Can you get an even tan after getting laser treatments for skin discoloration?
A patient asked 6 years ago I was told I could get a skin treatment with fractionated lasers or IPL to help with the redness and sun damage from years of using no sunblock. I tan very easily naturally. I am wondering if I use sunblock and still tan will the last treatment be pointless? Or will I finally tan evenly without white/red spots all over my face? I have no intention of using tanning beds and I plan on using sunblock after on a daily basis. but I am curious how the face tans after laser treatments.
1 Answers
Dr. Elham Jafari Staff answered 6 years ago Getting tan after laser treatment
Hi and thank you for your question! While as a general rule you should always protect your skin from sun damage by continuous proper application of SPF 30+ broad spectrum sun block, it's even more important to do so before and after Fractional laser treatment. Doing so before the laser will allow your provider to use a higher setting of laser, increasing the effectiveness of the treatment (we often even give brightening creams before laser to be able to go higher on the settings). After the treatment and while your skin is healing, it is also more prone to develop pigmentations (PIH) and hence you need to pay extra attention to protect it from sun damage. Once the healing is completed (2-3 months for deep Fractional CO2 laser), you can go back to your routine plans, although sun damage is never good and it's the leading cause of skin aging as well as skin cancer. The CO2 laser is not expected to have a long lasting impact on the pattern your skin tans. I hope it helps and good luck!IMPORTANT: These answers are for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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