Sugaring Aftercare

1.       Avoid submerging yourself in water for the first 24 hours following a treatment. This includes baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans to prevent the introduction of new bacteria into the open follicles.

2.       Avoid excessive sweating. If sweating is unavoidable, make sure to shower immediately afterward to prevent the sweat from drying on your skin.

3.      Exfoliation is key to achieving best results. To aid in the regrowth of hair and remove dead skin cells, exfoliate 3-5 times a week. We suggest using a dry brush on dry skin for 30 seconds, brushing upwards (against the direction of hair growth) to achieve the best results. Dry brushes can be purchased in studio and last 1.5 to 2 years with proper use.

4.      Post-treatment irritation or inflammation, while rare, may occur within 48 hours of a sugaring appointment due to stress responses from hair follicle removal. To alleviate this, apply a cold compress and aloe to the affected area. If redness, irritation, or inflammation persists beyond 48 hours, consider using our signature ingrown oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe the irritation. You can request a sample from the S&S staff, or purchase a full-sized bottle in the studio.

Laser Pre Treatment Instructions

·  Avoid tanning beds and sunless tanning products to prevent adverse reactions.

·  Avoid sun exposure greater than 30 minutes (in the span of 3 weeks), even if wearing sunscreen.

·  The treatment area must be clean-shaven 12-24 hours before your treatment. Unshaved clients will have to be reschedules as booking time does not allow for shaving.

·  Skin must be clean and free of makeup, moisturizers, lotions, oils, deodorant, sunless tanning products, numbing cream, etc. Products on the skin can increase the likelihood of adverse reactions from the laser.

·  Avoid physical activities that increase body temperature for at least 2 hours before treatments.

· Skin that is sunburned, hot to the touch, peeling, or otherwise damaged cannot be treated.

Laser Post Treatment Instructions

·  Mild redness and swelling of the hair follicles may occur (histamine reaction). This is normal and should lessen with time. Avoid picking or scratching the skin. A cool cloth or cool compress may be applied.

·  Avoid sun exposure and other sources of UV light for 14 days post-treatment. Careful sun exposure of no more than 30 minutes may be resumed 14 days post-treatment with daily use of zinc oxide sunscreen (SPF 40+). Avoid tanning beds for 14 days post-treatment.

·  Apply a zinc oxide sunscreen (SPF 40+) and use it daily throughout treatments.

·  To reduce heat retention, avoid tight clothing, boots, heated seats, hot baths, steam rooms, hot showers, saunas, etc. The body needs time to cool down after treatments to avoid complications.

· Avoid activities that increase body temperature for at least 2 hours after treatment, or longer if redness and bumps persist.

· If redness, swelling, or itching continues, an over-the-counter cortisone cream and/or an oral antihistamine (Benadryl) may be used in addition to cool cloths

· Do not apply ice or an ice pack directly to the treated areas.

What to expect after a treatment

After your treatment, the treated area may be red or pink and feel similar to a sunburn. Common side effects also include itching, the development of hive-like bumps, and tenderness. This is considered a histamine reaction. These side effects should resolve between 24-48 hours post-treatment and continue to heal in the days following the treatment. SUGAR & SILK offers our Signature Ingrown Oil to soothe and protect your skin after treatment. Our proprietary blend of Tea tree, jojoba, grapeseed and copaiba oil will help with any inflammation and soothe the area from the irritation that may arise from shaving or from the laser treatment. Frequent application is recommended during your laser hair removal journey.

Rules of Dermaplaning Aftercare

1.       Cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser

You’ll want to cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser - Avoid using harsh or abrasive cleansers, which can irritate the skin.

2.       Apply a hydrating serum or face oil

Dermaplaning can leave your skin feeling a bit dry and sensitive. To combat this, apply a hydrating serum or face oil to help nourish and protect the skin.

3.       After your treatment, follow a simple skincare routine.

For two weeks following your treatment, stick to a simple skincare routine. That means using a gentle cleanser, hydrating serum or face oil, and sunscreen every day. Avoid any other treatments or products that could irritate the skin.

4.       Use SPF

It’s important to use sunscreen after dermaplaning since your skin will be more sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays. Choose a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and apply it every day, even if you’re just spending time indoors.

5.       Do not wear any makeup for 24 hours.

You’ll want to avoid wearing makeup for at least 24 hours after dermaplaning. This will give your skin time to heal and recover from the treatment.

6.       Avoid touching your face.

Touching your face can introduce bacteria to the skin and cause irritation. So, it’s best to avoid touching your face as much as possible after dermaplaning.

7.       Avoid using harsh skincare products.

Harsh skincare products, such as retinoids or glycolic acids, can irritate the skin after dermaplaning. If you use these products, wait at least a day or two before using them again after your treatment.

8.       Avoid chlorine and swimming pools.

Chlorinated water can dry out and irritate the skin. So, it’s best to avoid swimming in pools or other bodies of chlorinated water for at least 24 hours after dermaplaning. You can shower normally after your treatment.

9.       Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water helps to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. This is especially important after dermaplaning since your skin will be more prone to dryness.

10.   Don’t use hot water on your face.

Hot water can strip the natural oils from your skin, leaving it feeling dry and irritated. So, avoid using hot water when cleansing your face or taking a shower. Steam rooms or saunas should also be avoided for at least a day or two after dermaplaning.

11.    Don’t use a washcloth or scrub brush on your face.

Washcloths and scrub brushes can be too harsh for the skin after dermaplaning. Stick to using your hands when cleansing your face to avoid any irritation.

12.    Do not engage in any strenuous physical activity.

Strenuous physical activity can cause excessive sweating, which can lead to irritation and breakouts. So, it’s best to avoid working out or engaging in any other strenuous activity or exercise for at least 24 hours after dermaplaning

Rules of Chemical Peel Aftercare

The key points of chemical peel aftercare are protecting the skin from sunlight, cleaning it regularly and in a particular way, and moisturizing it generously.

The most important points are to wash the skin gently, keep it moisturized, and wear SPF. If your peel is a multistep one and requires additional products, use them exactly how your practitioner prescribed.

1. Wash the Skin Gently

Freshly treated skin needs to be washed very gently, with cool to lukewarm water, without any rubbing, especially in the days of its peeling. For the first 2 days, wash the skin with water only, and include a cleanser after that.

Your cleanser should be a gentle one, ideally with natural ingredients, without any harsh chemicals – exfoliants are to be avoided at all costs. It should also be soap-free, as this can dry out the already dried out skin further.

Some chemical peels require the peeling agent to sit on the skin for multiple hours. You will leave the appointment with the solution still on your face, and your practitioner will tell you when and how to wash it off. Follow the instructions as closely as possible.

2. Avoid sunlight and wear your SPF

The skin can be extremely sensitive to sunlight in the weeks following a chemical peel, so it needs special care. Apply SPF 40 + after each time you wash your skin.

In the first 7 days after the treatment, keep your skin away from sunlight as much as possible (standing next to a window or driving in a car also counts as sunlight exposure), and reapply SPF every 3 to 4 hours. If you have to go outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses in addition to your sunscreen.

After your skin stops peeling, you can consider it healed, more or less, but you should keep up with wearing your SPF for about 6 weeks after the treatment.

3. Moisturize it frequently and generously

As the skin is stripped of its outermost layer, there’s nothing to lock in the moisture and water evaporates from it very fast. This creates uncomfortable sensations of dryness and tightness.

To relieve these, and to keep the skin from cracking more than it has to, keep the skin coated with a layer of moisturizer at all times. This will also aid the healing process, as moisture is necessary for proper healing after any type of skin damage.

What to Avoid for 10 Days, or Until Peeling Ends

As part of chemical peel aftercare, you also need to avoid exposing the treated skin to sunlight, heat, additional chemicals, and above all else, you mustn’t pick at the flakes once your skin starts peeling.

1. Picking your skin

This is absolutely forbidden, and we’re not even exaggerating. The skin needs to peel off on its own, naturally, and the flakes need to slough off naturally.

We know it’s tempting to just rip off all those flakes, especially the big ones that are barely holding on. But if you rip off even the tiniest piece, you risk scars or hyperpigmentation developing as a response to the trauma.

One thing you can do is cut off the bigger hanging flakes with sterile scissors.

2. Sunlight exposure

Avoid exposing your skin to sunlight for at least 1 week, and wear SPF if you think there’s even a remote possibility of this happening. Your skin is highly susceptible to sun radiation and there’s a high chance of burns. This applies to tanning beds, too.

3. Heat

Exposing the treated skin to any form of heat, including steam, will increase blood flow into the area, which can increase the sensations of tingling or stinging. So, no saunas, no steam baths, no excessive sweating which will raise your body temperature. Don’t even wash your face with hot water – cool to lukewarm is the way to go.

4. Additional chemicals

Skin freshly treated with chemicals can react in unpredictable ways if additional chemicals are introduced.

This applies to:

Any exfoliating ingredients (AHAs, BHAs, Retinol…) unless specifically instructed by your facial professional

Any anti-aging ingredients – these are exfoliants more often than not

Fragrance-scented skincare often has high contents of alcohol, which is drying and can be very irritating to compromised skin

Self-tanner – not only can it be irritating, but it’ll also grab onto any flakes and look a mess

5. Other facials

Give your skin time to heal and recover naturally. Refrain from any other facial for about 4 weeks, including at-home treatments.

IMPORTANT

If there’s anything unclear about the chemical peel aftercare routine prescribed, don’t hesitate to ask your practitioner for clarification– providing your skin with the right conditions for proper healing is the priority.

The Importance of SPF

After your chemical peel, you need to wear SPF consistently, even if you’re not exposing your face to sunlight. It’s crucial you wear SPF 40+ in the first week after the appointment (along with protective clothes and accessories), and it’s strongly advisable you keep wearing it for an additional 5 weeks or so.

Ideally, you should incorporate SPF into your normal routine in the future, to keep the results of your chemical peel, prevent new imperfections from emerging, and slow down the aging process as much as possible.