Why We Recommend a healing regimen that is customized, for both results and smooth healing
ALASTIN® Regenerating Skin Nectar Before Laser and Microneedling—But Not Immediately After
We have a number of agents for pre and post procedure healing such as Intense from Plated and CMT from Revision, and our expert skin care team wants to know all about your pre and post regimen skin care plans to help you maximize your results. If you’re preparing for a laser treatment or microneedling procedure, you’ve probably heard us recommend ALASTIN® Regenerating Skin Nectar. Patients often ask two questions:
- Why should I use it before my procedure?
- Why do I need to stop using it for a day or two afterward?
The answer lies in understanding how your skin heals.
Before Your Procedure: Prepare Your Skin for Recovery
Laser treatments and microneedling intentionally create controlled micro-injuries that stimulate your body’s natural healing response. Healthy skin recovers more efficiently, leading to better results and a smoother healing process.
ALASTIN Regenerating Skin Nectar contains ingredients designed to support the skin’s extracellular matrix that network of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that give skin its strength and resilience. By optimizing the skin environment before treatment, Skin Nectar may help:
- Reduce the appearance of redness during recovery
- Support healthier collagen remodeling
- Improve overall skin quality during healing
- Enhance comfort throughout the recovery period
- Support the effectiveness of other procedures or treatments such as biostimulating facial tightening procedures
Think of it as preparing the soil before planting a garden. Healthy, well-prepared skin is in a better position to respond to treatment. And like your garden the microbiome, the exposure to sunlight, and skin oxygenation is all part of what we will consider in our recommendations.
Why We Pause for 24–48 Hours After Treatment
Although Skin Nectar is formulated to support healing, the first 24 to 48 hours after laser or microneedling are different.
Immediately after treatment:
- The skin barrier is temporarily disrupted.
- Tiny channels or microscopic openings are present.
- Nerve endings are more exposed.
- The skin is focused on the earliest stages of wound healing.
- Growth factors and signaling molecules flood into the area to accomplish the healing.
During this period, we want to keep the skin routine extremely simple.
Applying active skincare products too soon—even products designed to promote healing—may:
- Cause unnecessary stinging or burning
- Increase irritation in highly sensitive skin
- Penetrate more deeply than intended through temporary microchannels
- Interfere with your provider’s preferred post-procedure healing protocol
- Enhance your ability to resist unwanted inflammation or pigment formation
Instead, we typically recommend using only the post-procedure products specifically chosen for those first one to two days, along with strict sun protection.
When Can You Restart Skin Nectar?
Most patients can restart ALASTIN Regenerating Skin Nectar after 24 to 48 hours, once:
- Excessive heat has subsided
- The skin no longer feels intensely raw
- Your provider confirms it is appropriate for your specific procedure
The exact timing depends on the intensity of your treatment.
- Light microneedling: Often around 24 hours.
- Deeper microneedling or more aggressive laser resurfacing: Frequently 48 hours or longer, depending on your provider’s instructions.
Always follow the recommendations given after your specific procedure.
Consult and consistency
By keeping regular skin care such as facials and consults we can help you be consistent and holistic regarding your care. ALASTIN Regenerating Skin Nectar is an excellent product for preparing your skin before laser and microneedling and for supporting recovery once the initial healing phase has passed. Other products may be a better fit for some clients, or perhaps more than one product for optimal results.
The brief pause immediately after treatment isn’t because the product is harmful. Rather, it’s because the skin is temporarily much more permeable, is moving through it’s healing cycle, and therefore more sensitive. Allowing the skin barrier to begin rebuilding before reintroducing skincare products helps minimize irritation, helps prevent breakouts in some cases, while supporting optimal healing.
As with all cosmetic procedures, every patient’s skin is unique. We’ll provide personalized instructions based on your treatment so you achieve the safest recovery and the best possible results.
Note: Some clinicians begin ALASTIN Skin Nectar immediately after certain procedures, while others prefer waiting 24–48 hours; particularly after deeper laser resurfacing or more aggressive microneedling. The best timing depends on the procedure performed and your provider’s post-treatment protocol. If your practice consistently recommends waiting, this article accurately reflects that protocol while explaining the physiologic reasoning.
