7 Things to Do Before Your Skin Procedure

February is a popular time of the year to have cosmetic skin treatments like laser therapy, microneedling, chemical peels, and other aesthetic procedures. The chaos of the holidays has died down, and people are looking ahead to spring and summer and wanting to look and feel their best, so it’s popular to have treatments done now while the weather is still keeping most of us indoors. You can give your skin plenty of recovery time inside, and by the time spring hits, you can embrace the warmer weather and social activities with beautiful skin. 

But making the most out of those procedures starts long before your treatment day. Check out these tips for preparing for a professional skin treatment. 

1.    Receive (and Follow) Specific Instructions from Your Treatment Provider

Most of the time, you’ll have a consultation ahead of time with your treatment provider. This gives them an opportunity to examine your skin, make sure you’re a good fit for the procedure, and talk to you about the treatment and what to expect. In this consultation, they’ll also give you instructions for pre-procedure skin prep. 

They’re not just giving you those instructions for fun, they’re specifically tailored to your skin and the particular treatment you’re having. Their instructions for a laser treatment, for example, will be different from their instructions for microneedling, and both of those might be different for people who are targeting different issues or for someone whose skin is more sensitive, for example. The advice of your treatment provider overrides everything else! You can supplement that advice with tips you find elsewhere, but when in doubt, always go to your treatment provider over any other sources.

2.    Ditch Nicotine

I know it’s not easy to take a break from nicotine if you use it regularly. The simple fact, though, is that nicotine (whether it’s in a vape, cigarette, or other forms) slows your body’s ability to heal. That means your skin’s recovery from the procedure will be more difficult and your results won’t look as good. In fact, depending on the procedure, a lot of treatment providers won’t perform a procedure if you aren’t able to avoid nicotine for a few weeks beforehand and during your healing process. Yes, it’s difficult, but the incentive of beautiful, more youthful skin can be a perfect incentive to kick the habit! 

3.    Commit to Sunscreen

Sun protection is always helpful for your skin, but it’s especially important before a skin treatment. Fresh sun damage causes inflammation in your skin, and that inflammation can have all kinds of negative effects for a professional procedure: making the healing process more difficult and diminishing your results, to name a few. It’s especially critical to avoid sun exposure in the weeks before a laser treatment, because it can heighten your risk for side effects. 

4.    Save Variety for Another Day

If you have a skin care treatment coming up, now isn’t the time to experiment with changing up your skin care routine. In the weeks before your procedure, your goal is to get your skin as stable and healthy as possible so that it’s ready to take full advantage of your treatment. This means being consistent with a simple but well-curated, healthy skin care routine. 

Unless there’s something specific that your treatment provider advises you to add or change, like using an antibacterial cleanser instead of your usual one or adding an extra hydration boost, this pre-procedure time is for stabilization. Wait to try new things until after your skin has healed. 

5.    Take a Gentle Approach

Remember, you want your skin to be free from inflammation and irritation when you head to your skin treatment. Part of this is avoiding skin care products and techniques that could cause some inflammation or irritation. That includes physical and chemical exfoliants as well as retinol and anything else in your routine that could be abrasive or irritating. It’s usually advised to avoid these products for the two weeks before your procedure, but in some cases, your provider might advise you to start this even earlier. 

6.    Skip Certain Meds and Supplements Products Unless Instructed Otherwise

Some over-the-counter medications and supplements can thin your blood, like ibuprofen, aspirin, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, garlic, and high-dose vitamin E supplements. It’s best not to have these products in your system when you have a procedure done because they can cause you to bleed or bruise more than you otherwise would. Typically, it’s advised to just avoid these products for a few days to a week before your treatment. 

Keep in mind that this only applies to over-the-counter medications and supplements. Consult your provider about any prescription medications you’re on and whether you need to adjust your regimen – don’t make changes to your prescription medication use without the advisement of your treatment provider and/or your prescribing doctor. 

7.    Minimize Inflammatory Foods and Drinks

In the same way that you want to keep inflammation to a minimum in your skin, you want to do the same for your body. That means minimizing foods and drinks that have a tendency to cause inflammation. 

Processed sugar and alcohol are some of the biggest culprits. This can depend on the person, too, though. If your stomach feels inflamed after you eat dairy, for example, put the ice cream aside for now. 

Setting Up Your Skin for Success

Skin prep is an important part of making sure you get your money’s worth from your aesthetic treatment. All of these tips will help, but remember that the ultimate authority on prepping for your treatment is your treatment provider. Open communication goes a long way, so don’t be shy about asking questions – that’s why they’re there! With the help of a great provider and these skin prep tips, you’ll be ready to enjoy phenomenal results before you know it.