Camouflage Post-Surgery

Posted Friday, September 7, 2007 to MARKETSPACE > Skin Care

Posted by The Original Anti-Aging & Cosmetic Surgery Magazine

Camouflage cream was introduced over 50 years ago to assist rehabilitation of severely burned pilots injured during World War II. It has come a long way since then reports Laura Leroy BSN RN.

Camouflage therapy can be used to conceal discoloration such as postoperative bruising and erythema (redness)from C02 laser resurfacing, Trichloracetic(TCA)peeling, microdermabrasion, post-surgical scars, and permanent pigment disorders such as vitiligo and tattoos.

Cosmetically the therapist plans for and assists the patient in obtaining a normalized cosmetic result that can be achieved by disguising physical irregularities with the skillful art of illusion.

Camouflage creams and powders differ from regular foundations. Regular foundation is formulated to be translucent. This translucency allows the natural color of the skin to show through. Camouflage therapy is a cross between a heavy opaque coverage to a medium coverage.

Facial rejuvenation patients need a camouflage system that is simple to apply, and can be used short-term and changed throughout the recovery process - as facial rejuvenation treatments can sometimes produce varying degrees of colors during the healing process.

Understanding Color

In order to camouflage these varying degrees of color, an awareness of skin undertones is the best secret of color matching. Skin undertones can range from yellow to pink in the warm, cool and neutral shades. Hemoglobin produces redness in the skin, keratin produces a yellow cast, and melanin a brown pigment.

For scars and suture lines, a camouflage cream set with mineral powders that contain titanium dioxide works very well. These mineral powders create the sheerest, most natural looking lightweight make-up. For facial rejuvenation treatments such as C02 resurfacing laser,TCA peeling or microdermabrasion, a titanium dioxide mineral camouflage can look very natural and be simple to apply.

Camouflaging scars requires a light hand. For these areas, it is best to use a brush because it is a more direct method of covering the discoloration. You may sometimes have to mix 2 colors to come up with a combination that best covers the scarred area. Scars are very fresh skin, and there is nothing for the make-up to adhere to. You may have to apply several layers of this procedure, using powder to build texture.

It should be noted that camouflage products should not be used on areas that have not completely healed. These areas may appear weepy, crusty and inflamed.

For best results with camouflage therapy, the skin should be well exfoliated, hydrated and lubricated. Depending on the skin's ability to heal, camouflage therapy can be applied 7-10 days after most treatments.

After the camouflage product has been applied, the therapist may want to apply an overall light dusting of a powdered blusher to give the skin a healthy appearance.

Keep in mind with camouflage therapy, you need to make it as simple as possible.Too many steps and color application only creates confusion that can cause discouragement. The goal of camouflage therapy is to normalize the patient's appearance, rather than beautifying it.

The Therapeutic Process of Healing

If camouflage therapy is going to be used following the patient's facial rejuvenation treatment, before surgery is a good time for the initial teaching. Camouflage to cover incision lines and discoloration may be the most important therapy within the healing process.

Make-up can act as a psychological lift, and can benefit a patient in many ways. Wearing make-up may make you look better - and looking better makes you feel better. People who feel better show signs of self confidence and higher self-esteem.

Benefits of Care

The ultimate purpose of camouflage therapy and skin care is to enhance the surgery results, along with helping the patient feel as comfortable as possible.

Camouflage therapy in post-operative facial rejuvenation treatments is very effective in covering discoloration, as well as psychologically helping the patient during the recovery period. The type of camouflage method used depends on the treatment procedure being provided. The trick to camouflage therapy is to have the results look as natural and normal as possible, along with an understanding of skin undertones.

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