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Microneedling is a safe and effective therapy that involves using small needles to increase the collagen production of the skin. This treatment has become very popular among people to treat scars, enlarged pores, wrinkles, and stretch marks. People who have long-term dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, or anti-aging problems especially go for this treatment. This procedure helps to increase the collagen and elastin production of the body and correct skin issues. This can be a perfect solution for people with aging or pore problems.
So, can you wash your face after microneedling? You can wash your face after microneedling like the other skin treatments but you need to wait for a few hours for that. As your skin becomes too sensitive after this treatment, wait for at least 24 hours to wash your face. Most of the people heal within this period and some may take more or less than that. This 24 hour is considered a safety margin and that’s why the dermatologist or skin specialist instructs you to cleanse your face after this time.
When Can I Wash My Face After Microneedling Treatment?
You should not wash your face immediately after your microneedling treatment. It is recommended to wash your face after 24 hours. If your microneedling session involves a large needle, then you should wait for 48 hours before washing your face. You should not apply anything to your face within these 24 hours. If you must use a cleanser after your microneedling, it is recommended to use a gentle cleanser so that it won’t dry out your face. While washing your face, use gentle motions. Because too much pressure or rubbing can irritate your skin and reopen the puncture areas.
It is very important to keep your skin moisturized and protected after your microneedling treatment. Avoid touching your face as there are some open micro wounds. If you must wash your face that day, you should use a gentle and alcohol-free cleanser. During this period, you are also restricted to do makeup. So, this will eventually cut down the frequency of face-washing. If you heal quickly, you can resume your regular skincare routine and wash your face using a gentle cleanse. If you start washing your face before the time required, it will slow down the healing process and reduce the rate of collagen and elastin production.
Why Wash Face After 24 Hours of Microneedling?
The standard time to wash your face after microneedling is 24 hours. Some may heal faster while others may take 24 hours or more than that. There are several reasons to wash your face after 24 hours. The reasons include:
Skin Healing Timeline
In general, healing from a microneedling treatment takes 24 hours. Some may heal before that but the majority of the people may take this time to heal from this treatment. So, it is recommended to wait 24 hours so that there are no risks.
Ease of Remembering
The healing time may vary from person to person but many people may not remember the exact time to start washing their face. That is why, a specific period means 24 hours is chosen to resume face washing and regular skincare routine.
Safety Margin
A rounded-up time of 24 hours is recommended to ensure the safety of the microneedling patients. Though the average healing time is 22 hours, it is recommended to wash your face with a gentle cleanser after 24 hours. This ensures that almost all the people have been healed from the sensitive past-treatment period.
Aftercare Tips for Microneedling
The doctors and nurses will provide you with some detailed aftercare instructions before the microneedling treatment. Here are some aftercare tips that doctors generally suggest to micro-needling patients:
1. Gently Wash Your Face with Lukewarm Water after 24 Hours
It is advisable to wait at least 24 hours before washing your face. By this time, your skin will heal a lot. Use only lukewarm water because using hot or cold water may irritate the skin and interfere with the healing process. Use a gentle cleanser and apply in circular motions. Avoid rubbing as this can irritate your face and make your skin worsen. Use a clean towel to dry your face after washing. Avoid harsh chemicals or instruments like scrubs, toners, or brushes so that no swelling or redness occurs in the skin.
2. Taking Rest After the Microneedling Procedure
You may require only 1-2 days to recover from the microneedling treatment. In this healing period, sleep on your back to ease the pain. Do not take a hot shower to prevent unwanted situations. Do not go for heavy work until you completely recover from the treatment.
3. Avoid Sun Exposure
After the completion of the microneedling procedure, your skin will be more sensitive to the sun for the next 72 hours. During this time, protect your skin from the sun. It is recommended to wear protective clothes, sunglasses, hats and then go under the sun. Avoid sun exposure and apply sunscreen while the skin is healing. So, do not go outside without sunscreen, and do not stay for a long time after the microneedling procedure.
4. Skip Makeup
Microneedling involves some tiny holes in the skin. So, you should not apply any makeup products during the first 24 hours of your procedure. After 24 hours, you can return to your normal skincare routine and wear makeup.
5. Stay Hydrated
Water is very important to maintain our health and skin. After the microneedling procedure, water is very important to keep the skin hydrated and enhance the collagen production process. Water plays a very important part in the collagen production process. So, the more hydrated you are, the more collagen cells your body can produce.
6. Be Gentle with Your Skincare Routine
Take help from your dermatologist for an individualized skincare routine for you. Avoid harsh cleansers that can irritate your skin and cause adverse reactions on the skin. You can also use antioxidant serum or medicated ointment to reduce the irritation and redness of your skin.
FAQs
For the first 48 hours after the micro-needling treatment, do not use Retinol and vitamin C serum. After 48 hours, you can go back to your daily skincare routine and add products that you want. You can also use the products that might help you with your aging problem.
To supercharge your microneedling results, exfoliate your skin several days before the treatment. Keep your skin well hydrated and moisturized to maximize the results of your microneedling. Applying sunscreen is also important to get an effective result and make the healing faster.
After 48 hours of the procedure, you can use soap on the face. Before that, you should use a gentle cleanser to wash your face which also should not be before 24 hours.
You can use a moisturizer after the microneedling treatment. Consult with your dermatologist before using the moisturizer. It is recommended to use a hydrating moisturizer after the treatment which will retain the moisture of your skin and promote healing. Avoid using heavy or creamy moisturizers as they can clog pores on the skin and cause acne breakouts.
This can occur when the skin becomes inflamed, causing it to overproduce melanin – resulting in darker spots. In my case, there were sections of my face that were noticeably darker. I did not know why this was happening.
Final Thoughts
A cosmetic procedure that is used to increase the collagen production of our body using small needles. This is a minimally invasive procedure that helps treat different skin issues and makes the healing process faster. People with wrinkles, fine lines, acne, and dark spots go for this treatment for the improvement of their skin. After microneedling, our skin becomes so sensitive. As a result, it is instructed to avoid washing the face for at least 24 hours. This 24-hour is required to heal the skin completely. After this given period, one can go back to their regular skincare routine and wash their face. Still, one should be very careful when washing the face and use a very gentle cleanser. Follow all the aftercare tips to get faster healing and effective results of microneedling.
Key Takeaways
- Micro-needling is a collagen induction therapy that heals and rebuilds the deeper layers of your skin.
- This helps to improve the skin tone by lessening skin issues like aging or pore problems.
- It is recommended to wash your face after 24 hours of your microneedling.
- People can resume their daily skincare routine and wash their face after the given period.
- Wash your face with lukewarm water and avoid sun exposure to heal soon.
