Fractional Laser Aftercare | Er:YAG F-22 & eCO2 | MA360

Patient aftercare · Sydney

Fractional ablative
laser aftercare

A clear recovery guide for Fotona Er:YAG F-22 and eCO2 fractional CO₂ resurfacing for acne scarring, enlarged-looking pores and uneven skin texture.

Follow the recovery planCheck warning signs

Keep this beside your skincare

Your recovery, at a glance

Treatment depth can change how long healing takes, but the core aftercare remains the same.

1

Clean

Clean hands. Gentle rinse.

Rinse or cleanse 2–4 times daily as directed. Never scrub.

2

Keep moist

Apply plain petrolatum.

Maintain a thin, lightly glossy film. Do not let the surface dry.

3

Protect

Hands off while open.

No picking, makeup, active skincare or sunscreen on open skin.

4

Call early

Worsening is the signal.

Increasing pain, redness, discharge or fever needs prompt review.

Your personalised instructions take priority. The settings, treatment area, skin type and medical history can change your recovery plan.

Daily care

A simple healing plan

Moist wound care supports re-epithelialisation—the process that closes the microscopic treatment channels and restores the surface barrier.

Day0

Treatment day

Protect the treated area

  • Leave the clinic-applied ointment or dressing in place for the advised time.
  • Keep hands, hair, phones, pets and unwashed pillowcases away from the area.
  • Sleep with your head elevated for 2–3 nights if facial swelling is present.
  • Take only the medication prescribed for this treatment.
Untilclosed

Open-wound phase

Clean gently, then reapply

  1. 1

    Wash your hands. Use clean fingertips throughout.

  2. 2

    Rinse gently. Use lukewarm water or the solution supplied by the clinic.

  3. 3

    Introduce cleanser carefully. From day 2, use a mild fragrance-free cleanser if it does not sting and your clinician agrees.

  4. 4

    Do not debride. Remove only material that releases without rubbing; pat dry with clean gauze or a soft towel.

  5. 5

    Apply petrolatum immediately. Use a thin, even film and repeat whenever it wears away.

Onceclosed

Barrier restored

Move to moisturiser and SPF 50+

“Closed” means no raw, weeping, bleeding or open areas. Pinkness alone does not mean the surface is open.

  • Change to a bland, fragrance-free moisturiser when advised.
  • Start broad-spectrum SPF 50+ and combine it with shade and a broad-brimmed hat.
  • Use makeup only when the whole surface is closed and comfortable.
  • Restart active skincare one product at a time after clinical clearance.

Which dressing?

Plain petrolatum is the practical first choice

Use 100% white petroleum jelly—such as Vaseline—unless MA360 has prescribed another product.

Default approach

Plain white petrolatum

Few ingredients, low irritation potential and reliable reduction of moisture loss. Apply a thin continuous film; more is not better.

  • Accessible and inexpensive
  • Supports moist wound healing
  • Stop when the surface is closed, unless advised otherwise
Clinician-selected

Other wound dressings

A clinician may select a sterile silicone or dimethicone film, a dexpanthenol ointment, or a professionally fitted semi-occlusive dressing.

  • Useful when petrolatum is poorly tolerated
  • May simplify care after selected deeper treatments
  • Not proven universally superior

Do not self-prescribe

More ingredients do not mean better healing.

Avoid fragranced balms, essential oils, botanical products, active serums and antibiotic ointments unless specifically prescribed. Do not place hydrocolloid patches, silicone sheets, gauze or adhesive dressings over the treated face without clinic instructions.

Treatment variation

Depth changes duration, not the principle

Continue moist wound care until the surface is fully closed or the clinic tells you to stop—not simply because a fixed day has arrived.

Fotona F-22

Fractional Er:YAG

A lower-intensity treatment may close sooner. Higher fluence, density or additional passes can extend redness, crusting and the ointment phase.

Explore Fotona Er:YAG

Lutronic eCO2

Fractional CO₂

CO₂ creates ablation with a surrounding thermal effect. Deeper or denser treatment can mean more swelling, crusting and longer residual pinkness.

Explore eCO2 resurfacing

Protect the new barrier

What to avoid until healed

The early recovery period is not the time to test a new active, device or “repair” product.

01

Friction

Picking, peeling, rubbing, shaving and exfoliating

02

Heat

Hot showers, saunas, spas, heavy exercise and sweating

03

Actives

Retinoids, acids, scrubs, strong vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide

04

Contamination

Swimming, ocean water, dusty settings and shared towels

05

Coverage

Makeup and sunscreen over raw, weeping or open skin

06

UV exposure

Direct sun and tanning; use shade until SPF can be tolerated

Contact the clinic promptly

Recovery should settle—not worsen.

Take clear photographs in natural light if possible. Early advice can make an unexpected reaction easier to manage.

Call 1300 338 307

Pain, redness, heat or swelling that is increasing

Thick yellow or green discharge, pus, bad odour or fever

A cold-sore flare or new grouped blisters

Pale, grey, dusky or blackened skin

Persistent bleeding, marked one-sided swelling or spreading rash

Eye pain, vision change or marked eyelid swelling

Any area not closed by the review date given to you

Seek urgent medical care for severe facial swelling, breathing difficulty, severe eye symptoms or rapidly worsening illness.

Evidence-based care

Why petrolatum remains the sensible default

Laser-specific product studies are small and sometimes conflicting. The evidence supports simple moist wound care without claiming that one branded dressing is uniquely best.

Expert consensus2024

Fractional ablative CO₂ laser post-care

Panel consensus supports early petrolatum use; most clinicians introduced gentle cleanser from day 2 or 3.

Read the study
Split-face study · n=152025

White paraffin compared with silicone gel

White paraffin was comparable or superior for acute wounds after resurfacing for acne scars. The small sample limits certainty.

Read the study
Randomised split-face study · n=102019

Petrolatum compared with silicone after Er:YAG

Both approaches healed without complications. Silicone reduced some redness and pigmentation, but long-term healing signs were similar.

Read the study
Prospective trial · n=382019

Dexpanthenol ointment after fractional CO₂

A dexpanthenol ointment in a petroleum-jelly base improved early closure versus petroleum jelly alone; all wounds healed by day 14.

Read the study

Clinical conclusion

Use plain white petrolatum as the default open-wound dressing and continue only until the surface is closed. A prescribed dexpanthenol or sterile film-forming dressing can be considered when clinically appropriate. Premium products should not be described as necessary or definitively superior.

Continue exploring

Related MA360 information

Concern

Acne scar treatment

How scar type, depth and tethering shape the plan.

Concern

Pores & skin texture

Why visible pores and texture need different pathways.

Comparison

Er:YAG vs CO₂

Compare recovery, depth and treatment trade-offs.

Medical Aesthetics 360°

Unsure whether your healing is normal?

Contact the treating clinic early and send clear photographs if requested.

Call 1300 338 307Clinic locations ↗