The 7-Day Post-Laser Recovery Routine

# The 7-Day Post-Laser Recovery Routine

Post-energy-treatment skin is barrier-compromised, inflamed, and unusually permeable. What you put on matters a lot. What you DON'T put on matters just as much.

This is a generalized protocol that works for: non-ablative laser (photofacial, laser toning), fractional laser (Fraxel, Halo), RF microneedling (Morpheus8), HIFU (Ultherapy), and traditional microneedling. Ablative laser (CO2) has a longer, more intense version of this same protocol — follow your provider's specific guidance there.

Day 0 (immediately after)

• Cool compress: 10 minutes every hour for the first 2–3 hours. Dramatically reduces swelling and discomfort.
• No makeup. No skincare beyond what the clinic applied.
• Hydrate orally. Lots of water.
• Avoid alcohol, heat, and sun for 48 hours minimum.

Day 1 (24 hours)

AM:

1. Rinse face with cool water only. No cleanser.
2. Gentle healing serum or thermal spring water mist: Avène Thermal Spring Water or La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Serum B5.
3. Barrier cream: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, Avène Cicalfate+, or plain Aquaphor.
4. Mineral SPF 50+ if going outside at all: EltaMD UV Clear Tinted, ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica.

PM:

1. Rinse with cool water.
2. Barrier cream or occlusive ointment.
3. Sleep elevated (extra pillow) to reduce swelling.

Day 2–3

AM:

1. Very gentle cream cleanser (Avène Tolérance Extrême) or water rinse.
2. Gentle serum — focus on healing: Cicaplast B5 serum, niacinamide at 2–5%, panthenol.
3. Barrier cream.
4. Mineral SPF 50+.

PM:

1. Cream cleanser.
2. Barrier cream.
3. Still no actives.

You may see pinpoint bleeding (from microneedling), oozing (fractional laser), or crusting (ablative). Do NOT pick. Let everything heal naturally.

Day 4–5

Skin is starting to shed / peel depending on the procedure.

AM:

1. Cream cleanser.
2. Niacinamide 5–10% serum (The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc is fine).
3. Ceramide moisturizer (CeraVe Skin Renewing Cream, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair).
4. Mineral SPF 50+.

PM:

1. Cream cleanser.
2. Peptide serum (Matrixyl, copper peptides) — supports collagen synthesis at the exact time it's active.
3. Ceramide moisturizer.
4. Optional: thin layer of Vaseline/Aquaphor as overnight occlusive.

Day 6–7

Barrier is ~70% recovered. Can introduce gentle actives cautiously.

AM:

1. Cream cleanser.
2. Vitamin C at low concentration — MAP, SAP, or TH-ascorbate (not L-ascorbic acid yet).
3. Niacinamide serum.
4. Ceramide moisturizer.
5. SPF.

PM:

1. Cream cleanser.
2. Peptide serum.
3. Ceramide moisturizer.
4. Still skip retinoids and acids for another 3–5 days.

Day 10–14

Most people can return to full routine:

• Retinoid: start back 2x/week, not nightly. Build up.
• AHA/BHA: wait until day 14 minimum.
• Vitamin C: full L-ascorbic acid OK now.

Things to avoid throughout the 14-day window

• Hot showers: lukewarm only
• Saunas, steam rooms, hot yoga: heat disrupts healing
• Exercise that makes you sweat aggressively: hold off for 48 hours
• Alcohol: vasodilates, increases swelling
• Retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C at high %: for 7–14 days
• Benzoyl peroxide: for 7 days
• Aggressive cleansing (scrubs, brushes): for 14 days
• Makeup: for 48 hours minimum, then mineral makeup only for 5 days

Red flags — call your provider

• Severe pain (not normal discomfort) after 24 hours
• Pus, yellow discharge, or honey-colored crusting (infection signs)
• Spreading redness beyond treated area
• Fever
• Blisters that weren't expected from the treatment

The general principle

Post-procedure skin is asking for two things: hydration and protection. Give it both. Skip everything else. The more restrained you are in the first 7 days, the better your 12-week result will be.

What you do in this window determines whether you get the 95% optimal result or the 70% one.