Confused by all conversations around microneedling? Want to know who should and who should not get this treatment? Curious about how it might benefit you? Not sure what to expect in terms of healing time and results? And how about those needles? Should you go deep or keep it superficial? We'll cover this and more in this article.
Microneedling is a skin treatment that's been around for at least 20 years. It's been said to address a number of skin issues. The goal being to improve the way the skin looks and feels.
It has been known to help with:
- Product penetration
- Fine lines
- Wrinkles
- Enlarged pores
- Hyperpigmentation and sunspots
- Lost elasticity
- Uneven skin textures
- Uneven skin tones
- Acne scars
- Stretch marks
In most cases, microneedling is done in an esthetician's office, or in a medical office (for deeper more intrusive needle depth) and there are also at-home options available.
At-home needles are typically less than 0.15 millimeters (mm) long compared to 0.5 to 2 mm long for those used by a licensed esthetician, dermatologist, or medical profession providing this service.
At home microneedling is safe when using a shallower needle and it will help with product penetration and improvement with fine lines.
WARNING: Skincare products are not intended to enter the blood stream so never attempt to penetrate product into the blood with deeper needles. If you're drawing blood, you're going too deep for product penetration in the skin.
Deeper needling (done by licensed professionals) will have a more dramatic impact over time but I do NOT recommend this for at-home users. Improper microneedling can lead to infections, scaring, and adverse results. If you're attempting to use 0.5 or larger at home, please be aware this is dangerous.
Microneedling involves puncturing the skin with small needles. For deeper needling (by a Pro) a numbing cream is needed to eliminate or at least decrease pain and discomfort. It is done using a pen-like tool called a dermaroller in order to insert tiny stainless-steel needles into the skin to cause microinjuries or punctures.
The goal is for the damage caused by the needles to stimulate your body to send healing agents in the form of elastin and collagen to the area of treatment to repair the skin. With successive treatments, about one month apart, the skin will become thicker and more able to withstand a deeper penetration over time.
Skin can look plump and radiant for up to two weeks following the treatment healing process. Results will continue to build and it can take six to eight weeks for optimal results to appear. (Take progress pictures to see the transformation.)
The condition of skin to begin with affects the healing time and number of treatments. Fine lines and wrinkles may only take two sessions a year; whereas, burns or stretch marks may require five treatments a year, and acne scars are somewhere in between.
It is normal for redness or mild irritation to appear in the first few days. It just means the skin is recovering. The redness should go away within three days. You might also notice your skin feels tight, swollen, dry, or sensitive to the touch in the days immediately following the treatment, and it might flake away within a week.
Microneedling is generally safe and effective, but it’s not recommended for people who take or have had radiation in the past year, are pregnant, have a skin disease, or have a history of scarring or poor wound healing.
Individuals with active infections or open wounds should wait until their skin heals before trying it. If on blood thinners, since they can increase bleeding after the procedure, extra caution should be taken and only done with the approval of a medical professional. You might want to start an antibiotic prior to treatment, if prone to cold sores. Again, seek the advice of a medical profession in this case.
Recovery is minimal, though people with sensitive skin should be careful when applying moisturizers and serums. Skin will be inflamed and more sensitive than usual. NeoGenesis Recovery is an ideal serum to use to support healing and to return skin to optimal health.