Microdermabrasion or Chemical Peel a week before Active FX or Deep FX?

Is it safe to have microdermabrasion or chemical peel done a week before going through Active FX or Deep FX? I read something that said this would be beneficial prior to treatment and I did not do it (I'll have the treatment in 3 days). Can someone comment on this?

1 answer to “Microdermabrasion or Chemical Peel a...”

A: Stay away from significant procedures 2-4 weeks before Active or Deep FX

Philip Young, MD

There are different degrees that you can carry out microdermabrasion and chemical peels prior to Active FX or CO2 laser resurfacing. Depending on the depth, this could effect your laser treatment. If done deeper, the CO2 laser will then be more aggressive than the doctor had anticipated and could lead to... more

Ask your question:

Comments

oldteacher
35 posts
15 Dec 2008

I am having Active FX in a week. Is there anything I can/should do now to optimize the results?

breker
18 posts
17 Dec 2008

At this point, my advice is to take a couple of supplements to minimize your discomfort.  Arnica tablets and/or topical arnica and bromelaine as directed on the containers.  Purchase them at your health food store as I believe they move faster, therefore are fresher.  These will minimize swelling post procedure.  More importantly is how you treat your skin after  your procedure.  Your provider should have a program in place for you to follow within a couple of weeks after the treatment which will strengthen your new skin and enhance the results of the FX.  These should include some of the following:  NIA 24 Skin Strengthener, a product with a growth factor like TNS or NeoCutis, an antioxidant such as iS Clinical ProHeal and an effective sunblock.  At a month to 6 weeks out, I add in Retin A.  All of these are designed to strengthen and thicken the skin or protect as in the case of antioxidants and SPF.  Keep in mind that it takes 6 months for the collagen to totally remodel, so while you will see immediate improvement, the final result will be worth waiting for!

drbanda
95 posts
10 Dec 2008

DeepFX is a laser peel which will give you the peeling effect of up to 10 microdermabrasions and chemical peels done at once. Very impressive results. There really would not be any added effect  from a chemical peel or microdermabrasion before DeepFX. ActiveFX is the ablative fractionated CO2 laser. It does not treat the full surface of the skin. It might well be benefial to do microdermabrasion and chemical peel to prepare your skin for it. It is common practice to combine DeepFX and ActiveFX as a package treatment done at the same time. If this is what you're getting then there is definitely no need for a micropeel. As for safety, it would be quite safe to have the DeeFX or ActiveFX or the combo procedure after a microdermabrasion or chemical peel.  

IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.