Cosmetic Surgery Recovery: After Microdermabrasion and Other Resurfacing Treatments
Minimally invasive and less expensive cosmetic procedures with faster recovery times, such as microdermabrasion, are becoming more and more popular. These options allow women to reap many of the benefits of cosmetic surgery without needing to take weeks off from work or spend thousands of dollars on a single procedure.
“With microdermabrasion, there is essentially no downtime,” Hopping tells TCSM. “Within 48 hours, you can be back on your exfoliants and your antiaging factors.”
Even though the procedure is mild, don’t skimp on your sun protection after microdermabrasion. In some instances, too much sun in the days after the procedure can lead to unsightly hyperpigmentation.
Your skin care needs after the mildest types of chemical peels are very similar to those after microdermabrasion. After medium-depth chemical peels, such as salicylic acid peels or TCA peels, you should hold off on returning to your normal routine until at least 48 hours after your skin peels, or typically about a week.
Gentle cleansing and moisturizing are essential after all skin resurfacing treatments, ranging from microdermabrasion to ablative laser procedures. If you have peeling skin that is bothering you, Marmur recommends putting moisturizing lotion on a warm, wet washcloth and very gently massaging your skin. Make sure you don’t scrub, or you could remove additional layers of skin and cause damage.
Because resurfacing procedures may result in excessive pigmentation, ask your doctor whether you should use a skin-bleaching hydroquinone cream after your cosmetic procedure to lessen the likelihood of this occurrence.
