Microdermabrasion Aftercare: First 48 Hours and Week-by-Week Care

The most important rule after microdermabrasion is simple: protect your skin barrier. Keep it clean, keep it hydrated, and keep it out of the sun for the next few days. Our microdermabrasion facial uses the Derma Genesis vacuum controlled mechanism to gently lift off dead surface cells, so your skin is fresh and more open to absorbing what you put on it next.

In our Madison clinic near the Mineral Point Road corridor, we love microderm because downtime is usually low. But the first 48 hours matter. The people who follow the time-bound rules below are the ones who tend to notice that smoother, brighter look sooner, and keep it longer.

Your first 24 to 48 hours after a microderm facial: do this, skip that

Do

• Cleanse gently with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser. Pat dry. No scrubbing, no cleansing brushes.
• Moisturize with a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturizer. Apply more often than usual if your skin feels tight.
• Wear broad-spectrum SPF 30+ every morning, even if it’s cloudy. Madison sun still counts, and freshly exfoliated skin is more reactive.
• Keep it cool. Cool or lukewarm showers are your friend right now.

Skip

• Makeup for at least 24 to 72 hours if you can. If you truly need it sooner, keep it minimal and avoid heavy, occlusive formulas.
• Heavy sweating and workouts for 24 to 72 hours. Heat and sweat can sting and ramp up redness.
• Hot showers, saunas, and steam rooms for the first couple days.
• Pools and hot tubs for 48 to 72 hours. It’s not worth the irritation risk.
• Active products like retinoids, exfoliating acids, and abrasive scrubs.

If you’re running errands around West Towne or heading back to work, this is the easy version of aftercare. Keep a clean face, moisturize, and put SPF on before you walk out the door. That’s it.

Days 3 to 7: the “don’t mess it up now” microdermabrasion week

By day three, most people feel back to normal, which is exactly when it’s tempting to restart everything all at once. Slow is better. Your skin is still settling, and your results build when you keep irritation low.

Keep doing

• Gentle cleanse morning and night.
• Moisturizer twice a day, more often if you’re dry.
• Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily, plus a hat if you’ll be outside.

Avoid for the full week

• Retinol and exfoliating acids (like glycolic, salicylic, lactic) unless we specifically told you otherwise.
• At-home scrubs or “personal microderm” tools. It’s too easy to overdo it and end up irritated.
• Picking or peeling if you get a little flaking. Let it shed on its own.

Madison winters can be rough on skin. Cool, dry air plus indoor heating often means you’ll feel drier than you expected after microderm. A richer moisturizer at night and a humidifier in the bedroom usually help a lot.

The simplest routine that protects microdermabrasion results

Microdermabrasion is meant to make your skin more receptive. That’s great for high-grade serums and cosmetic products, but only if your barrier is calm. Keep the routine short for the first week, then we can build from there.

We carry PCA and SkinMedica in clinic, and we’re happy to point you toward a simple option that fits your skin. You don’t need a shelf full of products to get a good microderm facial result. You need consistency.

If you’re also working on clarity, acne scarring, or texture, microderm is often one step in a bigger plan. Our facial rejuvenation treatments guide is a good next read if you’re comparing options.

When to reach out to our Madison team (and what’s normal)

If something feels off, let us know. We’d rather answer a quick question than have you guess at home. Our team is big on education and clear next steps, because that’s what keeps results consistent over time.

"She took the time to get to know me some which helped her decide what would be best for me and my lifestyle"

one of our regulars

Address: 7475 Mineral Point Road, Suite 42 Room 115, Madison, WI 53717

Microdermabrasion aftercare FAQs we hear every week