Day 1 & 2
Following the chemical peel applications of the solution, tape will be applied to form a mask that will be firmly pressed onto your face. You will have some oozing of fluid from under the edges of the tape, and you will feel a burning sensation, which will lessen in about 6-8 hours. Take you pain medication as needed. Your face will begin to swell, and it is very important that you move your face as little as possible while you have the tape mask on your face. This is span style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: -0.1pt">the most important day to minimize facial movements, so try not to talk.

Take one pain pill one hour before your appointment on the first postoperative day. The tape mask will be removed, your skin will be cleaned, and more solution will be applied to the areas of deeper wrinkles or scars. We will apply a powder to your face that will gradually harden during the next couple of days. Your face and neck will continue to swell, and it is important to sit up as much as possible. Sleep on your back with several pillows under your head. Swelling of the eyelids may force the eyes closed. If this occurs open your eyes regularly with two Q-tips. Today and tomorrow are usually the most uncomfortable days, so take your pain medication if necessary.

Day 3 & 4
Today there will be the maximum amount of swelling of your face. As the swelling of your face decreases there will be some swelling of your neck and upper chest. It is best to sit up and keep several pillows under your head when in bed. There may be some fluid oozing through the mask, which the powder will absorb, and the mask will be a little darker and lumpy. Your skin may feel warm under the mask.

Days 5 & 6
The swelling will decrease, and you will become much more comfortable. The powder mask will become firmer and there may be some cracking or even areas where small pieces of the mask have come off, The most common areas for this to happen will be around the mouth and eyes. Try to avoid cracking your mask by chewing, laughing, or smiling. You can apply small amounts of Vaseline on a spot that has lost the mask. Do not get vaseline on any other areas. You also may apply a thin layer of Vaseline to your upper eyelids and to your lips where there is no powder if they dry or are peeling. Some patients experience itching, or a tightening sensation under the mask, which is normal. You can take an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl for the itching.

When you wake up begin to massage the Vaseline firmly into the mask. The mask will soften and initially little pieces will come off. Continue to apply the Vaseline underneath the edges of the mask that have begun to peel off. This will enable larger pieces of the mask to peel off. Do not pull off the mask at any time. Allow it to loosen on its own with the Vaseline. The entire mask removal usually takes a few hours. You now can wash your face, shampoo your hair, and brush your teeth. Occasionally there may be a few areas ot crusting on your face. Apply Vaseline four times per day until these crusts peel off. Do not pick off the crusts.
At first there may be many new lines and creases on your skin, but DON'T PANIC. These are not wrinkles, but indentations from the rigid mask. These will go away in a few hours to days. The new skin is red, and it will fade in 3-12 weeks. Apply moisturizer as needed as your skin may be dry initially. You may now begin to apply makeup. It is very important that you apply sunscreen daily, we recommend OBAGI Healthy Skin Protection or TiSilc.