Can you wash your face after Microneedling?
Here’s the lowdown on post treatment skin care.

Microneedling is one of the most popular ‘lunchbreak procedures.’
Due to its effectiveness in improving several skin concerns, from aging to acne, rosacea to hyperpigmentation it’s easy to see why. Unlike other micro-needling treatments, we use a unique award-winning needling device, WOW fusion and combine micro-needling with Mesotherapy serums especially tailored to your skin. Using the WOW fusion device glass vial, we can design a personalized serum and deliver it directly to the skin via 20 ultra-fine surgical steel needles in the device head. Each needle is just 0.13 mm in diameter, electroplated with nickel and 24K gold. These tapered needles allow the serum to get straight to work improving the skin’s condition at a cellular level, and stimulating collagen and elastin production, which is fantastic for overall facial rejuvenation, targeting fine lines and wrinkles, as well as reducing enlarged pores.

Following a WOW fusion treatment, the care afterward will determine both the healing and results, so it’s important to follow a guided skin care plan to ensure you don’t interrupt the skin’s healing process and to get the best results possible from your treatment.

Treatment Day

Immediately after your treatment, it’s common for the skin to feel tight and a little dry. You may notice some redness, and possibly even feel a slight mild burning/stinging sensation. This is simply the skin’s healing response to the small traumas created by the needling device, and the feeling will subside within a few hours. For the first 24 hours we highly recommend:

• Avoiding touching the skin unnecessarily.
• Avoiding wearing any make-up to prevent any dirt or bacteria coming into contact with the skin.
• Applying an SPF immediately after the treatment, to avoid the skin being exposed to the sun, and to protect the skin from any UVA and UVB rays, as well as blue light transmitted through device screens – we recommend using Synergy 6 NX-Gen SPF 50 or one from the Heliocare range.
• Keeping skin well hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Avoiding working out or sweating, as this can clog pores and lead to breakouts. This includes steam, saunas, and hot baths or showers.
• In the evening – following your treatment, skip cleansing the skin with any product, instead washing only with lukewarm water to allow for the serums and stem cell/growth factors to continue to absorb.
• Avoid using any active skincare products, as the skin’s barrier is professionally compromised during a micro-needling treatment, so it should not be tampered with any further to allow it to heal. This includes using any exfoliating products, as this could damage the skin whilst it is fragile from the treatment.

The following day

On the day after your treatment, you may notice your skin still looking a little red from the treatment, resembling light sunburn. Your skin is likely to feel dry and tight, as it’s actively healing, so we recommend resuming a simple skincare routine, eliminating any active ingredients that may interfere with the healing process. A light cleanser, gentle toner, moisturizer, and SPF will suffice. We recommend reapplying SPF throughout the day, to ensure your skin is kept away from any possible exposure to harmful rays – ask your practitioner to recommend one for you. Again, keep hydrated, and drink plenty of water.

Day 3

By the third day, any after-effects from the treatment will have calmed down, however, at this point, you may begin to experience some skin peeling or notice that the skin feels rough to the touch – this is completely normal. The skin’s shedding process has begun, allowing old dead skin to fall, and new skin to the surface. In some cases, you may experience a mild breakout, this again is nothing to worry about and is the skin’s natural healing process – remember to avoid touching the skin with your hands. You can now reintroduce your full skincare regimen except any actives, however, it’s important to keep skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water and applying a hydrating moisturizer.
We encourage you to keep your skin protected with an SPF50 and although it may be tempting to pick at your peeling skin, we strongly advise you to keep your hands away to allow the skin’s natural healing process. Forcibly peeling skin can affect that, and touching the skin can transfer bacteria from your hands to your face, which must be avoided. Never rub your face with a towel after washing to remove the dead skin, instead gently pat it so as not to cause irritation.

Day 7

After a week, the skin should be completely healed, you may even begin to see a noticeable difference in your skin, including reduced fine lines and wrinkles, as well as an overall smoothed-out texture. Collagen will continue to be produced over the following weeks, so you can expect even more improvement throughout the month.
You can now resume your normal skin care regime, including any actives.
Whilst skin may appear healed, for the following several weeks, it’s important to avoid any invasive procedures that could impact the skin’s barrier, such as further micro-needling treatments, chemical peels, waxing, or laser treatments.

The Summary

Remember, the healing process is as paramount to good results as the WOW fusion procedure itself, so if you want to achieve skin that WOWs, follow the WOW facial recommended aftercare protocol.

Emma Southwick
19 April 2023