Often, pigmentation problems following a peel are the result of sun exposure and in most cases, they can be successfully treated using various skin bleaching medications. After resurfacing, it is important that patients avoid overexposure to the sun. The skin must be protected from burning or tanning, as these can lead to changes in pigmentation. With present-day sunscreens, this should not cause a great change in the patient's lifestyle. In fact, as mentioned above, there is evidence to suggest that pre-treatment with these modalities may lead to faster healing after a peel and we recommend them for our patients.
Some patients notice an apparent enlargement in their skin pores after treatment.
This is probably not a true enlargement of the pores, but rather an apparent enlargement resulting from elimination of lines and fine wrinkles which previously tended to obscure the pores. Skin resurfacing is a very useful adjunct to cosmetic surgery. Whether the entire face is being peeled, or just a problem area or two, the results can be very dramatic and highly gratifying.