How should I care for my skin after a peel or microdermabrasion?
With the professional exfoliation you received in your facial, there are some important things to expect and a few dos and don'ts to keep your skin happy over the next few days.
Things To Expect
Minor flaking or peeling can occur.
A calming, heavier moisturizer and upping your water intake will be essential for the next few days. Also avoid picking at the skin to prevent hyperpigmentation from developing.
Pore detoxing or “purging” can happen.
Your treatment helped purge debris that’s been trapped below a buildup of dead skin cells. Any small breakouts you may experience shouldn’t linger (and you may see few to none at all!).
Things To Do & Not Do
Treat skin gently over the next week.
Keep your skincare routine very basic for the next week, focusing on simply cleansing, toning, applying moisturizer, and wearing sunscreen daily.
Avoid active ingredients like prescription topicals, AHAs/BHAs, Benzoyl Peroxide, Vitamin C, Retinol, and others for at least one week.
Your service was a professional-strength exfoliation, so you want to avoid these ingredients that have exfoliating properties. If in doubt, put it aside for a few days.
Avoid as much direct, prolonged sun exposure as possible for 1 week, and always apply sunscreen generously.
Protecting those fresh, new skin cells from the sun's rays is crucial to prevent burns and hyperpigmentation.
Consult with your doctor prior to scheduling any cosmetic procedures.
Check with your doctor to see how long they recommend waiting between your exfoliation and any sort of cosmetic procedure—from botox to microneedling.
Avoid facial waxing, lasers, shaving, or dermaplaning for at least 1 week.
Delay any treatments that manipulate or process the skin. Doing any of these too soon after your treatment can create major irritation.
Avoid heavy sweating, workouts, and intense heat for 24 hours.
Your sweat will likely cause stinging and irritation. Avoid runs in the heat, cycling, hot yoga, and the like. Also skip saunas and steam rooms for the same reason.