Safe Healing Starts Immediately
The onus is on you to ensure a safe healing process from the moment your appointment is over. The area that has been treated must be kept clean, dry and under protection; do not pick at it and adhere to the qualified practitioner’s instructions.
Depending on the method employed by the specialist, be it laser, saline or otherwise, the aftercare will vary with the technique, the depth of the pigment, the skin type and where the work was done. Nicholas Fairchild puts together this guide to set out what is of assistance, what tends to trip people up and when to seek medical counsel.
What to expect post treatment
It is normal for the skin to present as red, swollen or a shade darker right after the procedure. There may be some warmth or tightness, even pinpoint bleeding, crusting or blisters. Your practitioner ought to have put you in the picture as to what is to be expected before you go.
Then there is the matter of judging the outcome. Do not do so in the first couple of days. Swelling can distort the shape of an eyebrow and the pigment will seem darker before it goes. With laser removal, including laser eyebrow tattoo removal Brisbane, in particular several sessions are called for as the pigment is broken down over time, not in one fell swoop.
The first 48 hours are critical
Wash your hands prior to any contact with the area. A gentle cleanse with whatever product the practitioner has put forward is in order, then pat with a soft, new towel. No face washers, no rubbing or scrubbing of the site.
Make-up, retinol, exfoliating acids, perfume and the like are to be left off unless given the all-clear. And if sweating is going to be an irritant, forgo vigorous exercise, saunas and hot showers on the treatment site. Should you feel any discomfort a cool compress with a clean cloth will do, but never put ice to the skin directly, it will only aggravate an already sensitive spot.
Healing and sun protection
You will make things harder on yourself with sun exposure. Ultraviolet rays can bring on irritation or uneven pigmentation in freshly treated skin. Where you can, keep it covered. When the skin has closed and your practitioner says it is alright, put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply as the label instructs. In Australia one does not make of sun protection an optional extra.
Use The UV Index
For a true read on the risk look at the UV Index rather than how hot the day is. The Australian radiation-safety authorities would have you regard a UV Index of 3 and up as requiring protection. Check the Australian radiation-safety authorities (ARPANSA) guidance on the UV Index.
A bit of cloud or wind might lull you into a false sense of security on the coast or on a bush walk, or even by a café window.
Hold off on active skincare
Put the glycolic and salicylic acid, the strong vitamin A, bleaching creams and exfoliating scrubs aside for a while. If the skin is tight, a simple, unperfumed product is sufficient. There is no virtue in slathering on cream after cream; it can trap moisture and you will not see a reaction coming.
Leave the blisters and crusts alone
They are part of the repair work following a laser and should not be taken off. Picking at them invites scarring or infection and slows the healing. I have had people get worked up over an eyebrow looking rough for a few days and in trying to “help” the crust along they make it worse. Skin is not stupid, let it get on with it.
Where people err
Some will treat the healing phase as they would their regular skincare, swimming in chlorinated water or putting on concealer to broken skin, or resuming hard exercise too soon. It is a harmless enough notion until the skin is irritated. Then again, more swelling or blistering is not an indication of a better job of removing the pigment. Should a reaction appear to be over and above what was advised, or in any way out of the ordinary, put in a call to your practitioner.
Swimming And Exercise
Refrain from the beach, rivers, saunas, spas and swimming pools for as long as the skin is not healed or until you have the all clear from your practitioner. An open or crusted surface can be laid bare to chlorine, salt, bacteria and other irritants by water.
Put off any exercise that is too strenuous if it means the treatment area will chafe against a helmet, sweatband or clothing, or if the stinging from perspiration is an issue. A walk is fine with some, but let the state of your skin take precedence over a rigid fitness regimen.
An Idea Of What Healing Entails
There are differences in how healing proceeds depending on the part of the body, the method of treatment and the individual. Skin around the eyebrows will not necessarily settle in the same way as the lip or scalp; older, dense pigment might call for additional sessions.
What follows is a guide to general expectations, though it does not replace the personalised directions of your practitioner.
| Stage | Common Changes | Helpful Care | What To Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| First day | Sensitivity, swelling, warmth or redness | Cool compresses and gentle cleansing (as recommended) | Direct sun, make-up, rubbing |
| Days two to seven | Some darkening, flaking, crusting or a mild tightness | Protect the area and do not disturb the flakes | Swimming, exfoliating or picking |
| Once the skin has closed | Colour changes and a gradual fading | Ordinary gentle skincare and protection from the sun | Putting strong actives back in use in a hurry |
| In between sessions | Pigment will change slowly over a number of weeks | Only attend when the skin is right for it | Do not book another treatment on irritated skin |
Reasons To Get In Touch With Your Practitioner
If redness, heat, pain or swelling is on the increase instead of abating, contact the clinic. The same applies if you see pus, bleeding of any note, severe blistering, an odour, fever or spreading redness.
For anything urgent like difficulty in breathing, facial swelling, indications of a serious allergic reaction or extreme pain, get medical help at once. There is no point in waiting for a routine follow up when one is unwell.
Making Allowance For Australian Climates
Aftercare is a practical matter and the Australian climate will have its say. Treated skin will react differently to a cold and windy Hobart afternoon, a dry stretch in Adelaide or the humidity of a Brisbane summer.
It is wise to time your treatment so as to be free of outdoor obligations for a few days. If there are plans for the beach, a festival, camping or long hours at a worksite, consider putting it off until you can give the area proper protection.
Dust, Humidity And Heat
Humid and hot weather has a way of making treated skin sticky, itchy or sweaty. Then there is the dust which can tempt one to touch the area. Have a clean towel or tissues to hand when travelling, in the bush or working outside.
Wind in the inland can leave the skin around the treatment site feeling tight. And in the tropics, do not think that because the rain has stopped you are absolved from sun protection. One season or the other will present its own inconveniences.
Travel And When To Book
Make sure you have time to come back for a review if your practitioner deems it necessary. A lengthy road trip straight after is not advisable if you cannot ensure the area is kept clean and out of the sun.
Those in Brisbane having their laser eyebrow tattoo removed would do well to factor in the traffic, the parking and the return trip. It is hardly an ideal recovery to park a few blocks off in the sun in a rush and then be outdoors for the rest of the day.
On Cost And Timing
How much you pay is a function of the clinic’s location, the size of the area, the type of pigment and removal method and the sessions needed. While a small job on the eyebrow may be cheaper per visit, the overall cost is dictated by the pigment’s response.
Get an estimate in writing and check what is covered: consultation, aftercare, touch ups and reviews. Do not be taken in by claims of total removal in a single session; the advertising copy is not always borne out by the skin and pigment.
The Case For More Than One Session
A series of appointments is usually called for with laser work to give the skin a chance to heal and the body to deal with the broken down pigment. Going at it too often will only add to the irritation for little gain.
Other methods such as saline have their limits. Some pigments are recalcitrant or uneven in their response, or they may change colour. Older cosmetic formulations are not to be compared with the newer ones and can be different to deal with.
Choose Care Based On Your Skin
Put your practitioner in the picture as to any allergies or prior reactions, active skin problems, keloids, tanning and the like. Make a point of mentioning what medicines you are on. One’s suitability for treatment, or the timing of it, can be influenced by pregnancy, breastfeeding, an immune condition or some medications.
Make enquiries as to who is doing the work, their training and equipment and the way they would deal with complications. Any professional will put forward a plain spoken account of aftercare and what one can realistically expect.
Who needs to be more circumspect
Those with cold sores in the vicinity of where treatment is to be done, or a propensity for poor healing, pigmentation issues and raised scars should exercise greater caution. It may be a qualified practitioner’s view that medical opinion is called for first.
There is no need to hold back information for fear of putting off the procedure. An interlude is preferable to a complication you could have done without, all the more so if the eyes are in proximity.
A quick checklist for aftercare
In the week following, this will serve as a guide but the practitioner’s own instructions take precedence.
- Hands must be washed before coming into contact with the treated skin.
- Be gentle in cleaning and then pat dry.
- Leave blisters and crusts alone.
- While the skin is mending, stay away from direct sun, heavy perspiration, spas and swimming.
- Hold off on make-up and any active skincare until the area has closed over.
- Should anything seem amiss or get worse, ring the clinic.
Recovery: the usual questions
It is not uncommon to have questions when the results do not look as anticipated. In brief, a sensible and even handed approach to care is better than any shortcut.
Is make-up OK post removal?
Not until the practitioner gives the all clear and the skin is properly closed. You run the risk of contaminating and irritating the area if you put cosmetics on crusted or blistered skin.
What about washing my face?
Do so gently but there should be no scrubbing or use of strong cleansers, nor should high pressure water be directed at the area. A clean towel to pat the skin dry is best.
Will I see darker pigment?
Some darkening is to be expected after a laser session until the pigment fragments and the skin gets over it. If the change in colour is pronounced, or pain is on the increase, put it to your practitioner.
When is the next appointment?
That is a matter of how the skin has healed and the method used. Heed the interval a qualified practitioner will put forward; to book in too early is only asking for irritation.
Are scars a possibility?
With any skin procedure they can be, the degree of risk being down to technique, aftercare and so forth. Picking at the skin or tanning will compound matters. Have a word with your practitioner beforehand on the subject of personal risk if you are prone to raised scarring.
Healing well
The way to go with cosmetic tattoo removal in Australia is simple enough: protect from UV, keep things clean, put aside any products that might cause irritation and let the practitioner know if something does not look right.
Treatments should be planned for the life you actually lead. There is no such thing as a week without a barbecue, some travel or an encounter with Queensland humidity. Be realistic in your expectations and the skin will have every opportunity to put itself right.
