The Crème de la Crème of Post-Injectable Skin Care, According to the Pros

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After you have your hair colored, you likely use products designed for color-treated tresses. Why? Because you want to maintain your dye-job to the fullest and have your hair looking its best. Skin care after having a syringe of Botox or a squirt of filler is no different.

“After injectables, you have a few-to-several tiny breaks in the skin from the needle,” explains Dr. Ashley Magovern, a Manhattan Beach-based dermatologist and member of Dermstore’s advisory board. “These puncture sites leave the skin more vulnerable to irritation and infection. Gentle post-procedure products can help minimize bruising, redness and downtime.”

Can you reach to your usual arsenal of skin care? Possibly, says Dr. Magovern. “Post-injectable skin care is formulated to be extra gentle, avoiding actives that can sting or inflame skin that has just been treated. While you can usually return to your regular routine after a few days, products designed for recovering help minimize downtime and improve comfort during the healing phase.”

The key is keeping your skin-care routine simple: cleanser, serum, moisturizer, eye cream, sunscreen and a red light therapy or mask if you’re inclined. Also, Dr. Magovern recommends avoiding makeup for 24 to 48 hours “to let the skin fully heal.”

And what about Botox versus fillers — do we need to consider different products depending on what’s been injected? “Most post-injectable skin care can be used for both Botox and fillers,” says Dr. Magovern. “The main goal is soothing and protecting the skin. Filler treatments sometimes cause more bruising, so I often add arnica-based products. For Botox, it’s usually about hydration and barrier support.”

Here are the standout post-injectable products that the pros recommend to their patients for optimal results.

1. Choose a gentle face wash

“Gentle” is the keyword when it comes to washing your face after injections, both in terms of how you wash and the cleanser you use. If you’re an intense scrubber or use a face cloth to clean your face, stop. After an injection, putting pressure on the site could lead to filler migration or further swelling in the area. Also, avoid scrubs and anything with acids (AHA or BHA). Instead, using lukewarm water (not hot), wash the face with a gentle cleanser, such as IS Clinical Cleansing Complex ($49), which is specifically designed as a gentle, post procedure-safe option.

For an option that will remove makeup and pollutants, yet won’t irritate skin after injections, try the Bowe Glowe Cleanser from Dr. Whitney Bowe ($36). Alastin Ultra-Calm Cleansing Cream ($58) is specifically designed for post-treatment use and won’t irritate the skin.

Also, if you have a platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) and use a cleansing oil, skip it for a few days after the treatment. Pros suggest avoiding oil-based products, including cleansers, after PRP because they can potentially interfere with the growth factors that you’re meant to be absorbing; they may also clog pores and cause an infection at the injection site. 

2. Hydrate and soothe with a serum

Think of serum as an oasis in a post-procedure desert. “After injections, the skin’s moisture is stripped from the use of alcohol and cleansing products used to prep the skin,” explains NYC aesthetic physician Dr. Glenicia Nosworthy. “So you want to use something that adds hydration back into the skin to avoid dryness and tightness.” Cue: serum loaded with hydrating ingredients, namely hyaluronic acid. Glo by Glen Clarté Phyto Corrector ($140) has a rich dose of hyaluronic acid as well as cannabis and chlorophyll, both of which reduce inflammation and calm injection sites.

Another serum ideal for post-procedure care is Deinde’s new Instant-Calming Recovery Gel ($42), which boasts active squalane to keep hydration in the skin and antioxidants to combat environmental damage. Numerous pros recommend Alastin INhance Post-Injection Serum ($72). “This is an anti-bruise recovery type of topical,” says Dr. Sachin Shridharani, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon and the Chief Medical Officer at SkinSpirit. “The hexapeptide technology allows for penetration in the skin to help heal the bruise and decrease overall downtime.”

SkinCeuticals also makes two noteworthy post-procedure products: The brand’s H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan ($120) is specifically designed to use after fillers to improve skin plumpness and hydration. And the P-TIOX Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum ($150), tested as a complementary product for neurotoxin injections, is meant to mimic what Botox, or other neurotoxin, does: reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

When it comes to application, Dr. Shridharani says that using these products “twice a day is more than adequate.” (More serum does not equal faster healing time or better results.) The same goes for moisturizer; apply in the morning and at night after cleansing and serum.

3. Follow serum with a creamy moisturizer 

It’s important to lock in moisture with a moisturizer that boasts proper ingredients. “Using harsh or inappropriate products too soon can prolong healing, increase irritation and even compromise results,” explains Dr. Magovern. 

Three standouts in this category are: SkinMedica HA5 Hydra Collagen Replenish and Restore Hydrator ($192), which Dr. Shridharani recommends to his patients after injections to lock in moisture; Alastin Recovery Balm ($52), a thick moisturizer designed to soften injection sites while hydrating skin; and Senté Dermal Repair Cream ($164), which calms skin while adding a mega-dose of moisture.

If you normally apply skincare with a jade roller or gua sha stone, skip it for a few days. “Facial massage tools should be avoided for at least a week after injectables,” advises Dr. Magovern. “Using them too soon can displace filler or worsen bruising. Once the skin has fully healed, they can be safely reintroduced.”

4. Attend to the eye, lip and neck areas

While the neck area will benefit from any of the above serums and moisturizers, Dr. Shridharani also recommends the Alastin Restorative Neck Complex ($158), “which is excellent for post platysma injections of Botox or using Kybella in the submental region.” (Think neck waddle area.) “I find that patients tend to have a faster recovery altogether [with use].” For the eye area, G.M. Collin Eye Contour ($78) boasts hyaluronic acid to give a major dose of hydration to the under eyes. 

Lips often need particular TLC following filler injections. Soothe and hydrate lips with Nurse Jamie NuLips Rx Moisturizing Lip Balm ($26), but skip the exfoliating brush that comes with it until lips are fully healed. RescueMD Restorative Lip Treatment ($48) is also designed to treat lips post-procedure, with a cooling metal tip that soothes sore pouts. PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster ($50) instantly hydrates post-procedure puckers and boasts ingredients to stimulate collagen production to help prolong injectable results.

5. Absolutely do not forget SPF

Not wearing sunscreen after a filler or neurotoxin injection is like doing a week-long juice cleanse followed by a six-pack of beer and a bucket of K.F.C. Why bother?

“Sunscreen is essential after injectables,” says Dr. Magovern. “UV exposure can increase redness, slow healing and even shorten the longevity of filler by breaking down collagen more quickly.” She recommends a mineral-based sunscreen to support barrier health, meaning that moisture is kept in and pollutants and damaging agents are kept out. “Without it, you risk hyperpigmentation, inflammation and less durable results.” 

Two of the best available, per the pros, are Elta MD Skin Recovery SPF 50 ($50) and Alastin SilkShield All Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 ($78). Also avoid the sun as much as possible following injectable treatments to give the skin the best chance to heal.

6. Something extra: red light therapy and a healing mask

Yes, you can use red light and yes, you can use a mask following injectable procedures. As stated above, remember to be gentle and use products that the pros recommend that won’t further agitate the skin. In terms of light therapy, Dr. Magovern says, “Red or near-infrared light therapy can be very helpful after injectables. It calms inflammation, reduces swelling and speeds up healing.” She cautions against blue light, however. “It can be too harsh and isn’t recommended immediately after treatment.” Try out the CurrentBody Series 2 LED Face Mask ($469.99+), which also has a neck attachment if you’ve had injections for neck bands or in the submental region.

Viktor Michael offers one of the best masks on the market for use after injections, the Ciao for Now Post-Injection Care Mask ($112). As you would expect, this skin savior calms the complexion while locking in moisture and is particularly good for sensitive skin. These products, as with all of the ones mentioned above, don’t need to be limited to use exclusively after injectables; they can be part of your everyday skincare routine.