How should skin be cared for after laser resurfacing?

The question here is what to put on the skin while it heals after laser resurfacing.

Aftercare in brief

Apply an ointment layer until the skin heals. The publisher my.clevelandclinic.org gives the instruction: "Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly (or any occlusive moisturizer) or antibiotic ointment (such as bacitracin) to the area twice a day until the skin heals."

Three details matter. The layer is thin, the schedule is twice a day, and the end point is healed skin, not a number of days.

Why this is the first stage that matters

The routine above is the part you control, so doing it the same way each day is the plan.

For what the procedure involves and what side effects look like, DermNet's laser resurfacing topic page and WebMD's resurfacing overview are good places to read before and after treatment.

Caring for healed skin after resurfacing

Because the instruction runs until the skin heals, the next stage begins when the routine ends. That is when the question shifts from protecting a wound to deciding what goes on healed skin.

If wrinkles are what brought you to resurfacing, Cleveland Clinic's guide to wrinkle treatments shows the other options, from retinol to fillers, that sit beside it over a longer course.

Healed skin is the signal to stop the ointment

Healing is the marker. While skin has not healed, the twice-daily routine continues, and finishing it early is the mistake to avoid. Once skin has healed, the routine stops and you move on to the next stage. Follow any written instructions from the clinic that treated you where they differ.