Skin Care Treatment 101

by Donna McAteer
July 11, 2016

A larger determining factor of a non-surgical skin care treatment is the patient’s ability to recover afterwards.

Today, downtime is often divided into two groups:

Clinical Downtime: This involves a non-functional period which requires wound care and extensive rest.
Social Downtime: This period doesn’t require non-functional bed rest and you can continue with your normal day activities. However, patients may prefer to avoid social settings during this time for cosmetic reasons (such as redness or swelling)

The recommendation for clinical or social downtime after your skin treatment will vary greatly according to:

The type of procedure

The size of the treatment area
The depth of the treatment area

Whether you are considering skin treatments such as V-Beam laser, IPL Photorejuvenation or a dermal filler procedure such as Juvederm or Restylane, it helps to understand the downtime, pain, swelling and redness that may be experienced.

We have outlined the clinical and social downtimes for some of our most popular non surgical skin care treatments below to help you make an informed decision about which option is right for you.

Procedure	Clinical Downtime	Social Downtime
Botox	In general, most patients experience little to no clinical downtime. You can return to work and continue with daily activities immediately after the procedure.	Some swelling, redness, discomfort and bruising may appear in the days after the treatment. Time period: 2-7 days
Dermabrasion	Cleansing the skin several times a day to avoid infection and removing any crusting Changing the ointment or dressing on the wound to promote healing Avoiding sun exposure and, after peeling has stopped, use sunscreen every day Time period: 5-8 days	The new skin will be pink or red in color and you may experience some swelling. Time period: 6-12 weeks
Deep Chemical Peel	Proper skin care after a deep chemical peel is very important to speed healing and help results last longer. This includes: Changing the dressing or ointment on the wound Moisturizing the skin daily. Avoiding any sun exposure until peeling has stopped. Cleansing the skin frequently with water or a special wash. Time period: Patients typically take 1-2 weeks off from work after a deep chemical peel.	Redness will usually persist for at least two months. You can camouflage this color with makeup after about 14 days. Time Period: 8 weeks
Soft Tissue Fillers	Most patients can return to normal activities immediately after treatment.	You may experience temporary swelling, redness or minor bruising at the injection sites. Time period: Less than 7 days

To learn more about the recovery periods, costs and benefits of our advanced skin-care procedures, contact one of our friendly professionals at Okanagan Skin Care Clinic today at 250-868-9290 or book a consultation.

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Donna McAteer

Donna is the general manager and has been with the Okanagan Skin Care Centre for over 14 years. She is a certified Esthetician and previous business owner with over 20 years enjoying the skin care industry. Her passion for knowledge, integral client care and maintaining a synergistic team that represents professional excellence in skin care remains her focus.