2 days post microneedling: is it safe to use my Benzoyl peroxide, Clindamycin, and Tretinoin cream on my face tonight?

Hi @Stephhh1. The skin is typically very dry and sensitive after microneedling. I would avoid Tretinoin and Benzoyl Peroxide fo 1 week after microneedling. Best of luck to you, Dr. Nima!

It is important for you to follow up with your Dr. when it is safe for you to use  your tretinoin  and cleansers.  Its extremely important to wear a physical sunblock after these procedures, one that contains zinc. Best,

I recommend following up with your Doctor about after care and skin care recommendations. We suggest all patients follow up with facials like Silk Peel Dermalinfusuion to hydrate, exfoliate and provide the skin with antioxidants. Sun protection is also essential. I always combine microneedling with prp and lasers to get the best outcomes. We do treatments every 3-6 weeks. Best, Dr. Emer

It is generally not advised to use any products with active ingredients like acids, retinols, etc. for seven days after your microneedling treatment.  Microneedling creates small channels in the skin which helps create collagen and the skin can be sensitive for several days after the treatment; these products can cause more sensitivity and irritation by drying out your skin further.  It is very important that you stay out of the sun and use sunscreen after your treatment, please contact your treatment provider for the products they recommend post procedure, and follow their post care instructions to ensure you achieve the desired result.

The skin is usually very dry for few days after the microneedling procedure and you may be able to use clindamycin topically but you should avoid tretinoin cream and benzoyl peroxide for atleast 1 week after the procedure. These products can cause further dryness and may irritate the skin. Thanks for asking the question.

Hi Stephhh1, You can start using sunscreen on your third day but your skin will be more sensitive than usual. In fact, skincare that you were accustomed to in the past would be intolerable. Allow your skin to heal. After a wee, you should be fine.All the best,Justin Harper, M.D.

Titrate your meds. Be guided by your plastics or dermatologist who performed the treatment. I would omit BPO for another 2-3 days, but add the clindamycin lotion as tolerated. Tretinoin can be used in another 3-4 days. Acne scar revision comprises of specialised procedures. For the best results, one should target the acne scar type with ideal treatments METHODS. Using one device is not optimal. As everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring, the best solution is a tailored one.  The web reference below will take you to a resource to help you understand acne scar revision at a specialist level. I embedded all the videos in one page to help. 

As an example deep ice pick scars, and narrow box car scars are best treated with TCA CROSS. Deep narrow scars respond better to this treatment than even the most expensive lasers. On the flip side, rolling, and atrophic acne scars can improve with fractional devices such as Fraxel, fractional lasers, ProFractional erbium lasers, Infiini –Intensif –Intracel radiofrequency microneedling. Atrophic scars (depressions) can be treated with either fat grafts, PRP or dermal fillers. Tethered and anchored scars are best treated with surgical techniques such as subcision. Other surgical techniques that I use include punch elevation, surgical elevation, punch excision and traditional excision for focal scars. Early and very mild acne scars respond well to eMatrix and non-energy microneedling, as well as vascular lasers. Skin colour changes such as PIH or dark marks respond best to sun protection, creams, and Q switch lasers in the nano and pico pulse durations. 

The majority of patients will have a collection of different scar types, and hence a tailored treatment METHOD will be best. Careful examination, especially under angled lighting with scar mapping will give you an understanding of what are the best options for your scars. Additionally tactile examination namely touch will give me an understanding of the amount of subdermal fibrosis, as special equipment is needed for this sub-set of acne scars.  In the majority of patients its finding the correct combination that give you best results, and everyone is unique! It is never about the device, its about the specialist behind the equipment that will deliver the best outcomes. All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Acne scar dermatologist specialist. Brisbane, Australia.