RF Microneedling Aftercare —
Bland, Shaded, Left Alone

Straight after treatment the skin looks and feels sunburnt: red, warm and tight. How that changes over the days is on the RF microneedling downtime page.

Do

• Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser, then pat dry.
• Apply the moisturiser you were given, and nothing else, that evening.
• Stay out of direct sun: shade and a hat from day one.
• Use a clean towel and a fresh pillowcase.

Avoid

• Make-up for about 24 hours.
• Heavy sweating, saunas and hot showers on the face.
• Alcohol.
• Retinoids, exfoliating acids, vitamin C, scrubs and masks.
• Scrubbing or picking the treated skin.

Around days three to five the skin often feels tight, dry and itchy, with fine flakes, as the surface renews.

• Keep moisturising whenever the skin feels tight.
• Let flakes lift by themselves: no scrubbing, picking or cleansing brushes.

Darkening after inflammation can follow any heat-based treatment, and it is more likely in medium and darker skin, which includes many Asian skin types. Insulated needles spare the surface but do not remove that risk, so sun protection comes first.

• From day one: shade, a hat and no direct sun.
• Once the surface has settled, as you are advised: broad-spectrum sunscreen each morning, reapplied outdoors.
• Keep it up for weeks, with extra shade through the first fortnight.

Retinoids and exfoliating acids can usually return at about five to seven days, once the skin feels comfortable, unless your written aftercare says later. Darkening is shown to Dr SY, not treated at home with strong brightening creams; see post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Exercise. Light everyday activity is fine. Exercise, heat and heavy sweating wait for at least the first 48 hours, because sweat and heat irritate fresh skin and keep it red for longer.

Sauna and pool. Saunas and steam rooms wait until the skin has settled; swimming waits until the flaking has passed.

Make-up. Usually fine after about 24 hours, once the channels have closed; the skin is more sensitive at first, so mineral make-up suits these days.

Flights. About two to four days between session and flight is the usual plan; somewhere sunny needs a shade plan too.