It is confusing in Australia that non-medical clinicians can do treatments that in other countries can only be performed by medical staff but that doesn’t change this fact.
For example, these may be using prescription drugs (dermal fillers and antiwrinkle medication as well as script creams) or treatments that achieve results by causing some injury to the skin that requires healing. So, it is important that pre and post care instructions are followed to reduce the risk of adverse effects, scarring, prolonged healing times, skin discolouration etc etc.
For example, if you’ve had a significant laser treatment and are advised to be makeup free for a certain time, there is a good reason for this. Your fingers or makeup brushes can carry germs that may result in an infection in the skin and a poor outcome. Being vigilant with post treatment moisturising products is also important to avoid the skin drying out and being at risk of marks etc.
In other cases, post treatment products may be aimed to speed healing and boost results.
If you are prescribed a pretreatment plan, this will boost your skins response to the treatment allowing you to see more results. Why pay $1800 (say) for a series of skin treatments and then not pay $80 (say) for a pretreatment cream. It’s not actually clever thinking – it’s false economy. It’s not going to give you the best possible outcome.
Even the use of SPF every day following treatments for pigmentation, redness, wrinkles, acne scarring or sun damage etc. should be a no brainer. Otherwise, all your hard work can be reversed but ongoing UV damage.
Post treatment advice should be provided for you to take home – it’s hard to remember things you are just told on the day. It is now a regulation for clinicians/ injectors to provide dermal filler patients with a handout at the end of each treatment documenting what type of filler was used and where, including the batch/ lot numbers associated. Filler patients who have some emergency problem and are unable to contact or be treated by their skin clinic (and right there is a problem!), have been turning up to accident and emergency departments with no clue what they were treated with. Of course, even just changing to a new clinic and not knowing what has been implanted in you is not ideal. (Why do I think that the clinics whose patients are at most risk from this situation will be the ones where this won’t be done…Very cynical I know!).
Good post care always includes your clinician being available for follow up and encouraging you to call with any concerns. At the Mayah Clinic we want our patients to know they should always contact us with any questions or problems. An adverse outcome can occur despite all best efforts. Our patients will always receive a positive response to any concerns, and we will work to resolve them as soon as possible and in the best possible way.