I've been going to Dr. Soderberg for years to help with acne, sun damage, as well as my annual skin checks. He has a wonderful bedside manner and really takes his time to address any skin problems. I never feel rushed and my visits are always thorough. I have been to many dermatologists and he is definitely the best. He has helped my acne get under control..which at times has seemed impossible with other dermatologists. I have referred multiple people to him and they all have had positive experiences. I highly recommend Dr. Soderberg! Note: I have not had any laser treatments by him, but two of my friends have had Fraxel by him and had wonderful results.
After your treatment, the tattoo will scab over and some bleeding may occur. A dressing is applied right after treatment that you should leave on for the first 24-48 hours. I recommend keeping the tattoo moist with Vaseline or Aquaphor and to treat the area gently until it heals over. While wearing sunscreen on the treated area is recommended, makeup is not, at least not for the first 48-72 hours. If the area is scabbing, makeup will not only be unable to cover the broken skin, but bacteria from the makeup may irritate the affected area if not washed off properly after each use. I would recommend waiting until the affected area is healed before applying any type of makeup.
20% Salicylic Acid peels work well for resolving mild-moderate acne. Best results are seen when these peels are performed in a series (3-5 treatments). Most over-the-counter skin care products contain 2% salicylic acid. To diminish the red marks/acne scars, I would recommend the Fraxel Laser for any pitted scars or the Vbeam Laser for the scars that are red.
It is not too late to change your mind about where you would like to be treated. With each laser hair removal session, about 20% of the hair does not grow back in the treated area. So with 3 sessions you probably have about a 60% hair growth reduction in that area. With that said, just treating the outer part of the bikini area is no problem. At Aesthetic Solutions, we use the gold-standard GentleLase and GentleYag hair removal devices. We always encourage patients to discuss their hair removal laser progress with their physician's office to ensure the best possible results.
Of course it is always best to consult with your physician with any questions or concerns you may have about a prescription. There is no harm in using retin-a on a daily basis if your skin is not red or irritated. If you feel like your skin is irritated you can use retin-a a few times a weeks instead or mix with a moisturizer. But if you love the results retin-a has given you and there is no irritation, then I would continue to use every night.
I reccomend taking walks right after sclerotherapy treatment. Avoid strenuous physical activities for 48-72 hours after treatment.