Laser instructions

Bellegrove Obstetrics & Gynecology Inc., P.S.
Laser Hair Reduction – Patient Instructions 1. The area to be treated should not have been exposed to the sun or tanning booth for at least 4 to 6 weeks before treatment. If so, treatment can cause blistering and possibly hypo-pigmentation (white 2. If you use tanning cream, do not apply for 7 days before treatment. 3. Do not apply deodorants or skin lotion to the treatment area on the day of your appointment, or clean this off with a baby wipe or soap and water before your appointment. 4. Do not wax, pluck, bleach, use chemical depilatories or have electrolysis for at least 4 to 6 weeks 5. Shave the area to be treated 12 to 24 hours before your appointment. A small amount of “stubble” is 6. Patients taking high doses of iron may be more susceptible to hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the skin. This change usually resolves but can last for months. Be sure to tell us about any supplements, vitamins, or medications you are taking. 7. If you have a history of peri-oral herpes (cold sores) and are having laser to the face, a prophylactic antiviral therapy may be started 24 hours before treatment and continued for 1 week. 8. If you are having significant pain from the treatment, we will prescribe a numbing cream. This should be applied to the treatment area approximately every 10 to 15 minutes starting about 1 hour before the scheduled appointment. We will clean the area off immediately before treatment. Post-operative Instructions/Recommendations: 1. Immediately after treatment there should be redness and some swelling at the treatment site. This will feel like a sunburn. The feeling may last up to 3 hours. The redness may last up to 3 to 4 days. If the area is too uncomfortable, apply cold packs or ice intermittently for the first day. 2. Tylenol is recommended for discomfort, if necessary. Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen. 3. Use a good moisturizer or Aloe Vera gel on the treated area so long as the skin is not broken, or once it heals. A combined moisturizer/sunscreen is particularly recommended. 4. If any areas form a blister, apply antibiotic cream (Neosporin, etc.) and keep the area covered until healed. If you think the area looks infected, call us. 5. Makeup may be used immediately after the treatment unless there is blistering. It is recommended to use new makeup to reduce the possibility of infection. 6. If you have excess itching or hives, take an anti-histamine like Benadryl, use a topical anti-itch product like Arnica gel (from the health foods store) or 1% hydrocortisone cream. 7. You can expect to have significant hair loss from the area 2 to 3 weeks after treatment. This is hair that has been detached from the root and is “shedding”. This may appear as new hair growth. This is not the case. You may remove this hair with gentle exfoliation (Loofa sponge, washcloth, etc.) or 8. You must NOT tan or allow unprotected sun exposure to the treated area for at least 4 weeks after treatment. Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Failure to comply with this instruction can result in skin damage that may be permanent or take many months to heal. 9. We will instruct you on the timing of the next treatment. We usually wait 4 to 6 weeks between treatments. Subsequent treatments may be spaced further apart to allow more hair to enter the growing phase. We will usually want to see you back when you first notice new hair growing. This may take as long as 2-3 months for some areas, as hair re-growth occurs at different rates on different areas of the body. New hair growth will not occur for at least 3 weeks after treatment.

Source: http://bellegrove.tcidesign.net/sites/default/files/forms/Laser%20Hair%20Instructions.pdf