Post treatment care

Liquid nitrogen is super cooled nitrogen gas that is applied to warts and precancerous skin lesions to treat and destroy them.

It works by creating an area of frostbite over the lesion.

The treatment feels like holding onto an ice cube and will cause stinging and moderate pain for several seconds during the procedure.

This pain will significantly decrease after 10 or 15 minutes.

Over several hours the skin will get red and begin to swell. A blister or scab will then form.

Leave the blister intact. A band-aid may be applied to protect the area but is not required. If the blister opens, you make apply Bacitracin or Polysporin ointment.

No special care to the area is required. You may bathe the area normally and apply makeup if desired.

The scab will fall off on its own in a week or two. Scabs on the face tend to resolve more quickly than other areas of the body. The new skin is typically a little pink. This in normal.

Several treatments of a particular lesion may be needed. Your doctor will advise you on when a follow-up appointment should be scheduled.

Pre treatment

Avoid products containing aspirin or ibuprofen for one week prior to your Juvéderm treatment.  This will minimize your chances of bruising.

Post treatment

You will see results immediately.  Ice will be applied briefly to the area to minimize swelling. 

The area may be cleansed normally and makeup can be applied.

Side effects may include temporary swelling or bruising.
Results last for 6 to 12 months.

Pre treatment

Refrain from using products containing Retin-A™ or glycolic acid for 24 hours prior to your peel.

Avoid waxing, electrolysis, or other forms of hair removal for 48 hours prior to the procedure.

Please advise your physician if you have symptoms of a cold sore on your face (burning, stinging) prior to your peel. A peel should be avoided if this is the case.

Post treatment

A mild amount of redness and flaking is not uncommon after your peel.

A moisturizing cream (Cetaphil, Cerave) may be applied to the affected skin.

If scabbing should develop, please contact your physician.

You may cleanse the skin normally.

Make up may be applied as desired.

Avoid Retin-A and glycolic acid containing products until the day after your peel.

Flaking over the days following your peel reflects the exfoliation caused by the procedure and is normal although it need not occur for the peel to be effective.

Keep the bandage in place until the day following your procedure.

At that point you may remove the dressing and shower normally.

A small amount of blood on the bandage is normal.

Wash the area with soap and water twice daily.

Apply a thin layer of Bacitracin, Polysporin or Aquaphor to the area and replace the bandage.

Neosporin has been know to cause allergic reactions and is not recommended.

What to expect

Minimal discomfort following your procedure is not uncommon.

You make take two extra strength Tylenol every four hours as needed to manage the pain.

Avoid products containing aspirin or ibuprofen as these my increase bleeding and/or bruising.

If the area around the wound becomes hot and tender, or pus is evident, please contact your physician.

A small amount of swelling or bruising is common and should resolve slowly over several days.

Activity Restriction

Especially in wounds that have been sutured, refrain from activities that put strain on the area. If it feels like it’s pulling, don’t do it.

Before treatment

You should stop waxing or plucking the area for 3 weeks prior to your appointment. Hairs must be present in the follicles for the procedure to work.

Please shave the area to be treated one day prior to your appointment.

Please inform your physician if you have a history of herpes simplex (cold sores or fever blisters) in the area to be treated. If so, you will be treated with anti-viral medication (Famvir, Valtrex) 1 to 2 days before treatment with the laser.
You should not be tan at the time of treatment. Tan skin blocks the laser's energy from reaching the hair follicles and the treatment will be less effective.

After treatment

Mild redness and swelling around the follicles is normal and are, in fact, desired effects. They indicate the follicle has responded to the therapy. Ice may be applied to the treated areas to alleviate any discomfort. Black dots in the follicles are treated hairs. They can be washed off or will fall off in several days.

Possible but rare adverse effects

Persistent redness at the site can be treated with Benadryl before bedtime. Lightening or darkening of the skin is temporary and will resolve over several weeks. Superficial blisters or burns will heal after a week's time.

What you should expect

Hairs grow in cycles. Each treatment affects only the hairs actively growing at that time. For that reason, you will need multiple treatments spaced at least 6 weeks apart. Most patients require about 6 to 8 treatments; more for darker skin.

What are spider veins?

Spider veins (telangiectasias) are dilated blood vessels close to the skin's surface. What makes the veins visible is not the veins themselves but the blood coursing through them.  Sclerotherapy involves the injection of a salt water solution into the unwanted veins.  This irritates the walls of the vessels, causing them to scar down. Less blood passes through and the veins appear lighter. There is no damage to the circulation.

How many treatments will I need?

Several treatments are usually required.  Visits are scheduled at least a month apart.  For those with extensive veins more treatments may be required.  Most patients require three to five visits to achieve a ninety percent improvement.

Will the procedure hurt?

Slight pain or burning may be felt momentarily with each injection.  This may be followed by two to three minutes of muscle cramping.

What do I do after treatments?

Bandages will be applied to injection sites on the day of treatment.  These may be removed the following morning.  Support hose or spandex leggings should be brought to the visit and worn night and day for a week following therapy.  These provide compression and studies show improve results. They can be taken off to shower.

Will I be able to exercise?

On the day of treatment we suggest avoiding heavy exercise since showering will not be possible until the following morning.  Routine activities (walking, shopping, work, etc.) are all fine.  In fact, low level activity is encouraged.  The following morning the tape can be removed, and you may shower or exercise as you would like.

What can I expect to see after the treatments?

One can expect a bit of bruising in each of the injection sites. This may last a week or two.  The veins may get darker before they begin to lighten.  The full benefit of each treatment takes about four weeks to become evident, at which time the veins can be retreated.  The time between sessions should be at least a month to get the maximum benefit from each treatment.  In general we do not treat leg veins during the summer as most people find the leggings too warm.  Sclerotherapy sessions can be suspended during the summer months and restarted in the fall without losing any of the gains.

What side effects can occur?

Treatment of spider veins is a highly successful procedure with almost no side effects. In most cases, legs remain clear for two to four years after treatment is completed. Some patients may never need additional treatment.