After your treatment
The night of
I have already cleansed, prepared and treated your skin in clinic, so you do not need to cleanse it again or apply skincare tonight.
Please leave the treated area alone and allow it to settle.
If you absolutely feel you need to cleanse, use tepid water and your dermaviduals Essential Cleansing Cloth, very gently.
- No scrubbing.
- No exfoliating.
- No rubbing.
- No active skincare.
And please don't be tempted to "calm it down" by applying lots of different products.
We have already done enough tonight.
First 48 hours
You are still within the Zero Therapy period.
The treated area should remain free from skincare products.
Use tepid water and dermaviduals Essential Cleansing Cloth, and nothing else on the affected area unless I have specifically instructed you otherwise.
Your skin may still be red, warm, flushed or sensitive following your IPL or laser treatment.
This can be completely normal.
What I want you to avoid
Avoid unnecessary heat, including:
- Hot showers directly over the area
- Saunas and steam rooms
- Excessive exercise if heat triggers your flushing
- Excessive sun exposure
- Facial massage or rubbing
- Scrubs and exfoliation
- Retinol, acids and other active products
Wear your SPF 50+ as directed, while following the specific instructions I have given you regarding the treated skin.
Don't panic if your skin doesn't look better yet.
This treatment can take time to show its full response.
Day 3 to 7
Stay with the plan
This is where people often become impatient.
You may look at your skin and think: "Should I put something on this?"
No, not yet.
The affected area remains in the Zero Therapy phase through Day 10.
We are deliberately allowing the skin barrier to settle before introducing products.
Your only cleansing support remains tepid water and dermaviduals Essential Cleansing Cloth.
Keep the skin cool, calm and protected.
If you notice fluctuations in redness, mild warmth or sensitivity, don't immediately assume that something has gone wrong.
Redness can fluctuate, and your skin has also just been treated.
Don't chase the skin. Let it settle.
Week 2 to 4
By now, your skin should be settling back into its normal rhythm.
There is nothing dramatically different that you need to be doing at home. In fact, this is the time to keep things simple, consistent and calm.
We are not trying to excessively treat the skin or continually stimulate it. We are giving the treatment we have performed the time and opportunity to work.
Your routine
Continue with the skincare I have recommended for you.
Morning
Use your dermaviduals Milk Cleanser if cleansing is required, followed by your recommended dermaviduals cream and serum, if one has been selected for you.
Finish with your daily SPF 50+, according to what I have recommended for your skin.
Evening
Cleanse gently with dermaviduals Total Cleansing Cream, then apply your dermaviduals Base Cream Classic or your recommended cream.
That's it.
Keeping your skin cool, calm and unaggravated
This is still important throughout Weeks 2 to 4.
Continue to minimise unnecessary heat and irritation where possible. Be mindful of hot showers, saunas, steam rooms, excessive sun exposure, vigorous facial massage and anything that you know personally aggravates your redness.
You do not need to keep adding products because you want to see faster results.
Stick with what I have recommended and give it a fair chance to work.
Be patient with the response
This is particularly important with redness and flushing.
Some people notice a visible change within just a few days. For others, the changes are more gradual and can continue to develop over up to four weeks.
So don't judge your result too early.
My advice is simple: stay consistent, keep your skin cool, calm and as unaggravated as possible, and let the treatment do its job.
Long term
Day 30 onwards
Once your skin barrier has had time to repair and your skin is tolerating your routine well, we can gradually introduce additional barrier-supportive products where appropriate.
With redness and flushing, less is often more.
We want to support the barrier without overloading the skin with unnecessary actives.
Your skincare will be selected according to your skin's individual needs and tolerance.
If the redness flares
Don't panic, and don't start adding more products to try to correct it yourself.
Contact me.
We may simply need to step your routine back to a simpler phase and allow your skin to settle.
Long-term maintenance
Redness and flushing are often ongoing, so long-term care is about keeping your skin calm, supported and protected.
Your maintenance plan may include:
- Regular IPL and/or KTP 532 nm laser treatments
- Consistent daily sun protection
- Gentle, barrier-supportive skincare
- Identifying and managing your individual triggers
- Regular review of your skin and how it is responding
Common triggers can include UV exposure, heat, temperature changes, alcohol, spicy foods, stress, fragrances and hormonal fluctuations, but your triggers are individual.
Sun protection
Sun protection is one of the most important parts of maintaining your results.
I may recommend:
- SkinCeuticals Defence SPF 50
- dermaviduals SPF 15+
- SIMKA 50+
Apply generously each morning and reapply when exposed to sunlight.
I also strongly recommend a hat, sunglasses and physical shade whenever possible. These simple measures help protect the work we have invested into your skin.
Your treatment results
IPL and KTP 532 nm laser can reduce the look of redness, but they do not remove your underlying tendency to flush.
Results can continue to develop over several weeks, and redness or visible vessels may gradually return over time.
Your treatment creates the improvement. Your skincare, sun protection and trigger management help maintain it.
Less is more, until your skin tells us otherwise.
What is normal, and what is not?
This is the section I really want you to read.
After treatment, it is very normal to look in the mirror and notice things you weren't expecting. Please don't panic over every change in colour, sensation or appearance.
Your skin has been treated, and it can take some time to settle.
Things you may notice that are normal
- A little extra redness: Some temporary redness following treatment is completely normal. You may notice that the skin looks more flushed than usual, particularly during the first few days.
- Mild warmth: The skin may feel warmer than normal for a period after treatment. This should settle rather than progressively intensify.
- Slight sensitivity: Your skin may feel more sensitive than usual to water, skincare or environmental changes. Keep your routine gentle and allow the skin time to settle.
- Your redness may appear to fluctuate: You may have a good day followed by a day where the redness appears a little more noticeable. Don't immediately assume the treatment hasn't worked. Redness can fluctuate with heat, weather, exercise, stress and other individual triggers.
- You may not see an immediate result: This is particularly important. Some people see changes within days, while the improvement can continue to develop over several weeks. Do not judge your final result too early.
Things I don't want you to panic about
- If your skin looks slightly different from one morning to the next, don't start changing your entire skincare routine.
- If you experience a little temporary redness, don't immediately reach for another product to try to calm it down.
- If you don't see a dramatic change straight away, don't assume the treatment hasn't worked.
- And please don't compare your skin from one day to the next under different lighting. You will drive yourself crazy doing that!
Stay with the plan.
Most importantly
There is a difference between skin that is settling and skin that is becoming increasingly irritated.
A little redness, warmth or sensitivity can be part of the normal settling process.
Progressively worsening symptoms are not something I want you to simply push through.
When in doubt, contact me.
I'd much rather you ask me a question than spend the night worrying about something you could have simply checked with me.
0400 477 855
What signs mean I should call you or see a doctor?
What is not something to ignore
Please contact me if you experience:
- Increasing or significant swelling
- Severe or worsening pain or burning
- Blistering or blister-like lesions
- Skin that is becoming progressively more inflamed rather than settling
- Significant crusting, weeping or open areas
- A spreading rash or reaction that is unusual for you
- Any symptom that feels distinctly different from what we discussed before your treatment
If something concerns you, don't try to diagnose it yourself and don't start adding products to fix it. Contact me.
0400 477 855
I am a cosmetic skin practitioner. I am not a doctor or a nurse, and I do not diagnose skin conditions.
If you continue to feel anything excessively hot after 48 hours, or have any questions, feel free to call or text 0400 477 855.
If you cannot reach me and you are worried, see your GP or go to your nearest emergency department. In an emergency, call 000.
Anything else
Treatment concerns or questions
Is there anything you are concerned about following your treatment?
- Any unexpected skin reaction
- Changes in redness, swelling or sensitivity
- Discomfort, heat or burning
- Any questions about your aftercare
- Anything that doesn't feel quite right
- Any concerns about your treatment or results
Please tell me anything you are unsure about, even if you think it may be minor.
0400 477 855