Microneedling aftercare guide covering what serums and products to use after treatment

Microneedling Aftercare: What to Do in the 48 Hours After Your Appointment

~5 minute read · Updated April 2026

You've just left the clinic. Your skin is pink, slightly tender, and you're already Googling "can I wear makeup tonight" from the back seat of an Uber. This is the post for that moment. Short, clear, no fluff. Just what to do (and what to absolutely avoid) in the 48 hours that matter most.

What's actually happening to your skin right now

Microneedling creates thousands of tiny, controlled punctures in the surface of your skin. Your body responds to these the way it responds to any minor surface disruption: by sending resources to the area and ramping up its natural recovery processes.

For the first 48 hours, your skin is in a heightened state. The surface barrier is temporarily open, which means three things:

Absorption is significantly increased. Anything you put on your skin right now will absorb faster and deeper than usual. This is good if it's a gentle, supportive product. It's very bad if it's an acid, a retinoid, or anything with fragrance or alcohol.
Sensitivity is elevated. What normally feels fine on your skin may sting, flush, or irritate during this window.
Contamination risk is higher. An open barrier is more vulnerable to bacteria from your hands, your pillowcase, or whatever else touches your face.

The good news: this is completely temporary. By 48 to 72 hours, most people's skin has closed back up and returned to its normal state. Your job in the meantime is to keep things clean, calm, and simple.

The golden rules

Clean hands, always. Wash your hands before touching your face. Every time. No exceptions.

Gentle products only. If it stings, take it off. If you're not sure whether it's gentle enough, it probably isn't.

No actives. None. Not even the mild ones. We'll list the specifics below.

No direct sun. Stay out of it. Wear a hat if you have to be outside. Apply mineral SPF once your skin can tolerate it (usually after 12 to 24 hours, but follow your clinician's advice).

No sweat. Skip the gym, the sauna, and the hot yoga for at least 48 hours. Sweat is salty, acidic, and full of bacteria. Your skin does not want it right now.

A simple timeline

0 to 6 hours

Your skin will be at its most pink and sensitive during this window. Some people experience mild swelling, especially around the eyes and forehead. This is normal.

Don't touch your face unnecessarily
Don't apply anything unless your clinician gave you a specific product to use immediately after treatment
If your clinic applied a calming serum or mask at the end of your session, let it sit and absorb
Avoid hot environments (no cooking over a stove, no sitting in a warm car with the heater on your face)

6 to 24 hours

The initial intensity starts to settle. Your skin may still look flushed, like a mild sunburn. It might feel tight or dry.

You can gently cleanse with lukewarm water and a very mild, fragrance free cleanser
Apply a hydrating serum. This is where a gentle PDRN serum works well. It's biocompatible, has no fragrance or alcohol, and supports the appearance of calm, hydrated skin without causing irritation
Follow with a simple, fragrance free moisturiser
Sleep on a clean pillowcase (ideally change it fresh for tonight)

24 to 48 hours

Most of the redness has faded. Some people experience light peeling or flaking, which is just the treated surface shedding normally. Don't pick at it.

Continue with your simplified routine: gentle cleanser, hydrating serum, moisturiser
You can usually apply a mineral SPF at this point if you need to go outside (check with your clinician if you're unsure)
Still no actives. Still no makeup with active ingredients
If you feel comfortable, you can apply basic mineral makeup for coverage, but keep it light and clean

What to avoid for the full 48 hours

Retinoids. No retinol, no tretinoin, no retinal, no adapalene. Your skin is already turning over faster than normal. Adding a retinoid on top of that is asking for trouble.

Exfoliating acids. No AHAs (glycolic, lactic, mandelic). No BHAs (salicylic). No PHAs. Nothing that exfoliates. Your skin does not need help shedding right now.

Vitamin C serums. Most vitamin C formulations are acidic and can sting badly on freshly needled skin. Park it for at least 48 hours, ideally 72.

Fragrance. In any form. Including "natural" essential oils. Your absorption is elevated and fragrance molecules can trigger irritation faster than usual.

Alcohol. Denatured alcohol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol. Check your product labels. This is a common hidden ingredient in toners and "refreshing" mists.

Makeup with active ingredients. Some foundations contain retinol, salicylic acid, or niacinamide at concentrations that matter. Read the label before you put anything on.

Swimming. Pool chlorine and ocean salt water are both irritants. Stay out of the water for at least 48 hours.

Exercise. Sweating brings bacteria to the surface and raises your skin temperature. Wait at least 48 hours before doing anything that gets you properly sweaty.

Where PDRN fits into aftercare

This is why a lot of aestheticians reach for PDRN during and after microneedling treatments. It ticks every box for what freshly treated skin needs:

No fragrance, no alcohol, no acids
Biocompatible with human skin
Supports the appearance of hydrated, calm looking skin
Lightweight enough to absorb without sitting on the surface
Plays well with a simple moisturiser on top

During the treatment itself, many clinicians use Curenex, which is a professional grade topical PDRN serum designed specifically for application alongside microneedling. Your aesthetician will handle this part.

For the days following your appointment, you can continue supporting your skin with a gentle topical PDRN serum at home. VITARAN capsules are a good option here because each dose is individually sealed and sterile, which reduces the contamination risk that matters most when your barrier is still recovering.

When to contact your clinic

Most side effects from microneedling are mild and temporary. But there are a few things that warrant a call to your clinician:

Redness that hasn't noticeably improved after 72 hours
Swelling that gets worse rather than better after the first 24 hours
Any sign of infection: unusual warmth, pus, spreading redness, or pain that increases rather than decreases
Persistent breakouts in the treated area that don't resolve within a week

These are uncommon, but they're worth knowing about. If something doesn't feel right, call your clinic. That's what they're there for.

After the 48 hours

Once you're past the initial recovery window, you can start reintroducing your normal products one at a time. Don't throw everything back on at once. Add one product back every two to three days so you can tell if anything causes a reaction.

A reasonable reintroduction order:

Your regular moisturiser and SPF (if you were using a simpler version during recovery)
Hyaluronic acid or other hydrating serums
Vitamin C (usually safe after 72 hours)
Niacinamide
Retinoids (wait at least 5 to 7 days, ideally longer if your skin is still feeling sensitive)
Exfoliating acids (last to come back, and only once everything else is comfortable)

If you want a detailed guide on building a daily PDRN routine between treatments, we've written that too: How Often Should You Use PDRN?

The short version

Keep it clean. Keep it simple. Keep it gentle. For 48 hours, your entire routine should be: gentle cleanser, hydrating serum (PDRN is ideal), moisturiser, and mineral SPF when you go outside. No actives, no fragrance, no gym, no pool, no picking. Your skin knows what to do. Your job is to not get in its way.

Disclaimer: The products discussed here are topical cosmetics, not therapeutic goods. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Microneedling should only be performed by trained professionals in regulated clinical settings. Always follow your clinician's specific aftercare instructions, which take priority over any general advice. If you experience unusual symptoms after a treatment, contact your clinic directly.

PDRN vs hyaluronic acid comparison showing the differences for hydration and skin repair

PDRN vs Hyaluronic Acid: Which Hydrator Actually Belongs in Your Routine?

Hyaluronic acid and PDRN are not the same ingredient, and they're not competing for the same job. HA is your instant, surface level hydrator. PDRN is the slow, cumulative support underneath. You don't need to choose between them. Used together, they cover both the immediate and the long term, and they layer without any fuss

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Guide to using PDRN skincare topically without microneedling or needles

Can You Use PDRN at Home Without Microneedling? (Spoiler: Yes)

~6 minute read · Updated April 2026 Here's the question we get in our DMs more than any other, almost word for word: "I've seen PDRN all over TikTok but everyone's getting it done at a clinic. Can I just use it at home?" The short answer is yes. Absolutely yes. And the reason the whole internet makes it feel like you need a needle is a bit of a misunderstanding about where PDRN actually came from and how it's used in real life. So let's untangle it. This is the clear, honest, no upsell version of the answer written for Australians who just want to know whether they can buy a serum and use it on a Tuesday morning without booking an appointment. First, a quick recap on what PDRN is If you've landed on this post cold, here's the 30-second version: PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. It's a fragment of DNA specifically, short chains extracted and purified from salmon DNA and it's the breakout ingredient of the Korean skincare world right now. It's gentle, it's biocompatible, and it layers beautifully into a daily routine. If you want the full story, we've written a complete guide: What is PDRN? The Complete Australian Guide to Salmon DNA Skincare. Now back to the needle question. Why PDRN got tangled up with microneedling in the first place There's a specific reason you see PDRN and microneedling mentioned in the same breath constantly, and it's worth understanding because it explains most of the confusion. In Korea, where the modern PDRN trend started, a lot of the early buzz came from clinical and semi-clinical settings facialists, aestheticians, and skin therapists who were layering PDRN serums onto freshly microneedled skin during treatments. The combination made sense: microneedling creates thousands of tiny channels in the surface of the skin, which gives a pro-grade serum a very direct path in. So the early content, the early before-and-afters, and the early product launches were all framed around the clinical use case. And then the internet did what the internet does. It took the clinical version and turned it into the whole story. People started assuming that the needle was part of the ingredient, rather than just one way of applying it. It isn't. The ingredient is the ingredient. The needle is a delivery choice. So what actually happens when you use PDRN at home? Topical PDRN serums the kind you can buy in a box and apply to your own face are formulated specifically to work on intact skin. They're not watered-down clinical products. They're real products, designed for real routines, with formulation choices that make them absorb into the surface of the skin the way any well-made serum does. What you can realistically expect from consistent at-home use: Skin that looks and feels more hydrated, especially after the first two or three weeks A more even, comfortable-looking complexion over time A serum that plays well with everything else in your routine it won't pill under sunscreen, it won't clash with your moisturiser, and it won't make your skin throw a tantrum the way retinol sometimes does What you shouldn't expect: Dramatic, overnight, stop-people-in-the-street results. PDRN is a slow, cumulative ingredient. If anyone's promising you miracles from a bottle, be sceptical. The same kind of visible "reset" you'd get from a clinical microneedling session. That's a different category of treatment, and we'll talk about when that's still worth doing below. The honest trade-off: home vs. clinic Let's just say it plainly, because this is what most people actually want to know. A clinical microneedling session with PDRN is more intense. You get a concentrated dose, applied during a treatment that's physically opening tiny pathways in the skin, performed by a trained professional in a controlled environment. The trade off is that it costs more, takes an appointment, comes with a couple of days of visible downtime, and isn't something you can do every week. Using topical PDRN at home, by contrast, is slower but infinitely more sustainable. You're using a smaller dose, every day, for weeks and months on end. No appointment. No downtime. No recovery. And critically you're the one staying consistent, which is where most of the results in skincare actually come from. For most Australians, honestly? The at-home version is the right answer. Consistency beats intensity almost every time in skincare. The people who get the best results are the ones who actually use their serum for six months straight not the ones who do one clinical session and forget about it for a year. How to use topical PDRN at home (the simple version) We've written a more detailed routine guide separately (How often should you use PDRN?), but here's the stripped-back version you can start tomorrow morning: Cleanse with a gentle cleanser. No scrubs, no harsh foaming things. Pat your skin mostly dry leave it a little damp, not dripping. Apply your PDRN serum. Press it gently into the skin rather than rubbing. Let it settle for 20–30 seconds. Moisturiser on top, to seal everything in. SPF in the morning, every morning, non-negotiable. This matters more than any serum you'll ever buy. That's it. Twice a day if you can manage it, once a day if mornings are chaos and you only remember skincare at night. PDRN is forgiving it rewards consistency, not perfection. Our pick for at-home PDRN If you're starting from zero, our recommendation is VITARAN. It's a Korean-formulated topical that comes in single-use capsules which sounds like a small thing but actually solves two real problems: it eliminates the contamination risk you get from dipping fingers into a jar, and it gives you a consistent dose every single day. You don't have to guess, you don't have to measure, you just open a capsule and apply. It also pairs PDRN with exosomes and NMN, which are two ingredients worth their own post entirely, but the short version is that they support hydration and the appearance of skin comfort in complementary ways. For someone who's never used PDRN before and wants a low-commitment starting point, it's hard to beat. When you might still want to see an aesthetician To be completely fair and because we don't want to pretend the clinical option doesn't exist there are still good reasons to see a skin therapist occasionally. If you want the concentrated, visible reset that comes from a professional microneedling session, that's a real thing and at-home PDRN doesn't replicate it. If you have specific concerns that benefit from professional guidance uneven texture, persistent dullness, scarring an aesthetician can build a treatment plan around them in a way that a serum alone can't. In those cases, the smart play is usually both. You see a pro every few months for the clinical treatment, and you use topical PDRN at home in between to keep the momentum going. The clinical product we stock for professional microneedling applications is Curenex, which is designed specifically for that setting and is what your aesthetician will likely reach for. But and this is the important bit microneedling at home is a hard no. Not with our products, not with anyone's products, not with the roller you bought on a website for $18. Microneedling done badly, in an unclean environment, without training, is one of the fastest ways to hurt your skin. If you want the clinical version, please see a trained professional in a proper clinic. The bottom line You don't need a needle to use PDRN. You don't need an appointment. You don't need to spend $400 on a clinical session to "unlock" the ingredient. PDRN is a topical skincare ingredient that works on intact skin, applied the same way you apply any other serum cleanse, serum, moisturiser, SPF, done. The clinical version exists, it's legitimate, and it has its place. But if you're someone who just wants to add a gentle, effective, Korean-formulated serum to your daily routine without booking anything, topical PDRN is made for exactly that. Start with one capsule a day, give it a month, and see how your skin feels. That's the whole experiment. If you have questions about where to start, drop us a DM we genuinely enjoy this part. Disclaimer: The products discussed here are topical cosmetics, not therapeutic goods. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Microneedling, when referenced, should only be performed by trained professionals in appropriately regulated clinical settings — it is not a safe at-home practice. Individual results vary. If you have a pre-existing skin condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are currently using prescription topicals, please consult your GP or dermatologist before introducing new skincare products.

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PDRN salmon DNA skincare guide for sensitive and reactive skin types

PDRN and Sensitive Skin: A Gentle Guide for Reactive Complexions

~5 minute read · Updated April 2026 If you've ever unscrewed a retinol at 9pm, dabbed it on your cheek, and immediately regretted every skincare decision you've made since your early twenties, this post is for you. If you've ever stood in a chemist aisle reading the back of a bottle and thought "niacinamide, fine, but what if my face says no," this is also for you. Sensitive skin is exhausting. It turns a routine into a guessing game. And if that's where you are right now, PDRN might be worth a look, precisely because it's the opposite of dramatic. What "sensitive skin" actually means The phrase gets used loosely, so let's be specific. When we say sensitive skin in this context, we're talking about skin that reacts more than you'd expect to products that most people tolerate fine. That might look like: Redness or flushing after applying actives Stinging or burning from products that don't list anything aggressive on the label A barrier that feels permanently compromised, tight, flaky, or rough despite using moisturiser Skin that used to tolerate your routine but doesn't anymore (this one is extremely common after overusing acids or retinoids) Some people are born with naturally reactive skin. Others end up there after pushing too hard with too many actives for too long. Either way, the practical challenge is the same: you need products that actually do something, but without the sting, the flush, or the two day recovery period. Why PDRN tends to be well tolerated PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) is a fragment of DNA purified from salmon. If you want the full science and background, we've got it here: What is PDRN? The Complete Australian Guide to Salmon DNA Skincare. The short version of why sensitive skin types tend to get along with it: It's biocompatible. PDRN is structurally similar to human DNA, which means the skin recognises it as something familiar rather than something foreign. Most irritation in skincare comes from ingredients that the skin perceives as an invader. PDRN doesn't trigger that alarm. It's not an acid, a retinoid, or a vitamin C derivative. Those are all effective ingredients, but they work by creating a controlled amount of stress on the skin, which is exactly what reactive skin can't handle right now. PDRN doesn't work that way. It's not trying to force a reaction. It just sits quietly and supports the appearance of hydrated, calm looking skin over time. Most PDRN formulations are clean and minimal. No fragrance. No alcohol. No essential oils. The products we stock are formulated in Korea with short, intentional ingredient lists. There's simply less in the bottle to react to. It doesn't feel like anything. This sounds like a strange selling point, but for sensitive skin it's a big one. PDRN goes on, absorbs quickly, and you feel… nothing. No tingle. No warmth. No tightness. For anyone who's been conditioned to associate "working" with "stinging," this takes some getting used to. But the absence of sensation is exactly the point. What to realistically expect PDRN is not going to fix a damaged barrier overnight. Nothing topical will. But what consistent daily use tends to deliver, over about 3 to 6 weeks, is skin that looks and feels more settled. More hydrated. Less reactive. The kind of improvement that's hard to photograph but easy to feel when you wake up in the morning and your face doesn't feel like sandpaper. It's a slow ingredient. That's a feature, not a bug. Sensitive skin doesn't need more drama. It needs something that shows up quietly, every day, and does its job without making things worse. How to patch test (because we're responsible adults) Even though PDRN has a strong track record with sensitive skin, you should still patch test. Your skin is yours, and no one else's experience is a guarantee of how yours will respond. Here's the simplest way to do it: Apply a small amount to the inside of your wrist or behind your ear. Wait 24 hours. If there's no redness, itching, or irritation, apply a small amount to a patch of your jawline. Wait another 24 hours. If that's fine, you're good to introduce it into your full routine. This takes two days. It's worth it. Especially if your skin has a history of throwing tantrums. A minimal routine for reactive skin If your skin is currently sensitised, the best thing you can do is strip your routine back to the absolute basics and let your barrier recover. Here's what that looks like with PDRN: Morning: Gentle cleanser (cream or milk, not foaming) PDRN serum Moisturiser SPF (mineral if your skin reacts to chemical filters) Evening: Gentle cleanser (double cleanse only if you wore heavy SPF or makeup) PDRN serum Moisturiser (can go heavier at night) That's it. Four products maximum. No acids. No retinoids. No vitamin C. Not yet. Let your skin breathe for 4 to 6 weeks on this stripped back routine and see how it responds. You can always reintroduce other actives later, one at a time, once the reactivity has calmed down. What to avoid while your barrier is recovering This part is just as important as what you add in. Physical exfoliants. Scrubs, brushes, washcloths, anything abrasive. Your barrier is already compromised. Don't sand it. Chemical exfoliants. AHAs, BHAs, even gentle ones. Park them for now. You can come back to them when your skin is stable again. Retinoids. Same deal. They're excellent ingredients but they accelerate cell turnover, which is not what fragile skin needs right now. Fragrance. Including "natural" fragrance. Essential oils are still potential irritants. Read the label. Hot water. Lukewarm for cleansing, always. Hot water strips the barrier faster than almost anything else, and it's the one people forget about. Changing too many things at once. If you introduce PDRN, don't also introduce a new moisturiser, a new SPF, and a new cleanser in the same week. Change one thing at a time so you can actually tell what's helping and what isn't. Why single use capsules matter for sensitive skin This is a practical detail, but it's relevant. Most serums come in bottles with droppers. Every time you open the bottle, expose the dropper to air, and touch it with your fingers, you're introducing a tiny amount of contamination. For most people this is fine. For sensitive skin, especially skin that's actively recovering, reducing that contamination risk is a meaningful advantage. VITARAN comes in individual sealed capsules. Each dose is factory sealed, sterile, and untouched until you twist it open. There's no jar to dip into, no dropper to expose, and no preservative load needed to keep the formula stable after repeated opening. For reactive skin, this format makes a real practical difference. When PDRN isn't enough on its own Let's be honest. If your skin is severely reactive, persistently inflamed, or showing signs of a condition like rosacea, eczema, or dermatitis, a serum isn't the answer by itself. Those are medical conditions and they need medical attention. PDRN is a topical cosmetic. It can support the appearance of calm, comfortable skin as part of a gentle routine. But if your skin is telling you something is properly wrong, please see a GP or dermatologist. A serum is a complement to medical care, not a replacement for it. The short version PDRN is one of the gentlest active ingredients in modern skincare. It's biocompatible, fragrance free, doesn't sting, doesn't tingle, and works slowly over weeks rather than forcing a reaction. For sensitive or reactive skin, that's exactly the profile you want. Strip your routine back to cleanser, PDRN, moisturiser, and SPF. Give it a month. Let your skin tell you the rest. If you want to understand how PDRN fits into a full routine once your skin stabilises, read our guide: How Often Should You Use PDRN? And if you're curious about layering it with hyaluronic acid (which is a great pairing for dehydrated sensitive skin), start here: PDRN vs Hyaluronic Acid. Disclaimer: The products discussed here are topical cosmetics, not therapeutic goods. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have a diagnosed skin condition such as rosacea, eczema, or dermatitis, please consult your GP or dermatologist before introducing new skincare products. Individual results vary.

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Microneedling Aftercare: What to Do in the 48 Hours After Your Appointment

What's actually happening to your skin right now

The golden rules