What Exactly Does Avoid the Sun After Fraxel Re:Store Mean?

Question

The Fraxel website says to avoid the sun for 3 months, post treatment.  I am getting one Fraxel Re:store treatment next week and am wondering exactly what "avoid the sun" means.  Do I need to wear a wide brimmed hat walking for 30 seconds to my car in the middle of the day?  And do I really need to avoid the sun for 3 months?  What I am thinking that that any sun will damage my skin and therefore, if I am able to wear a wide brimmed hat every where I go, then i should. Is that accurate?

William Ting, MD · Answer

It is important  to achieve daily sun protection PERIOD, particularly after any facial procedure, including chemical peel, Fractionated laser such as Fraxel or Fractional CO2 laser. Even what appears to be a minute amount of unprotected sun exposure can lead to prolonged post-inflammatory redness or pigmentation after laser resurfacing. Daily sun protection should be a lifelong commitment to minimize sun damage, skin cancer, and accelerated aging process. One should wear SPF 45 or higher sunscreen daily on all sun exposed areas of face, neck, upper chest and back of the hands, reapply every 2 hours betwen 10am-4pm when outdoors, wear broad-brim hat to protect nose and ears.

Martie Gidon, MD, FRCPC, FAAD · Answer

Your skin is more sensitive to the sun after a laser treatment and may develop brown pigmentation which can take months to fade.  You should wear a broad spectrum sunscreen, a hat and seek shade.  If you cannot avoid the sun, postpone your laser treatment until after the sunny season and you will have a better outcome.

Mary P. Lupo, MD · Answer

The controlled injury of the skin from Fraxel (to stimulate new collagen repair) may increase the skin's vulnerability to tanning and risk post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It is also counter-intuitive to be trying to reverse sun damage and photoaging while continuing to get ultraviolet rays. Wear a high, broad spectrum sunscreen daily. If you will be outdoors for a while, also wear a hat. Try to sit under the shade of trees and umbrellas and NEVER go to a tanning bed.

What Exactly Does Avoid the Sun After Fraxel Re:Store Mean?

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What Exactly Does Avoid the Sun After Fraxel Re:Store Mean?

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