After you’ve undergone an aesthetic treatment or procedure, your skin is likely to be much more delicate immediately afterwards. This means you'll need to treat it more gently by following the right aftercare routine.

“The new breed of skincare products are specially formulated with hydrating and protective ingredients to help your skin post treatment,” says Amish Patel, EV Expert and award-winning Aesthetics Practitioner and Skincare Expert. “Using skincare that complements your aesthetic treatment will help to calm inflammation, reduce redness and swelling, improve your skin's recovery time and boost overall results.”

So what aftercare and skincare tactics do the experts recommend post procedure? We get the lowdown on how to look after your skin following some popular treatments.

Botulinum toxin

“As with any treatment by injection, there is always a small risk of infection,” says Patel. “So, avoid touching your skin immediately after treatment and don’t apply makeup to treated areas for at least 24 hours. Choose skincare that contains soothing and hydrating ingredients such as peptides and hyaluronic acid. Avoid products that contain retinol, glycolic acid, or other harsh active ingredients for at least a week after treatment. Try not to lie down or do any strenuous exercise for at least 4-6 hours.”  

We like:
iS Clinical Sheald Recovery Balm has a pharmaceutical grade, antimicrobial formula that enhances skin recovery, hydration and protection. It also contains botanically derived ingredients.

Dermal fillers

“After treatment, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and do not exercise strenuously,” says Patel. "Avoid touching the treated area, as this can cause infection and risk filler movement. Wait at least eight hours before applying makeup, creams or SPF. Avoid facial scrubs or products that contain retinol for at least a couple of days post-injection. If you’ve had nose, cheek or jawline fillers, try to sleep on your back for at least seven days after treatment.”

We like:
Skinceuticals Epidermal Repair is formulated for post dermatological procedures and works to soothe compromised skin. Ingredients include beta glucan, Centella Asiatica and soothing nymphaea flower extract.

Laser resurfacing 

“Some swelling and redness is common after laser treatment,” says Patel. “This should subside between 2-4 days, although full healing may take 10-14 days. Choose gentle, hydrating moisturisers and products that contain protective antioxidants. Avoid fragranced skincare, exfoliating products and retinoids for at least two weeks after treatment.”

We like:
Alastin Skin Nectar is part of the new Alastin post procedure skincare range and contains healing arnica and naringenin (a flavonoid found in citrus fruits) to calm post procedure skin and enhance recovery time. Also includes TriHex Technology to enhance cosmetic treatment results.

iS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum is a refreshing, lightweight serum that contains antioxidants and essential botanicals to cool and hydrate skin.

Chemical peels

Your skin may be extremely sensitive post-chemical peel, so following your aesthetic practitioner’s care advice is crucial. “Use medical grade products with calming ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and copper peptides for at least 10-14 days to help support skin healing,” says Gemma Clare, EV Expert and Holistic Skin and Wellbeing Expert. “Avoid all harsh active ingredients and retinoids. Stay out of the sun and use medical grade sunscreen. Avoid hot, steamy baths and vigorous exercise, as heat and sweat will aggravate the skin after a peel.”

We like:
AlumierMD Recovery Balm is an antioxidant and peptide-rich moisturiser specifically formulated for post-procedure recovery. Contains hinokitiol, aloe and copper peptides to soothe the skin.

Microneedling

Microneedling, also referred to as collagen induction therapy, is a minimally invasive procedure that targets the outer layers of the skin, creating tiny microchannel punctures. “After treatment, skin is classified as an open wound,” says Clare. “So, good aftercare is critical, especially in the first 24 hours, when you should not apply anything other than sterile water to the skin (to avoid infection). After 24 hours, use products to hydrate and help soothe any inflammation.” Following treatment, there may also be redness for a few hours, says Faye Aston, International Training Manager at Dermaroller. "It is crucial to apply a high-factor SPF immediately afterwards," she advises. "Appropriate post-treatment skincare is also essential to optimise results and maintain skin health between treatments.”

We like: 
Dermaroller XCellarisPro CC Cream is a 5-in-1 product containing SPF30, Matrixyl 3000 & copper tripeptide-1 to smooth skin and calm redness. It also contains snail secretion, which is clinically proven to enhance elasticity and diminish redness.

Dermaroller XCellarisPRO Hydration Mask should be applied for 30 minutes to soothe skin and intensify hyaluronic acid absorption.