Winter Is the Best Time for Aesthetic Procedures—Here’s How to Handle the Aftercare
Better healing means better results.
Hardly anyone will tell you that January is a great skincare season. The eczema patches are flaring up, the radiators are showing no mercy, and copious washing is leaving those hands feeling like crusty lizard skin. I admit that all of this is true—however! It’s also prime time for sneaking in all those skin resurfacing, smoothing, and brightening treatments that you’ve been waiting months to schedule. Why now? Well, you can’t exactly remove the topmost layer of your skin in the dead of summer when the UV index is at 12 and you’re walking around in the boiling heat. Beauty fans in the know understand that winter is peak season for aesthetic procedures (including lasers, microneedling, radiofrequency, and more), and therefore, for stocking up on the best post-procedure skincare, because the treatment regimen doesn’t stop when you leave the chair.
Caring for your skin after an in-office procedure is essential to ensure speedy healing and minimize the risk of complications like infections, scarring, and excessive irritation. And while it’s normal to experience some redness, peeling, and sensitivity following a laser or energy-based procedure, these at-home products will help keep you, and your skin, feeling as comfortable as possible. Here’s everything I reach for after a trip to the dermatologist for a little Fraxel, Clear + Brilliant, Pico Genesis, or IPL, among others.
Calming Cleansers
Keeping your raw, exposed skin clean is crucial for preventing infection, especially since many of these treatments are literally creating micro-injuries in the skin. That’s why I always keep a super gentle, fragrance-free cleanser made for sensitive and post-procedure skin in my vanity cabinet.
Standout ingredients in this editor-beloved formula include hydrating and calming allantoin, chamomile, and aloe vera. It’s a fabulous soap-free option with an easy foam (no harsh scrubbing required) that won’t strip your skin.
This is my forever failsafe gentle cleanser. Whether my eczema is acting up or I’m fresh off a laser facial, this fragrance-free formula always gets the job done—as gently as possible.
Healing Heroes
Brands are getting in on the post-procedure game with a new category of tailored products to speed up healing time. I love to incorporate these into my routine in place of my usual face serum to keep things gentle and irritation-free.
After my most recent Fraxel treatment, I slathered my tender face with this jelly-like formula day and night to heal and strengthen my skin. I’m keeping it around to help out with winter skin barrier repair right now as well.
Powered by biotech-derived ingredients, this gentle, antioxidant-rich serum helps to repair the skin barrier and protect vulnerable skin as it heals. The cooling roller applicator is also lovely to use on a sore face.
A one-two punch of growth factors and stem cell factors allows this reparative treatment to heal wounds post-laser, chemical peel, microneedling, and more. I’m always a SkinMedica loyalist and this product is just the start.
Pure aloe vera and chamomile create a no-nonsense and affordable post-procedure gel that your skin will drink up like it hasn’t seen water in years. The added glycerin and allantoin helps to enhance those hydration levels as well.
Targeted Moisture
A quality moisturizer is non-negotiable in the winter, but when your skin is extra dry and healing from a treatment, it’s even more crucial. I look for gentle, regenerative moisturizers that can repair my skin barrier, boost hydration, and enhance the effects of my recent procedure.
This is the newest addition to my healing post-procedure lineup and one of my favorite beauty products of 2025. My skin is left brighter, more supple, and soothed, no matter how intense my treatment may have been.
A compromised skin barrier is no match for this restorative cream. The antimicrobial formula helps speed up recovery and keep your epidermis protected, even at its most vulnerable.
Occlusives All Day
The severe dryness, peeling, and flaking after an intensive laser or chemical peel are to be expected, but you can keep your complexion comfortable and lock in needed hydration with an occlusive balm. The best part? These essentials are also super affordable.
This is my ride-or-die healing balm that always lives in my cabinet for dry skin emergencies. I slather on a generous layer during the first week of healing after Fraxel (when the peeling is most intense), and then at night after that for another week or so.
This is an old school option that both my mom and I love for severely dry, stressed skin. It’s a lanolin-based option, as opposed to petrolatum, and while both work, it really comes down to personal preference.
Make It Mineral
If you live in the US, you only have two SPF filters to choose from (although there is another one, bemotrizinol, on its way to FDA approval!) but after a procedure, you should always reach for a 30 or more SPF mineral option with zinc and/or titanium dioxide to prevent potential irritation from chemical sunscreens.
I adore this sunscreen and revel in its elegant, white-case-free finish. It leaves your skin looking so dewy and gorgeous, and it never causes even an ounce of irritation.
The GOAT, the staple that never leaves my vanity cabinet, I will never ever stop singing this sunscreen’s praises. When in doubt, and in need of a mineral SPF with a flawless finish, reach for this.
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