Itchy, red, bumpy skin after PICO Genesis?

Question

I had a PICO Genesis laser treatment for the first time on Monday Afternoon and my face is bumpy, red and itchy. I know that it takes about 7 days to see the benefits of the treatment but I wanted to know if this is a normal or common reaction to have shortly after treatment. I have included some pictures. It is now Thursday and it is still red, bumpy and itchy! Has anyone else had an experience like this? Any advice?

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. The itchy red bumps that you are experiencing is a systemic reaction and can be common after a laser treatment. The best advice is to follow up with the office that preformed the laser treatment. Otherwise, at our office we recommend Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream all OTC. We would also recommend pretreating with just the Benadryl before your next laser treatment. Most of our patients that experience this systemic reaction have great results after about a week of healing.

Phuong Q. Tien, MD · Answer

Hello, thanks for your question! Yes, some itching, redness and bumps are often reported after laser skin treatments. Your skin is adjusting to the turnover of skin cells which can cause irritation as you heal. It can often be improved by taking an antihistamine or using a topical steroid cream. You should talk to your PICO Genesis provider to see if they have any preferred methods of keeping you comfortable during this phase of your treatment. You can also always schedule a follow-up appointment to be sure that what you are experiencing is normal -- an in-person evaluation is usually the best course of action if you are particularly concerned. I hope this helps!

Itchy, red, bumpy skin after PICO Genesis?

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Itchy, red, bumpy skin after PICO Genesis?

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Pico Genesis

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.