How you prepare

Before you have dermabrasion, your doctor will likely:

• Review your medical history. Be prepared to answer questions about current and past medical conditions and any medications you're taking or have taken recently, as well as any cosmetic procedures you've had.
• Do a physical exam. Your doctor will inspect your skin and the area to be treated to determine what changes can be made and how your physical features — for example, the tone and thickness of your skin — might affect your results.
• Discuss your expectations. Talk with your doctor about your motivations, expectations and potential risks. Make sure you understand how long your skin will take to heal and what your results might be.

Before dermabrasion, you might also need to:

• Stop using certain medications. Before having dermabrasion, your doctor might recommend not taking aspirin, blood thinners and certain other medications.
• Stop smoking. If you smoke, your doctor might ask you to stop smoking for a week or two before and after dermabrasion. Smoking decreases blood flow in the skin and can slow the healing process.
• Take an antiviral medication. Your doctor will likely prescribe an antiviral medication before and after treatment to help prevent a viral infection.
• Take an oral antibiotic. If you have acne, your doctor might recommend taking an oral antibiotic around the time of the procedure to help prevent a bacterial infection.
• Have onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections. These are usually given at least three days before the procedure and help most people achieve better results.
• Use a retinoid cream. Your doctor might recommend using a retinoid cream such as tretinoin (Renova, Retin-A, others) for a few weeks before treatment to help with healing.
• Avoid unprotected sun exposure. Too much sun exposure before the procedure can cause permanent irregular pigmentation in treated areas. Discuss sun protection and acceptable sun exposure with your doctor.
• Arrange for a ride home. If you'll be sedated or receive a general anesthetic during the procedure, arrange for a ride home.