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A patch test is testing what your skin/body reacts to. It could be irritants or allergens. Your doctor probably wants to make sure you are not allergic to any of the substances that he will be using in the procedure. The test involves the application of various test substances to the skin under adhesive tape that are then left in place for 48 hours, after the 48 hours the doctor is able to tell what irritates your skin.
Prior to laser resurfacing, especially in people with darker skin types, a small area behind the ear is treated with laser resurfacing. This is done to see how you heal.People with sensitive skin or with darker skin can develope delayed healing, or pigmentation or hypopigmentation after laser resurfacing.Treating a small patch in a non visible area gives your doctor a chance to see how you heal. If healing is delayed, or if you develope hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation then the doctor can decide not to do laser resurfacing on you. It is better to find this out before treating your entire face.
Certainly there might be a greater risk for scarring on your neck if a laser such as Fraxel Restore were used. Normally it is very safe for the neck, but with the radiation having thinned the skin somewhat, there could be more of a reaction and poor healing. A test spot can be done first to see...
The choice of anesthesia for laser resurfacing of the face is very much dependent on your own pain tolerance. There are parts of the face which are easily numbed with local anesthesia like around the mouth and the forehead. The cheeks are harder to make numb and need more injections. Taking an...
Melasma is discoloration of the upper cheeks, upper lip, or forehead, most commonly seen in women of childbearing age. It tends to develop during pregnancy (hence its nickname "the mask of pregnancy") or while taking a birth control pill. Regardless, its onset is triggered by the...
