Whether or not you have clinically sensitive skin, we all know that our skin’s needs can change about as quickly as the weather. From environmental changes (hello, spring allergens) to routine shifts and, of course, in-office skin procedures, our skin can go from healthy and radiant to irritated and painful in minutes. So, if managing your skin on the day to day feels like navigating a high-stakes covert operation, how can we possibly manage skin that’s healing from cosmetic treatments or other such trauma? Luckily, it’s not as hard as you think. Ahead, expert derms walk us through the do’s and don’t’s of healing skin.
Featured Experts
- Doris Day, MD is a dermatologist in New York
- Joel Schlessinger, MD is a dermatologist in Omaha, NE
- Daniel Schlessinger, MD is a dermatologist in Omaha, NE
- Amy Peterson is a medical aesthetician and founder of Skincare by Amy Peterson Clinic
What should you never do to healing skin?
Finding the right way to treat irritated skin can feel overwhelming, so let’s start with what not to do. “Never pick the scab off healing skin,” says Dr. Day. “If you do, you’re just making a new wound that will take even more time to heal and will also have a higher chance of leaving a scar.” Busting a common myth, Dr. Day warns against using hydrogen peroxide on healing skin. “You should never use hydrogen peroxide on a daily basis as skin heals,” she says. “It’s one thing to use it on a fresh wound to clean it, but it is toxic to skin cells and will slow wound healing dramatically.”
Dr. Daniel Schlessinger agrees that picking scabs off healing wounds is one of the worst things for healing skin. He also highlights the danger of another common wound misconception: “letting it breathe.” Many people believe that leaving wounded skin exposed to air will help it heal quicker. As Dr. Daniel Schlessinger says, “Dermatologists believe it is best to cover all wounds with a bandage or some form of occlusive barrier and apply a healing ointment such as Polysporin to the area.” Peterson recommends patients with healing skin stay away from certain skin-care ingredients like “harsh exfoliants like scrubs, AHAs and BHAs,” as well as “Retinoids, strong acids and heavy makeup.” She says these ingredients can disrupt the healing process by causing inflammation or clogging pores.
“Dermatologists are typically not fans of Neosporin, triple antibiotic paste, Bacitracin, topical lidocaine or topical Benadryl as there are often allergies to these products (the Neomycin in them is quite commonly something people are allergic to or become allergic to during repeated applications),” Dr. Daniel Schlessinger adds. “Just today alone, I had two friends send me photos of rashes they had that I determined were from applying Neosporin on wounds, leading to severe allergic reactions.” Instead, Dr. Daniel Schlessinger recommends the FixMySkin 1% Hydrocortisone Healing Balm ($21), especially if the wound is red and itchy.
How do you safely treat healing skin? What are the best products?
Let’s get into what dermatologists do recommend for helping skin heal quickly and safely. “You should always keep healing skin moist and protected,” Dr. Day says. “The wound heals inward from the edges, so if it’s dry and crusty, it’s like trying to heal through a cement wall.” Dr. Day also recommends changing the bandage regularly, around once every two to three days depending on the location and severity of the wound. “Basic ointments like Vaseline ($6) or CeraVe Healing Ointment ($10) are great for healing skin,” Dr. Day calls out. “Sometimes we use DuoDerm ($22) to protect wounds too, and bandages during the day can also help protect against further abrasions or insults to healing wounds.”
Adjusting your routine to cater to your healing skin is also key, Dr. Joel Schlessinger adds. “Avoid very hot or very cold water, dirty water like pools, hot tubs, saunas, oceans, etc and make sure you clean the wound if it becomes dirty. Be careful to avoid direct sunlight and wear mineral sunscreens over the wound if you are no longer oozing, but the wound isn’t fully healed.” Peterson also warns against strenuous physical activity while skin is healing, as salt from sweat can be harsh on healing skin.
For healing skin on the face, Drs. Schlessinger recommend the Colorescience No-Show Mineral Sunscreen ($45). For skin specifically healing from resurfacing treatments like MOXI or HALO, Drs. Schlessinger also recommend Alastin Skincare Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHEX Technology ($236) as well as a powerful mineral sunscreen for optimal skin protection.
