Preparation:
Stop topical Retinols and Retin-A (tretinoin) 7 days prior to treatment.
Stop aspirin 4 days ahead of treatment. Avoid ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) 24 hours before your procedure. This is to avoid bruising.
If you bruise easily, consider taking arnica supplements and/or one serving of spinach within 24 hours of your procedure.
If you have a history of cold sores (herpes simplex) we can provide a prescription to prevent an outbreak. This is started the day before the procedure.
Fill your prescriptions before the procedure, and bring them with you. Do not take pain medications before you arrive.
Arrange for a ride home. You will not be able to drive a car for 6 hours after the procedure.
The day of the Procedure:
Don’t forget to bring your medication(s)!
Please arrive on time. Your appointment time will be approximately 2 hours.
Prior to your first and last treatment we will take pictures.
A very strong topical anesthetic will be applied to the areas being treated. This must absorb into your skin for 75 minutes.
You will be directed to take any medications in order to time them with the treatment.
The treatment itself takes about 20-45 minutes depending on the size of the areas being treated and number of passes.
Post procedure:
- Immediately after the procedure the treated areas will be red and mildly swollen.
- Post procedure stinging or heat generally resolves within 10-15 minutes.
- There is often 1-2 days of swelling after the procedure. This usually resolved by day 3 post treatment. This can be minimized by eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Need help with that? Dr. Dee is a great resource.
- There is usually redness that fades in patchy fashion over 3-5 days.
- Immediately start to use sunblock (UVA/B, >SPF30, PA++) on the treated area.
- Some people go through a dry flaky phase days 3-5 after the procedure. The best treatment is a combination of Zerafite or Biopelle Moisturizer and Skinmedica HA5 serum.
- Acne breakouts can rarely happen after the procedure. Avoid petroleum products such as aquaphor, neosporin, etc, as they promote these break-outs. Over-the-counter skin care products and make-up are often greasy as well, and can contribute. It is always best to use the recommended products post-procedure to avoid this as much as possible. Break-outs can be treated with prescription topical clindamycin if necessary.
- Sometimes there will be tiny red dots on the skin and occasionally tiny bumps as well. This is normal and can take up to 2 weeks to resolve. The neck and other body parts often take longer to heal than the face.
- Avoid swimming, strenuous activity, exercising and sun exposure.
- Gentle aloe vera gel or anti-inflammatory ointment may be used for skin irritation. Hydrocortisone is discouraged due to side effect of hirsutism and epidermal atrophy.
SKIN CARE POST GENIUS:
- Jane Iredale makeup may be worn immediately post procedure. Avoid other makeup brands as we have seen acne break-outs after makeup has been applied within the first week after Infini treatment.
- Sunblock should be applied at least 1 hour before going outdoors. Sunblock should be re-applied after going into water and at intervals according to product instructions. We recommend Elta MD Clear SPF 46.
- Avoid retinoids, glycolic acids, vitamin C products, sunscreens and serums the first night.
- During the first 3 days: use a gentle cleanser, sunscreens and gentle moisturizers. Please use only recommended products on your skin, as these will help you heal faster.
MORNING FIRST 4 DAYS
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser: Sente Daily Soothing Cleanser
- Sente Dermal Repair Cream
- HA serum (optional: highly recommended for dehydrated skin)
- Moisturizer: Zerafite Soothing and Calming Moisturizer or Biopelle Tensage Moisturizer
- Sunblock: Elta MD Clear SPF 46
- Jane Iredale foundation (if needed)
EVENING FIRST 4 DAYS
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser: Sente Daily Soothing Cleanser
- Sente Dermal Repair Cream
- HA serum (optional: highly recommended for dehydrated skin)
- Moisturizer: Zerafite Soothing and Calming Moisturizer or Biopelle Tensage Moisturizer
Results and Expectations
Genius stimulates a massive amount of collagen production, thickening and tightening the skin. This effect evolves slowly over 6 months. You maximum benefit will be at least 6 months after your last treatment. For acne scarring, the number of treatments needed depends on the severity of scarring. For anti-aging, the general rule of thumb is one treatment per decade of life, but this is somewhat variable. This rule means if you are 50, chances are you will need 5 treatments. If these are spaced 1-2 months apart, then it will be a year of slowly evolving results. Day to day change is not detectable. We encourage you to come back in 6 months to take after pictures.
