The data is pretty convincing for lasers that you don't necessarily need to "pretreat" your skin prior to laser resurfacing. This is in contrast to chemical peels where the results are better if you pretreat the skin. As far as after the treatment, I routinely put patients on a bleaching agent... more
Is it absolutely necessary to be on a skin bleaching regimen before going in for TotalFX?
I've had bad skin (redness, acne scars, freckles, etc.) for a LONG time, so I was disappointed when I had to wait a few weeks before the procedure. I know and EXPECT to have hyperpigmentation after the treatment (Asian skin), and would take every precautionary step in order to avoid/heal it as fast as possible. I'd rather deal with hyperpigmentation afterwards than to live another day with this face. So it is possible to be treated WITHOUT being on HQ before treatment?
2 answers to “Is it absolutely necessary to be on...”
A: Hydroquinone before is a good idea
Especially in ethnic skin, the pre-Total FX use of retinoids, hydroquinone, and sunscreen will decrease the post-treatment hyperpigmentation risk. I recommend at least 2 weeks. Then, after the skin is re-epithelialized, restart the program. Your doctor is trying to prevent severe hyperpigmentation, and... more
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