Edward D. Buckingham, M.D.

Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Fraxel Laser Treatment Aftercare

Taking care of your skin after a Fraxel procedure is as important as the actual procedure itself!!  Listed below are instructions to follow and things that you may see as your healing progresses.

Skin Care:

• Use plenty of SPF 30+ several times a day and avoid large amounts of sun exposure if at all possible.  If sun exposure is necessary, wear clothing that covers the treated area.
• Apply a light cream moisturizer whenever feeling dry.  Heavy ointments such as Vaseline may clog your pores and cause mild breakouts, so just remember to keep your skin moisturized.
• Do not use abrasive scrubs or toners for a week or so after the last treatment.  Allow skin to fully heal before returning to normal skin care.  READ YOUR LABELS!  If your products have glycolyic acids or Retin A in them, discontinue use for two weeks before your procedure and two weeks post treatment. 
• Cleanse and moisturize daily with light, plain products such as Aveeno, Dove, Neutrogena, Cetaphil, etc.
• If you have a history of cold sores, ask your doctor about care!!

What to Expect:

• Swelling - usually will last two to three days, and will often appear the worst on the day after treatment, especially around the eyes.  Sleep elevated the first night and apply cold compresses to the treatment area 10 minutes of every hour for the first one to two days.
• Redness - can be covered up with makeup immediately after treatment if so desired; slight redness could remain for up to one week. 
• Dry skin - this procedure tends to cause the skin to flake and feel dry- this is normal and should resolve within a week.
• If you have areas of raw skin post treatment, keep them moist with something like Aquaphor or Bacitracin. You do not have to apply band-aids, but keep them moist and do not pick at them.  They will heal on their own without incident very rapidly.

Healing time also varies from person to person.  Be patient with your healing process.  We are confident you will see improvement of your skin texture shortly after even the first treatment.