Everything your skin needs before and after treatment, so your results actually hold.
Pre + Post Treatment Care Guide
At The Glow Lab, every treatment is delivered inside a structured Skin Plan™ designed to correct, stabilize, and strengthen your skin over time. What you do in the days before and after your appointment plays a major role in how your skin heals and how predictable your results become.
This guide walks you through preparation and aftercare for every treatment we offer, with clear instructions for each phase of your plan. If you are unsure which protocol applies to your appointment, your treatment provider will guide you in clinic.
Why Pre + Post Care Matters Inside Your Skin Plan™
Treatment results are not built in the chair. They are built in the days before and after, when your skin is most responsive and most vulnerable.
PREPARE
It prepares your skin to receive treatment safely, so you reduce the risk of irritation, sensitivity, or pigment reactions.
SUPPORT
It supports your barrier through the recovery window, so healing happens cleanly without rebound or downtime confusion.
PREPARE
It prepares your skin to receive treatment safely, so you reduce the risk of irritation, sensitivity, or pigment reactions.
SUPPORT
It supports your barrier through the recovery window, so healing happens cleanly without rebound or downtime confusion.
RESULTS
It compounds your results, because every treatment is a step inside your Skin Plan™. Strong recovery between sessions is what allows correction to hold long term.
PROTECT
This is why the small things matter. Your sunscreen. Your retinol pause. The 24 hours after your appointment. Done consistently, they protect your investment and keep your skin moving forward.
RESULTS
It compounds your results, because every treatment is a step inside your Skin Plan™. Strong recovery between sessions is what allows correction to hold long term.
PROTECT
This is why the small things matter. Your sunscreen. Your retinol pause. The 24 hours after your appointment. Done consistently, they protect your investment and keep your skin moving forward.
Your Treatment Care Hub
Every treatment we offer, with the exact prep and aftercare your provider would give you in the room. Find your appointment below and read what to do, what to skip, and what's normal.
NeoHair is a medical-grade 1064 nm laser hair reduction treatment that's safe on every skin tone, including melanin-rich skin. The ultra-short pulse targets the follicle without overheating the surrounding tissue, so you get permanent reduction with a much lower risk of irritation, burns, or pigment changes than older laser systems. Hair sheds naturally over the next 1 to 3 weeks after each session.
Best For
- Anyone tired of shaving, waxing, or chasing ingrowns
- Clients with darker skin tones who've been turned away from laser elsewhere
- Sensitive skin that reacts to traditional hair removal
- Clients building toward smooth, low-maintenance skin as part of their long-term plan
Before Your NeoHair Appointment
24 to 48 hours before
- Shave the treatment area thoroughly
- Do not wax, tweeze, thread, or epilate
For 2 weeks prior, avoid
- Waxing
- Tweezing or threading
- Epilation in the treatment area
The hair must stay in the follicle for the laser to find it.
For 7 to 10 days prior, avoid
- Excessive sun exposure
- Tanning beds
- Spray tans or sunless tanning products
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with clean, lotion-free skin in the treatment area
- Skip deodorant if you're treating underarms
After Your NeoHair Appointment
What to expect
- Mild redness or warmth in the treated area
- Hair shedding over the next 1 to 3 weeks (this is the laser doing its job)
For the first 24 to 48 hours, avoid
- Hot showers, saunas, or steam rooms
- Intense exercise
- Hot tubs or chlorinated pools
- Tight clothing on freshly treated areas
For the next 7 days
- Apply SPF 30 or higher daily on exposed areas
- Skip scrubs or exfoliation in the treatment area
- Skip self-tanners
Between sessions
- Keep shaving between appointments as needed
- Do not wax, pluck, or epilate
- Stay consistent with your spacing for the best long-term reduction
Where NeoHair Fits Inside Your Plan™
NeoHair sits inside the Smooth Skin Pathway as the long-term hair reduction protocol at The Glow Lab. Most clients see meaningful reduction by session 4, with full results compounding across a Series of 6.
Not sure if you're due to rebook? Check your schedule below or message us about pacing.
Dermaplaning gently lifts surface buildup and vellus hair to instantly smooth texture, brighten the complexion, and let your skincare actually absorb. It's one of the easiest ways to refresh your skin between corrective treatments, and it's often paired inside Skin Plans™ to enhance HydraFacial, light peels, or Aerolase NeoSkin sessions.
Best For
- Clients who want immediate glow with zero downtime
- Event prep, photoshoot prep, or a "back-to-myself" reset
- Smoothing texture before a makeup application
- Anyone whose products aren't sinking in the way they used to
Before Your Dermaplaning Appointment
Avoid for 3 to 5 days prior
- Retinol and vitamin A products
- Chemical exfoliants (AHA, BHA)
- Waxing or chemical depilatories on the face
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin if possible
- Let your provider know about any active breakouts or skin sensitivities
After Your Dermaplaning Appointment
What to expect
- Skin will feel noticeably smoother and look brighter
- Mild redness or sensitivity is possible for the first hour
- Skin may be slightly more reactive to active ingredients for 48 hours
For the first 48 hours, avoid
- Exfoliation and scrubs
- Retinol and active acids
- Direct, prolonged sun exposure
- Chlorinated pools or hot tubs
What to use
- Gentle cleanser
- Hydrating, barrier-supporting moisturizer
- SPF 30 or higher daily
Where Dermaplaning Fits Inside Your Plan™
Dermaplaning is used as a supportive treatment inside all three Glow Lab Skin Plans™. It's also a favourite "in between" service for clients on the Calm + Even Plan™ and the Confident Aging & Texture Plan™ who want a gentle, predictable refresh between corrective sessions.
Want a glow before something big? Pair Dermaplaning with HydraFacial for instant freshness with zero downtime.
Dermapen 4 is the engine behind real texture refinement. It uses controlled micro-channels to wake up your collagen, fade post-acne marks, soften scars, and rebuild skin density over time. Recovery is short, but the way you support your skin in the first week shapes how your results compound across your plan.
Best For
- Clients refining post-acne marks, indented scars, or stubborn pore appearance
- Anyone in their 30s or 40s building long-term collagen and skin density
- Stabilized skin that's ready to move from "calm" into "refined"
- Clients who want to invest in long-term results, not quick fixes
Before Your Microneedling Appointment
Avoid for 5 to 7 days prior
- Retinol or vitamin A products
- Exfoliating acids (AHA, BHA, glycolic, lactic)
- Aggressive scrubs or active masks
- Excess sun exposure or tanning beds
- Sunless tanners and spray tans
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with a clean, makeup-free face
- Stay hydrated and eat before your treatment
- Let your provider know if you've had a recent cold sore outbreak
After Your Microneedling Appointment
What to expect in the first 24 to 72 hours
- Redness similar to a mild sunburn
- Light tightness or dryness
- Mild swelling, especially around the cheeks
- Skin may feel warm to the touch
These reactions are part of your skin's natural repair response and typically resolve within 1 to 3 days.
First 24 hours
- Avoid makeup if possible
- No sweating, hot showers, saunas, or steam rooms
- Use only the gentle cleanser and barrier cream provided
- Sleep on a clean pillowcase
Days 2 to 5, avoid
- Retinol and exfoliating acids
- Active vitamin C
- Physical exfoliation
- Picking or peeling flaking skin
Resume your full routine on day 7, unless your provider gives you a different timeline based on your plan.
Avoid Treatment If You Have
- Active skin infections or cold sore outbreaks
- Open lesions in the treatment area
- Recent Accutane use (within the last 6 months)
- Active sunburn
- Pregnancy
Where Microneedling Fits Inside Your Plan™
Microneedling sits inside multiple Skin Plans™ at The Glow Lab:
- Inside the Clear Skin Plan™ for clients refining post-acne texture and pore appearance
- Inside the Calm + Even Plan™ for stabilized clients ready to refine tone and density
- Inside the Confident Aging & Texture Plan™ as a primary collagen builder
Not sure if microneedling is the right next step in your plan? A 15-minute consult will give you a clear answer.
The Aerolase Neo Elite is a precision 1064 nm laser used at The Glow Lab in four targeted modes: NeoSkin® for rejuvenation, NeoClear® for active acne, NeoCorrect® for pigment, and NeoCalm® for redness and rosacea. Its 650-microsecond pulse delivers meaningful clinical results with minimal surface trauma, which is why downtime is short, care is simple, and it's safe across every skin tone.
Best For
- Acne clients ready to calm inflammation without harsh actives
- Pigment clients (melasma, sun damage, post-inflammatory dark marks) who've been told their skin is "too reactive" for laser
- Clients with rosacea, persistent redness, or visible vessels
- Anyone wanting a no-downtime collagen and glow boost
Before Your Aerolase Appointment
Avoid for 5 to 7 days prior
- Retinol or vitamin A products
- Exfoliating acids
- Excessive sun exposure
- Waxing or hair removal in the treatment area
Avoid for 7 to 10 days prior
- Sunless tanners, spray tans, or self-tanning products
- Tanning beds
Important: artificial pigment in the skin can increase the risk of laser complications, even on darker skin tones. Aerolase is safe across all skin types when the skin is in a baseline state.
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin
- Skip heavy moisturizers or sunscreen on the area being treated
- Hydrate and eat before your visit
After Your Aerolase Appointment
What to expect immediately
- Mild redness in the treated area
- Warmth or a slightly flushed feeling
- Some clients notice a temporary darkening of pigmented spots, which is normal and part of the correction process
First 24 hours, avoid
- Hot showers, saunas, or steam rooms
- Intense exercise that causes flushing
- Active skincare ingredients (retinol, acids, vitamin C)
- Heavy makeup over the treatment area
For the next 5 to 7 days
- Apply SPF 30 or higher every morning, every day
- Use gentle, hydrating skincare to support recovery
- Do not pick at any flaking pigment or scabs
- Reach out to your provider if you have any questions about a reaction
What Aerolase Treats Inside Your Plan™
- NeoSkin® supports overall rejuvenation, glow, and collagen signalling. Used in the Confident Aging & Texture Plan™.
- NeoClear® targets active acne and inflammation. Used in the Clear Skin Plan™.
- NeoCorrect® targets pigment, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Used in the Calm + Even Plan™.
- NeoCalm® targets vascular redness and rosacea. Used in the Calm + Even Plan™.
Aerolase does four very different things. The right mode depends on what your skin needs first. Take the quiz or book a consult and we'll map it for you.
Chemical peels at The Glow Lab support controlled, predictable skin renewal. BioRePeelCl3® is our signature two-phase TCA peel that exfoliates without true peeling, and it's layered into Skin Plans™ to address congestion, post-acne marks, melasma, and surface texture. Light peels are also used as gentle resurfacing tools that pair with Aerolase, microneedling, or HydraFacial inside your plan.
Best For
- Clients with congestion, dullness, or stubborn surface texture
- Post-acne marks that need a controlled push
- Melasma and pigment that need a gentle resurfacing layer alongside laser
- Clients who want a noticeable refresh with very little downtime
Before Your Peel
Avoid for 5 to 7 days prior
- Retinol and vitamin A products
- Exfoliating acids
- Waxing or hair removal in the treatment area
- Sunburn or excessive sun exposure
- Sunless tanners or spray tans
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin
- Note any cold sore history (a preventative may be recommended)
After Your Peel
What to expect
- Mild redness or warmth for the first few hours
- Light surface flaking starting around day 2 or 3
- A glow or smoother feel as turnover completes
For the next 5 to 7 days, avoid
- Picking or peeling flaking skin
- Exfoliation, scrubs, or active acids
- Retinol and other actives
- Hot showers, saunas, intense exercise
What to use
- Gentle cleanser
- Barrier-supporting moisturizer
- SPF 30 or higher every single morning
Resume your full routine after day 7, or follow your provider's plan if peels are paired inside a series.
Where Peels Fit Inside Your Plan™
- Inside the Clear Skin Plan™ to support turnover and fade post-acne marks
- Inside the Calm + Even Plan™ for stabilized pigment correction
- Inside the Confident Aging & Texture Plan™ to refresh surface texture and support glow
Most peels are best in a series of 3 to 6, spaced inside your plan. Want us to map yours? Book a consult.
HydraFacial is the most versatile treatment in your Skin Plan™. It cleanses, exfoliates, extracts, and infuses your skin with hydrating, brightening, or barrier-supporting boosters in a single appointment. With minimal downtime, HydraFacial is often used as ongoing support between corrective treatments to keep your barrier strong, your pores clear, and your skin in maintenance mode year round.
Best For
- Clients in the maintenance phase of any pathway
- Anyone who wants visible glow with truly zero downtime
- Sensitive or reactive skin that doesn't tolerate aggressive actives
- Clients building a once-monthly skin-care rhythm with the HydraFacial Membership
Before Your HydraFacial
Avoid for 3 to 5 days prior
- Retinol and vitamin A products
- Exfoliating acids and scrubs
- Waxing or hair removal on the face
- Sunburned or compromised skin
Day of your appointment
- Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin if possible
- Hydrate well throughout the day
After Your HydraFacial
What to expect
- Skin feels brighter, smoother, and deeply hydrated
- Mild sensitivity is possible for sensitive or reactive skin
- Some clients see purging in the days following extraction-heavy sessions, which is part of clearing congestion
For the first 24 hours, avoid
- Excessive heat exposure (saunas, steam rooms, hot yoga)
- Intense exercise that causes flushing
- Exfoliating skincare products
- Heavy makeup if your session was extraction-heavy
What to use
- Gentle cleanser
- Barrier-supporting moisturizer
- SPF 30 or higher daily
Where HydraFacial Fits Inside Your Plan™
HydraFacial is included as supportive care inside all three Glow Lab Skin Plans™. It's also the foundation of the HydraFacial Membership for clients maintaining clear, calm, glowing skin year round.
Want HydraFacial on a monthly rhythm? The Membership locks in your spot and your pricing.