Sharing my experience with dermatology procedures... The story of the scar left after mole removal... Taking care of Duoderm is a real nightmare lol

A few days ago, I finally mustered up the courage to get all the tiny moles and flat warts on my face removed at once, haha. They were subtly annoying every time I wore makeup, so I went to the dermatologist with the grand dream of wiping them all off and being reborn with skin as smooth as a peeled egg. It stung a bit when they applied the numbing cream and used the laser, but it was bearable.

However, the real problem is the aftercare. They covered the spot where the mole was removed with thick, moist wound dressings like Duoderm, but after just one day, the area swells up and oozes white fluid. It's so uncomfortable because I have to be extra careful every time I wash my face for fear the bandages will fall off. The hospital told me to keep them on and replace them for at least a week until the fluid stops coming out, but it's embarrassing to go to work with twenty pieces of tape stuck to my face, and it's really awkward since I can't even wear makeup.

Today is exactly day 4, but I think it's already an allergy to the bandage. The skin around the edges where the tape was applied is red, swollen, and itchy, and it's driving me crazy ㅠㅠ. I'm forcing myself to endure it and only applying light cold compresses here and there. Has anyone else experienced an allergy to hydrogel bandages after mole removal? I'm really torn between whether it would be better to just peel off the bandage and apply only the regenerative ointment, or if I should keep the bandage on until the end even if I apply the allergy ointment haha. The mole removal itself only took 5 minutes, but I never imagined the aftercare would be this tricky and time-consuming. It seems the road to beautiful skin is truly long and arduous ㅠㅠ. Please share your know-how on how you managed your skincare after mole removal!