After your session
How you care for your skin in the hours and days after treatment directly impacts your healing and your results. Follow these guidelines after every session.
After your session
How you care for your skin in the hours and days after treatment directly impacts your healing and your results. Follow these guidelines after every session.
Immediately after (first 24 hours)
Expect a reaction — this is normal
The treated area will likely appear red, swollen, and frosted (a white/gray cast) immediately after. This is a normal laser response and typically resolves within a few hours.
Apply your tallow balm
We recommend Bonsai Health Honey Tallow Balm to soothe and protect the skin. Apply a thin layer to the treated area as soon as you get home.
Keep it cool
You may apply a clean cold compress to reduce redness and inflammation in the first few hours. Do not apply ice directly to skin.
Keep it clean and dry
Gently cleanse the area with mild soap and water if needed. Pat dry — do not rub.
Do not pop blisters
Blistering can occur and is a normal part of the laser process. Leave blisters intact — they are part of your body's healing response. If a blister opens on its own, gently clean the area with a solution of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water using a cotton ball, apply a thin layer of tallow balm or Aquaphor, and cover with a sterile dressing. If you develop an overly large blister that has not popped on its own, contact us before attempting to treat it yourself.
The first week
Keep the area moisturized
Continue applying Bonsai Health Honey Tallow Balm daily until the skin has fully healed.
Protect from the sun
Avoid direct sun exposure on the treated area for 3–4 days post-treatment. After that, apply SPF 50+ broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen over the treated area for at least 10–14 days. Keep it covered when outdoors during initial healing.
No picking or scratching
Let any scabbing, flaking, or peeling resolve on its own. Picking can cause scarring and pigmentation changes.
Avoid soaking the area
Showering is fine — avoid high-pressure water directly on the treated area. Avoid baths, hot tubs, pools, and lakes until all blisters and scabs have fully healed — typically 1–2 weeks.
Skip intense workouts
Light exercise in the first 24–48 hours is generally safe and encouraged. Avoid intense workouts during early healing, as excess heat and sweat — and muscle movement beneath the treated area — can irritate healing skin.
Loose clothing only
Avoid tight clothing or anything that rubs against the treated area while it heals.
Itching is common
Applying a cold compress 10 minutes on/off a few times a day helps most. You may also apply tallow balm, Aquaphor, vitamin E ointment, or hydrocortisone cream for relief. Let us know if itching or swelling persists more than one week after treatment.
Contact us if you notice…
- •Increasing redness, warmth, or swelling after the first 48 hours
- •Signs of infection — pus, streaking, or fever
- •A blister that has broken open and is not healing
- •Any unexpected skin reaction or concern
When in doubt, reach out. We'd rather hear from you than have you wonder. Call or text us at (678) 972-1385.
Giving your body the best chance
Your immune system does the real work between sessions — it's what flushes the fragmented ink out of your body. Supporting it makes a real difference. Stay hydrated, get good sleep, exercise regularly to promote circulation, and minimize nicotine use. Clients who take care of themselves between sessions consistently see faster clearing.