Before your appointment, your provider will give you recommendations on how to prepare, like avoiding exfoliating agents and other astringents for at least 24 hours beforehand.Â
If you have a history of cold sores, your doctor may also prescribe a preventive course of antiviral medications to reduce the chance of an outbreak.
On the day of the treatment, your provider will start by applying a topical anesthetic numbing cream. You’ll wait about 30–45 minutes for it to take full effect.
Once your skin is numb, your provider will methodically move the Vivace handpiece over your face. According to Dr. Farhan Taghizadeh, a plastic surgeon in Phoenix, “Vivace uses a robotic micromotor to gently push the needles into the skin.” Once they’re in your skin at a prescribed depth, the insulated needles emit heat from their tips into the dermis.
The full treatment takes about 45 minutes, depending on the number of treatment areas and whether you have any complementary procedures.Â
As part of the Vivace Experience, your provider will finish by applying a soothing sheet mask immediately afterward, to calm the skin and minimize redness. You’ll wear the mask home and leave it on until it begins to dry out.
