HydraPEN Pro

Before your appointment

• Tell us about all medications, supplements and medical conditions before your treatment, including blood thinners, aspirin and anti-inflammatories.
• Don’t stop, start or change any medication yourself. Discuss any changes, including preventative antiviral medication if you’re prone to cold sores, with your doctor or another qualified medical practitioner.
• Tell us if you’re taking, or have recently taken, isotretinoin (such as Roaccutane). Your therapist will advise how long to wait before treatment.
• Pause skincare that can make skin more sensitive, such as retinol, exfoliants and acids, 5–7 days before. If you use a prescription skin treatment, check with your prescriber before pausing it.
• Avoid IPL or laser treatments, unprotected sun exposure, sunbeds and sunburn for at least 2 weeks before.
• No chemical peels or resurfacing/invasive treatments for at least 4 weeks before.
• Avoid caffeine and stimulants (such as pre-workout) for at least 6 hours before, and try to be well rested.
• No waxing, depilatory creams or electrolysis on the area for 5–7 days before.
• Don’t shave on the day. If there’s dense hair on the area, shave the day before.
• Stay hydrated, and arrive with clean, make-up-free skin.
• Booking HydraPEN Pro + ÜberPEEL? Skin prep is required for 4–6 weeks beforehand, and we’ll set this up with you.

After your appointment

• Make-up: none for at least 24 hours.
• Exercise and heat: for 48 hours, no exercise, swimming, sauna, steam room or anything that makes you sweat, and keep showers lukewarm.
• Sun: avoid direct sunlight, sunbeds and solariums for at least 48 hours. From the next day, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ every day.
• Active skincare: no exfoliants or active ingredients, such as scrubs, vitamin A, retinol or AHA/BHA, for at least 5 days. Using a prescription skin treatment? Ask your prescriber before restarting it.
• Products: for the first 24 hours, use only the products your therapist gives you. After that, use a gentle cleanser and hydrating, reparative products, ideally those your therapist recommends.
• Pillowcase: change it after treatment.
• Medication: for pain relief or any other medication questions, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
• Combined treatments: if a peel or another treatment is added to your plan, we’ll let you know your updated downtime and aftercare.
• Don’t touch or pick scabs or flaking skin, as this can lead to pigmentation or scarring. Contact us if you have any concerns after your treatment.

Most redness settles within about a day, then the skin goes through a healing process of about five days. Downtime and aftercare are the same for HydraPEN Pro and skin needling.