Patient guide

Treatments in series, why one treatment is usually not enough

Some treatments produce a visible change directly after the procedure. Others work differently: they build up the effect gradually, over successive cycles of skin renewal. This distinction determines how we plan the therapy.

Published 12 July 2020. Last verified 16 August 2026.

Two types of treatment, two ways of working

Many patients, when deciding on a treatment, expect a clear change after the very first visit. With some procedures this is indeed the case: the effect appears directly after the treatment. This applies to treatments with fillers and with botulinum toxin.

Revitalising and care treatments work differently. Their aim is an overall improvement in skin condition, which builds up gradually. This group includes mesotherapy, medical peels and treatments using ultrasound and radio waves.

The epidermal renewal cycle sets the rhythm of the series

The reason is not marketing but skin physiology. The epidermis sheds cyclically, on average every 28 to 30 days. This phenomenon is called turnover. Treatments that improve skin condition are therefore planned more often than once a month, so that successive visits fall on consecutive stages of renewal.

With a single treatment, the effect is largely limited to the superficial layers. Repeating the treatment on average every two weeks means that some epidermal cells have had time to shed, which makes the following treatments more effective and allows the effect to build up.

Mesotherapy in a series

Mesotherapy involves the intradermal administration of active substances that improve skin hydration and trigger repair processes. It is usually planned every two weeks for around two months. After this time, maintenance treatments are carried out on average every two to three months. The specific interval is set by the practitioner after assessing the skin.

Peels in a series

Medical peels are intended to exfoliate the epidermis. We distinguish chemical, physical and mechanical peels, and among the chemical ones acids are especially often used, for example lactic and glycolic acid. The treatment is repeated several times, because a single exfoliation does not change the quality of the skin for long.

A series of peels affects skin metabolism, stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen and influences the structure of the dermis. The extent of the change depends on the type of acid, its concentration, the number of treatments and the individual skin reaction.

How we plan a series

The number of treatments and the intervals between them result from the assessment of the skin, the aim of the procedure and tolerance of previous visits, not from a ready-made package. The series can be interrupted or modified if the skin reacts differently than expected.

Regularity increases the chance of maintaining the effect, but does not guarantee a specific result. The skin's response is individual, and some effects require maintenance.

About this text

This text was prepared by the NL Clinic team. Published on 12 July 2020, verified on 16 August 2026.

The content is for information and does not replace a consultation.