Templates · Free template · Aftercare
Microneedling Aftercare Instructions
A printable handout for clients after microneedling: what the skin will do, what to avoid in the first days, what to use, and the signs that mean call the clinic.
How to use this sheet
This is a draft to adapt, not a finished protocol. Timings such as how long to avoid exercise, heat, or active skincare differ between devices, products, and practitioners, so check every line against what you actually tell clients, fill in the blanks at the bottom, and have your medical director or clinical lead review it before you use it.
Print it, save it as a PDF, or send it digitally. Tick the aftercare box on the client's chart so there is a record that the instructions were given.
Why a written sheet matters
Clients forget most of what they are told in the room, especially straight after an injection or a peel. A written sheet answers the 9 p.m. question of whether something is normal, tells them exactly when it is not, and shows that you gave the instructions.
Microneedling Aftercare Instructions
Your treatment
What is normal
- Redness like a mild sunburn. It usually settles within a day or two after lighter treatments and can last several days after deeper ones.
- Tightness, dryness, and mild flaking as the skin renews.
- Slight swelling and tiny pinpoint marks, especially after deeper treatment.
- Skin that feels warm and more sensitive than usual.
The first 24 to 48 hours
- Wash your hands before you touch your face, and try not to touch it at all.
- Use only the cleanser, serum, and moisturiser we recommended.
- Skip makeup for at least 24 hours, or longer if we told you to.
- Avoid strenuous exercise, sweating, saunas, steam rooms, hot showers on the face, and pools or hot tubs.
- Do not pick or peel flaking skin. Let it come away on its own.
- Do not use retinoids, acids (AHA or BHA), vitamin C, or benzoyl peroxide until we say so.
The next week
- Cleanse gently with lukewarm water and pat dry. Moisturise as often as your skin needs.
- Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day and reapply. Stay out of direct sun and do not tan.
- No waxing, threading, facials, or other treatments on the area until we have cleared them.
Call us if
- Redness, swelling, or pain is getting worse after 48 to 72 hours instead of better.
- You see pus, yellow crusting, or blisters, or the skin feels increasingly hot.
- You get a cold sore or tingling blisters.
- You have a fever or feel unwell.
- Darker or lighter patches appear once the skin has healed.
Your clinic
Your practitioner fills this in before you leave.
- Instructions explained verbally
- Client received a copy
Template from zdrovia.ca/templates/microneedling-aftercare-instructions/ · Adapt to your clinic's protocol and have it reviewed by your medical director or clinical lead before use.
Send the right aftercare to every client automatically
In Zdrovia you write an aftercare sheet once under Patient Instructions and attach it to the service as its post-visit instruction. Every booking for that service delivers it to the client through their portal or by message, and you can embed it on your own website. Free for solo practitioners, with data stored in Canada.
See how Zdrovia is set up for aestheticians.
Frequently asked questions
How long does redness last after microneedling?
It varies with needle depth. Lighter treatments often settle within a day or two, deeper ones can take several days. State the range for the depths you use on the sheet.
When can a client wear makeup again?
Many clinics ask clients to wait at least 24 hours. Use the timing your protocol specifies and write it on the sheet.
Can this sheet be used for microneedling with PRP or radiofrequency?
Use it as a base and add the extra steps those treatments need. PRP involves a blood draw and its own post-care, and radiofrequency microneedling has device-specific guidance.
Related
This sheet is general patient education, not medical advice for any individual. Timings and products differ between treatments, devices, and practitioners, and your clinician's instructions for a specific client always take priority. Have your medical director or clinical lead review and adapt it before you give it to clients.