Why aftercare carries more weight here
Recovery is a biological process with a fixed set of requirements: protection from UV, minimal mechanical disturbance, adequate hydration, and no new irritants. Brisbane makes two of those harder. UV is high year-round, and heat and humidity encourage exactly the sweating, swimming and long showers that recovery does not want.
None of this makes treatment unsuitable for the climate. It means the 48 hours after an appointment need planning — ideally before you book.
The instructions your nurse gives you for the specific treatment you had always take precedence over general guidance, including this article.
The first four hours
- Avoid touching, rubbing, or applying pressure to the treated area.
- Stay upright — avoid lying down or bending over.
- No makeup on treated areas.
- No alcohol.
- Keep the area clean, and leave it alone otherwise.
Most of the avoidable problems in this window come from wanting to check, touch or cover the area. Resisting that is genuinely the intervention.
The first 24 to 48 hours
- No strenuous exercise, saunas, steam rooms or hot showers.
- No swimming pools or spas.
- Cleanse gently with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free cleanser.
- Moisturise more often than usual, with something simple.
- Sleep slightly elevated on the first night if you were advised to.
- Stay hydrated and eat normally — recovery uses resources.
What to expect
Redness, mild swelling, warmth and sensitivity are common and temporary. Downtime varies between individuals and treatments and should have been discussed before you booked. Flaking after resurfacing or peels is normal — let it shed rather than picking it.
Sun protection, specifically
Freshly treated skin is more vulnerable to UV, and pigment responses after inflammation are more likely in deeper skin tones. In Queensland this is the difference between a good result and a pigmentation problem that takes months to settle.
- Broad-spectrum SPF 50+ every day, reapplied when outdoors.
- Mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) is often better tolerated in the recovery period.
- Hats, clothing and shade do work that sunscreen cannot.
- Avoid deliberate sun exposure entirely while skin is healing.
- Cool cloudy days in Brisbane still carry high UV — check the index, not the temperature.
What to pause, and when to restart
Pause retinoids, exfoliating acids, vitamin C, scrubs and any device you use at home until your nurse says otherwise. Reintroduce one product at a time, at reduced frequency, and stop again if skin protests.
Use only what was recommended for you in the interim: typically a gentle cleanser, a barrier-supporting moisturiser with ceramides, and sunscreen. This is not the moment to trial anything new, however gentle the marketing sounds.
When to contact the clinic immediately
Most side effects are normal and temporary. Contact the clinic immediately on 0406 759 228 if you experience:
- Severe pain that doesn't subside with over-the-counter pain relief
- Unusual discolouration — white patches, or blue or purple colour changes
- Vision changes or headaches after facial treatments
- Signs of infection: increasing redness, warmth, or pus
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Fever or feeling generally unwell
Calling early about something minor is always preferable to waiting on something that is not. The full clinic guidance, including treatment-specific notes, is in the aftercare guidelines.
The weeks after
Once the acute phase passes, aftercare becomes maintenance: sun protection, a barrier-first routine, and realistic expectations about timelines. Many treatments build over weeks rather than presenting a result the next morning.
If your plan includes a course, keep the spacing you agreed rather than compressing it — the intervals exist because repair takes time. A review appointment is the point at which the plan gets adjusted with evidence rather than assumption.