When can I exfoliate these crusts on my chest?

Question

I tried IPL first with no success. I had ablative laser done on my chest to remove freckles/pigmentation roughly 9 days ago. They first bled from the laser and then quickly crusted up. Applied bactroban to the open wounds, dermasone and cetaphil moisturiser & bio oil to keep it moist. There is no real peeling as such. Do I exfoliate it or wait?

Rebecca Fitzgerald, MD · Answer

Never rush to remove the little "crusts" or scabs. If your doctor agrees, sometimes it is ok to gently - GENTLY- roll away some of the loosened crusts following a shower. As difficult as it is to wait, you will be glad you did.Don't use force or scrub or use a brush or pad. The tissue beneath the crusts is still fragile and prematurely forcing them could result in either infection or discoloration.

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

I can appreciate your concerns and address them with our patients daily.  We have had great success treating these described issues with the PicoSure Laser with the FOCUS lens array.  We normally recommend a series of 4 treatments, once  every 4 weeks.  This treatment is non-ablative and has almost no downtime.  You will typically have a flushed complexion for 0-2 hours.  You can put your make-up on and go back to work.  After your initial visit, a typical PicoFOCUS appointment is less than 1 hour.

The PicoFOCUS gently delivers bursts of energy deep in the dermis without causing harm to the overlaying skin.  The pulses work to break up pigment and stimulates new collagen and elastin production.  Your body’s own healing process sweeps away older, damaged tissue and ramps up skin turnover.  We sometimes pair the PicoFOCUS with a Pelleve treatment for additional skin tightening.

We recommend finding an experienced physician in your area.  Treatment prices vary by market.

Alex Eshaghian, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question bellelewis1. IPL and resurfacing treatments can be used to address sun damage on the chest. Multiple treatments are often required. The skin may be dry or crusty after a treatment. This usually resolves within two weeks. For my patients I recommend using the Avene thermal spray water and an occlusive moisturizer such as Vasline or Aquaphor several times a day to speed up the healing process. Please follow up with your doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

When can I exfoliate these crusts on my chest?

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When can I exfoliate these crusts on my chest?

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Everything you need to know about IPL

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