Why precondition your skin before a treatment?
If you’ve ever sat in my chair and asked about getting an aesthetic treatment such as microneedling, laser resurfacing, or even a chemical peel, then you know that I talk a lot about the importance of preconditioning your skin with medical grade skincare for at least one month before any of these treatments happen.
But why is that?
Why can’t you just get a treatment and then use good post-care?
To put it simply… your skin probably just isn’t ready for it.
I like to say that it’s like asking your skin to run a marathon before it’s even run a mile.
In these treatments, the whole point is to cause a controlled injury to the tissue in order to stimulate repair and strengthening of the tissue through collagen stimulation, elastin bundling, and cellular regulation.
If your skin is not strong enough or healthy enough, it’s like going from 0 to 100 and your body won’t be able to perform as efficiently and it won’t be able to keep up. That’s where complications and unsatisfactory results happen.
Preconditioning this skin for at least one month before a treatment (including the use of a retinol) strengthens weak skin and puts it in a constant state of more efficient repair. This not only ensures that you get better results, it also reduces your downtime and leads to less complications such as hyperpigmentation.
Is it really necessary, though?
For many patients, I consider pre-conditioning the skin a part of the entire treatment process.
I don’t even make it optional in some cases, especially if you’re going to be more prone to hyperpigmentation or melasma.
Yes, that means I WILL tell some patients “no” if they don’t agree to adhere to the whole process. I don’t care if they’re willing to pay for 10 microneedling packages. If I don’t think it’s safe or don’t feel like they’ll benefit from it in their current state of skin health, then the answer is no.
I care about results and safety more than a patient’s wallet.
I want to make sure that every patient has the best shot at getting the most amazing results possible and not have to worry about complications on the other side of the treatment.
Better results AND better peace of mind? It’s a no-brainer, really.
My favorite pre-conditioning routine uses all ZO Skin Health products. I’ve seen them to be the most effective and best tolerated of any other product line I’ve tried.
It consists of:
- Exfoliating Cleanser (or Gentle based on skin type)
- Exfoliating Polish
- Complexion Renewal Pads
- Daily Power Defense
- Wrinkle and Texture Repair (or Complex A for people with more severe skin issues)
- Daily Sheer SPF
*Some patients may also need to use Hydroquinone based products if at risk for hyperpigmentation or already have melasma.
So, if you’re considering a treatment, shoot me a message or give us a call to start your medical grade skincare pre-conditioning program. Let’s get your new skin journey started!
We even ship domestically and consultations are free! 🙂
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