How to Care for Your Skin After Microneedling
Microneedling is a minimally invasive aesthetic procedure that stimulates blood circulation for improved skin textures and tone. It’s typically performed to improve skin textures by increasing collagen regeneration. In a clinical environment, microneedling typically involves hours of preparation and performing the treatment. However, something often ignored in discussing microneedling is how to care for your skin after the procedure.
Microneedling creates micro-wounds by puncturing your skin. Hence, you need to provide the ultimate aftercare for your skin in the days following the treatment. Keep reading to learn what you can expect after microneedling and how to ensure your skin heals properly for an effective and safe recovery.
Caring for your skin after microneedling involves:
What to Avoid After Microneedling
Microneedling is ideal for boosting collagen production and reducing the appearance of visible scarring.
Something vital to understand after your microneedling treatment is there are a few things to avoid. While microneedling is designed to create tiny punctures in your skin, they require strategic aftercare practices to protect your skin during the natural healing process.
Here are a few things to avoid after your microneedling session:
Stay Out of the Sun
You know how important it is to protect your skin from the sun. But when you undergo microneedling, sunblock is more crucial than ever.
Any resurfacing treatment can lead to hyperpigmentation when you expose your skin to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. To limit sun exposure, you can remain indoors after your facial treatment or liberally apply sunscreen—SPF 30 or higher—and cover your head when outdoors.
Avoid Certain Skin Care Products
Avoid serums and lotions with vitamin C and retinol A for at least forty-eight hours after your treatment. Once the two days have passed, you can gradually add these products back into your skincare routine. Also, avoid other potent anti-aging formulas for the time it takes for your skin to heal.
Wearing Makeup
Since microneedling causes temporary skin redness, you may be tempted to apply makeup after the treatment session. However, it’s vital to avoid using anything apart from what Dr. Donofrio recommends or prescribes for at least ninety minutes. After the allotted ninety minutes, many patients stay makeup-free to allow their skin time to breathe.
Mineral powder is ideal if you want to wear makeup to return to work without looking red. However, use a clean brush when you apply it to avoid introducing bacteria to your skin.
Stop With the Exfoliation
As your skin heals, avoid abrasive products like alcohol-based toners and exfoliators. It may be tempting to exfoliate as usual but remember that your skin is healing and regenerating after microneedling. Instead, apply products that help soothe your skin and encourage it to heal, such as moisturizers and hydrating serums.
What to Put on Your Skin After Microneedling
Because Microneedling causes hundreds of micro-wounds on the treated area means your skin will need additional care during your recovery. Applying correctly timed serums can amplify your microneedling benefits. But what products should you use, and when should you use them to ensure optimal benefits?
Apply a Serum
A serum is not a sophisticated term for face cream. They are lighter yet more potent for a more effective impact. Serums contain more powerful ingredients that penetrate deeper into your skin layers. So, begin with a gentler, non-irritating product with milder ingredients. After a couple of weeks, you can reintroduce your favorite, more potent formulas.
Immediately after the treatment, apply hyaluronic acid-based products. The hyaluronic acid serum is beneficial for all skin types. It binds water, creating a temporary barrier, and keeps your skin moisturized during the healing process. Its key ingredient is a component of your body’s connective tissues, and since your body produces the protein, it’s unlikely the product will cause any reaction.
Peptides
If you’re already using a serum with peptides, you can use it immediately after microneedling. If you’re not, postpone for a few days.
Peptides are the amino acids that make up collagen. Collagen is too big to be absorbed through the skin, but peptides are not. Instead, they sink deep into the skin layers, stimulating cells to produce more collagen and elastin.
Incorporating peptides into your skincare routine can help improve your skin barrier, reduce wrinkles, and make your skin more elastic.
How Long Before My Skin Heals After Microneedling
Immediately following a microneedling treatment, some patients may experience slight swelling and redness in the treatment sites. Mild bleeding is normal and may occur during and soon after treatment. In the twenty-four hours after microneedling, the micro-wounds remain open, so avoiding the activities mentioned above is essential to prevent significant irritation.
What to Expect Days After Microneedling
The redness following treatment can last for up to four days with most patients reporting an experience similar to a mild or moderate sunburn. Like a sunburn, peeling or flaking is expected as your skin heals. During this recovery period, you should use the products Dr. Donofrio recommends to nourish and protect your skin as it heals. After a twenty-four-hour period has passed, feel free to use light to medium makeup. As redness subsides, you will see a brighter, firmer skin presence.
What to Expect Weeks After Microneedling
Microneedling is an effective option that creates outcomes that continually improve over time. Within a few days of your treatment, you will see brighter, glowing skin and optimal benefits within two to four weeks after treatment. To achieve the best results, Dr. Donofrio recommends three to five quarterly sessions for continued benefits.
How Can You Maximize Microneedling Results?
If you’re considering microneeding or have already scheduled a microneedling session, study these additional steps you can employ before your treatment and afterward to maximize your results:
Exfoliate several days before microneedling but not too soon before your treatment. Exfoliating several times in the weeks before the treatment will shed the dead skin cells, effectively preparing for the procedure.
Apply sunscreen liberally the first two weeks after each session, especially between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are most intense. After that, limit sun exposure to prevent discoloration, dryness, and other side effects from the sun’s radiation.
Keep your skin well-hydrated and nourished after microneedling. After microneedling, it’s the perfect time to add extra hydration and use topical anti-aging products since they will be absorbed more effectively. In addition, many patients like to use serums containing hyaluronic acid and antioxidants or sheet masks soon after treatment.
Reduce your risk of infections by washing your hands before you touch your face and applying antibiotic creams if Dr. Donofrio prescribes them.
Your skin needs to heal, so be gentle with it. You’ll want to avoid activities that cause sweating and open your pores. Protect your skin for seventy-two hours by avoiding swimming pools, saunas, and intense workouts.
Can I Apply Moisturizer After Microneedling?
Not only is moisturizing your face allowed after microneedling, but it is also necessary. It helps your skin heal faster and optimizes your results. Make sure you use a reliable moisturizer product. Dr. Donofrio can suggest or prescribe the best products available.
What Is the Best Serum to Use with Microneedling?
While microneedling is already effective in activating natural collagen production, adding nourishing serums can help you achieve optimal results. One of the several benefits of microneedling is allowing the skin to absorb skincare products more easily as they enter the skin via microchannels created by puncture wounds.
Using an effective serum shortens the healing time and helps the microneedling technology smoothly move over the dry skin. However, it’s vital to remember that not all serum types are suitable for microneedling sessions. Some might trigger irritation and affect the body’s healing process adversely. If unsure about the microneedling serum you’ve chosen, test a small patch of treated skin first.
Here are four types of serums we recommend using before and after microneedling:
- Hyaluronic Acid—Hyaluronic acid is best used for hydrating skin, smoothing wrinkles and fine lines, repairing skin cells affected by sun damage, and accelerating the body’s healing process.
- Peptides—Most peptides stimulate collagen production. Others block chemicals that cause muscle contraction and expression lines.
- Ceramides—Ceramides assist in skin hydration and accelerate the healing process. These serums adhere to the skin’s moisture for better hydration during the microneedling trauma of micro-punctures.
- Epidermal Growth Factors (EGF)—EGF helps accelerate the skin’s healing process. It offers many skin benefits, like reducing wrinkles and deep acne scars, improving hydration, and preventing hyperpigmentation.
Microneedling Recovery Starts with Self-Care
Clinical microneedling reveals new skin, offers new brightness, and delivers unique facial beauty. But to experience the best benefits of this incredible cosmetic skincare treatment, prioritize self-care for your skin.
Take the time to enjoy these post-care practices. Consider these as non-negotiables after each microneedling session, and your skin will be glowing, and your beauty will be hard to miss.
Choose the Right Clinic
Aria DermSpa remains the top destination for state-of-the-art microneedling in Madison, CT and was previously awarded “Best Aesthetic Practice” in the Northeast at the My Face My Body awards. Patients continue to choose Aria DermSpa as their preferred cosmetic dermatology provider.For beautiful skin, contact Aria DermSpa at(203) 421-6674 for more information about microneedling in Madison, CT.