgery. When can I work out after surgery? Generally, you can go back to working out the day after laser treatments. This depends on how you feel. Avoid contact sports for eight weeks. Workouts must stop if you experience any discomfort in the treated areas. A balance of rest and reduced activity will speed up your recovery. When do I come back to the office for aftercare? I will want to see you in my office one week after your laser treatments. After your first visit, I want to see you at six weeks, six months, and one year. The reason for this extended care is because it takes six months to one year for complete healing to occur. There are no charges for these office visits. You are welcome to be seen in my office anytime you have questions or concerns about your surgery. When can I suntan after surgery? Sun tanning damages your skin. It leads to wrinkling, discoloration, and more pigmented growths. It can also lead to serious skin cancer. For these reasons, I recommend that you use sun block with an SPF number of 15 or greater at all times. A physical broad-spectrum sun block works best. If you are exposed to the sun, I recommend that you protect treated areas for six weeks with clothing such as a hat, T-shirt, or pareo. You must be careful to protect any scars from sun exposure with clothing, tape, or sun block for six months. Better yet, stay in the shade where it's cooler! How long will the results last? The results are usually very long lasting (i.e. five to ten years). Sun exposure and aging will lead to more pigmented lesions. To maintain the best result, it is important that you avoid sun exposure.
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