Concomitant Use of Dermo-Cosmetic Skin Care in Aesthetic Procedures: Systematic Review with Expert Panel Recommendations

Purpose: As demand for nonsurgical aesthetic procedures increases, interest is also growing for desirable skin quality - radiant, healthy, and glowing skin - by patients seeking treatment to improve appearance. Although aesthetic medicine physicians are well positioned to advise on the role of basic skin care products in maintenance of results and healing, clear guidelines and protocols are currently lacking regarding the standard use of these products before and after aesthetic procedures.
Methods: An international panel of dermatologists (n = 6) and plastic surgeons (n = 2) convened virtually in March 2022 to discuss the role of skin care before and after nonsurgical aesthetic procedures (including injectables, energy-based devices, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion). As an outcome of that meeting, expert recommendations were developed for periprocedural skin care with the goal of improving recovery time or treatment outcomes for each procedure based on clinical evidence from a systematic literature review of relevant articles published through June 2022 combined with the authors’ experience.
Results: Overall, 104 publications were identified and reviewed; publications could be counted more than once if they covered more than one topic (energy-based procedures, n = 70; injectable procedures including microneedling, n = 25; chemical peels, n = 21; microdermabrasion, n = 10). Common periprocedural skin care included daily routines utilizing cleansers, moisturizers, toners, hydroquinone, antioxidant serums, and sunscreens (as needed) across procedure types. Evidence supports pre/post-procedure routines (cleansers, moisturizers, toners, hydroquinone, antioxidants, sunscreens) across injectables (n = 25 studies), energy devices (n = 70), peels (n = 21), microdermabrasion (n = 10); high-evidence data limited, petrolatum/antioxidants show particular benefit post-laser.
Conclusion: Panel consensus endorses tailored regimens to optimize recovery/outcomes. However, very few studies were designed to evaluate a specific routine vs no skin care treatment. Further studies are needed to provide clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of periprocedural skin care in reducing healing time and improving aesthetic outcomes. Herein, we provide evidence- and expert-based recommendations for incorporating daily skincare, including cleansers, moisturizers, antioxidant serums, depigmenting agents, and sunscreens, into periprocedural care for minimally invasive aesthetic treatments. These regimens should be adapted to procedure type and individual post-procedural responses and symptoms to optimize outcomes and address specific patient needs.