Results will build on themselves; we usually recommend clients commit to a minimum of three treatments spaced 4-8 weeks apart.

• Day 1 (treatment day): Your skin will look and feel like a moderate sunburn — pink to red, warm, a little tight. This is completely normal and expected. Redness typically peaks in the first few hours.

• Day 2–3: This is your active downtime window. Redness continues to calm, and you may notice mild swelling, tightness, or pinpoint dryness as the skin begins its repair process. Some clients see light flaking start toward the end of day 2. Makeup is best avoided during this window — let your skin breathe and heal.

• Day 3–5: Redness fades to a healthy flush, texture may feel slightly rough or dry as the surface finishes its turnover. This is when you can start easing back into your full routine, as well as wearing makeup.

• Beyond: The Afterglow magic starts to make deeper change in the skin with new collagen and elastin building quietly over the following 4–12 weeks. This is why we recommend a series of 3–6 sessions for the most transformative results.

2-4 weeks before:

• Pause any injectables two weeks prior and filler four weeks prior; if you have received neuromodulators (ex: Botox, Xeomin, Jeuveau) or filler (Juvederm and Restylane) inside of treatment the window we will have to reschedule your microneedling.

• Pause any other advanced treatments such as laser or chemical peel four weeks prior.

• If you're prone to cold sores, let us know in advance so we can talk through antiviral prophylaxis with your physician beforehand.

3–7 days before:

• Pause retinoids and retinol 3-5 days prior. If you are using an Rx tretinoin, stop use one week prior.

• Skip any other exfoliating acids, like peel pads, at-home devices, or waxing on the treatment area.

24–48 hours before:

• Stay out of direct sun and skip self-tanner on the area we're treating.

• Come in well hydrated (drink water, vs. just applying your moisturizer); hydrated skin responds better to the needling.

• NO alcohol and restrict caffeine the day before if you can; both can heighten sensitivity.

Day of:

• Arrive with a clean face if possible.

In the days following microneedling, we focus on supporting your skin barrier and speeding up recovery time.

• (Plated) SKIN SCIENCE Intense Serum — our #1 recommendation post-procedure. The exosome technology works with your skin's own regeneration signals right when they're most active. The benefit is that clients will speed up recovery, reduce inflammation, and increase signaling for more collagen and elastin growth.

• Hydrinity Restorative HA — A hyaluronic-forward layer that replenishes and reinforces the barrier while it's rebuilding, so your skin stays plump and comfortable instead of tight and reactive. This dual-weight formula binds moisture to the surface and penetrates the deeper layers of compromised skin, preventing post-treatment dryness.

• iS CLINICAL Reparative Moisture Emulsion — an occlusive, deeply reparative balm that locks moisture in, and helps reestablish your barrier. Growth factors support healing, and this product will help reduce flakiness and dry skin in the days following treatment.

• Hydrinity Hyacyn Active — A purifying mist we reach for multiple times a day for the following few days. It's the easiest way to keep newly-treated skin hydrated and comfortable without touching it — the active ingredient, hypochlorous acid, is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, keeping the skin clean and less likely to experience post-treatment breakouts.

• Colorescience Face Shield Flex or No Show SPF — non-negotiable every single day; we recommend using this from Day 2 forward. Colorescience’s SPFs are all mineral-based, non-irritating, and essential to protecting the new collagen you just invested in.

Days 1 - 3:

1) Gentle cleanse (Barrier Pro 1-Step Cleanser by Colorescience is our preference)

2) Apply 1-3 pumps of (plated) INTENSE Serum — wait 5 minutes before moving on.

3) Mist Hyacyn Active all over the face, and as needed throughout the day.

4) Apply 1-3 pumps of Hydrinity Restorative HA.

5) Apply a dime-sized amount of iS CLINICAL sHEALd Recovery Balm.

6) DAY TIME: Finish with your favorite Colorescience SPF.

DAY 1 NOTE: If you received your treatment after 2pm, you can choose to go to bed without doing anything.

Day 4 Onwards:

You're clear to go back to your usual skincare and makeup routine! Keep (plated) as a daily daytime staple. Some dryness or flaking is a normal part of healing after microneedling, so if that happens, lean on the other recommended products above until your skin feels comfortable again.

• Hands off. No picking, scrubbing, or manual exfoliation while skin is healing.

• No fur baby kisses; avoid kids/partner touching your face.

• Skip most actives. No retinoids, AHAs/BHAs, or anything exfoliating until about day 5. Exception: AlphaRet Overnight Cream has been clinically tested for safety after 24 hours, and Alto Advanced can be used same day.

• Sun protection is non-negotiable! Your skin is especially UV-sensitive right now. Apply SPF from the 24 hour mark and beyond.

• No sweat sessions. No intense workouts, saunas, and steam rooms for 48-72 hours; heat and sweat can irritate healing skin.

• Sleep on your back if you can for the first night or two, and use a clean pillowcase.

• Makeup: wait at least 24 hours, longer if you're still flaking or tender. Wash your makeup brushes/sponges prior to using for the first time post-treatment.

• See the “Aftercare Product Instructions” section for instructions on which products to use, and when.