In the world of cosmetic and esthetic procedures, skin rejuvenation is far from new. While the most basic form of skin rejuvenation has its roots in ancient Chinese acupuncture, the modern form of skin needling — microneedling — can be traced back to 1905. But what about microchanneling? That’s a new type of skin rejuvenation some have named the ‘next generation’ of skin needling!
So, what sets this new era of skin needling apart from traditional microneedling? With such similar-sounding names, it’s easy to get microneedling and microchanneling confused. Let’s define (and differentiate) the two!
Microneedling is a type of skin-needling procedure meant to jumpstart skin repair at a cellular level. As the name might suggest, a microneedling treatment uses between 10 and 16 tiny metal needles attached to a microneedling pen. The needles are gently skimmed across the skin to create hundreds of micro-wounds in the dermis, the layer of live skin cells beneath the skin’s surface.
Though each needle is only 0.1 to 0.25 millimeters in diameter and 0.15 to 1 millimeter in length, microneedling still triggers the body’s wound-healing response. This means beneficial compounds, like collagen and elastin, are produced at the wound site. Increasing these compounds helps tighten and tone the skin and improve the appearance of scars and wrinkles.
And, like I always say, a microneedling procedure is never complete without a quality skin serum! An esthetician (or a skin enthusiast like you) will apply a serum across the entire treatment area. The micro-wounds in the dermis allow the serum to penetrate deeper than it could on non-treated skin. This enhanced penetration maximizes the efficacy of serum ingredients that improve skin health and complexion.
Microchanneling is the next evolution of microneedling. Often called nanoneedling, microchanneling uses a silicone microchip to create microscopic injuries in the dermis and stimulate collagen and elastin production. Like microneedling, nanoneedling injuries allow increased serum penetration to improve skin concerns like fine lines, acne scarring, and pigmentation issues.
Nanoneedling is considered the evolved form of microneedling because of the specific microchanneling device used during treatment. A microchanneling device is available as a pen or wand tip rather than a roller tool. The tip design allows you to glide the silicone microchip over the surface of the skin in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal patterns for smaller, more uniform micro-wounds.
Not only do microneedling and microchanneling sound a lot alike, but they also use the same principles to address skin concerns and improve skin health! Both microneedling and nanoneedling create hundreds of microscopic injuries in the dermis to stimulate a healing response that builds new collagen and elastin. The major difference between the two treatments is the type of device used.
A microneedling dermaroller tool has longer needles that penetrate the skin deeper. So, a microneedling device creates more invasive wounds that cause more irritation to the skin, have a longer recovery time, and create a risk of skin tearing. A dermaroller may also be too harsh on sensitive skin and ultimately cause more harm than good, especially in untrained hands.
In comparison, microchanneling uses a wand-like device with no needles but a silicone microchip that cause less inflammation and zero downtime after treatment. Microchanneling creates smaller wounds that decrease the risk of skin tearing but still stimulate beneficial collagen and elastin production. If you’re not an experienced esthetician, microchanneling can definitely get the job done much safer.
Though microneedling and microchanneling are quite similar, I recommend just one for home use: microchanneling! Estheticians like myself aim for a needle depth of 0.15 millimeters to create a controlled injury that sparks the magic of the healing process. Microchanneling devices feature these smaller needles that are not only less painful but also safer and easier to use at home.
I recommend the Skin Wand Pro, a revolutionary handheld nanoneedling device that helps serums penetrate deeper into the skin. The Skin Wand Pro is a popular solution for acne scars, fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation on the face, as well as surgery scars and stretch marks on the body. The best part? The device has less risk of causing injury to the skin, so it is proven safe for daily use!
You can use the Skin Wand Pro at home to enhance your skincare routine, including:
Microneedling, microchanneling, nanoneedling… When was the last time you got brought up to speed on the latest advancements in skincare devices? If you can’t remember your last refresher, I couldn’t recommend the Christine Byer Beauty Club enough! Join me in the club for personalized support on your skincare journey, complete with savings on the latest skincare advancements.
