Research suggests that cosmetic procedures are on the rise in Australia, with estimates that Australians are spending more than $1 billion each year on cosmetic treatments, including cosmeceutical treatments, Botox and cosmetic surgery – 40 percent more than what Americans spend on a per-capita basis. But in Australia and many other countries, cosmetic surgery is less regulated than the work done by plastic surgeons and is often performed outside of traditional medical environments. This can lead to complications when these treatments are incorrectly administered, or when the proposed treatment protocols are not advised.

When you have any kind of cosmeceutical treatment, whether it’s laser treatments, skin penetration of any kind like needling or microdermabrasion, or glycolic acid peels that penetrate deep into the dermis (the inner layer of the skin), the result is damage and inflammation to the skin. These treatments remove layers of the skin with the intent to elicit a repair response from the body, which induces new cell growth and turnover, and can produce a short-term plumping effect. Think about the way bones repair after they’re broken and how new bone cells are sent to the area to remedy the damage; the same occurs after damage is inflicted to skin cells. 

So what should you put on your skin after you’ve had a cosmeceutical treatment, especially if your skin seems raw or is showing signs of trauma (like redness or irritation)? 

Your priority is to soothe and protect your skin and support healing with a natural petrochemical-free barrier cream. Sharon, our founder, has seen many cases of highly sensitised skin resulting from improper healing and recovery plans after cosmeceutical procedures, including the premature use of actives such as acids and retinoids, chemically laden sunscreens and petrochemical-based barrier creams (even those alleging to be ‘repair creams’). 

Sharon’s approach after any cosmetic procedure is to desensitise and then strengthen with plant-based ingredients that have a natural affinity with the skin, so the first step in an MV healing protocol is to shield the traumatised skin barrier.

The most important thing to remember is to always listen to your skin! If your skin is clearly reacting and unhappy with the specific treatment you’ve tried, please heed the warning and accept that not all skin (and not all skin barriers) react in the same way. It may not be the treatment for you and could cause you much more harm than good.