What is Microneedling?

Microneedling also referred to as skin needling, micro needling and micro-needling, is a minimally invasive skin-rejuvenation procedure using hair-thin needles to cause superficial punctures in your skin prompting a collagen-stimulating healing process that corrects inconsistencies in our skin. The best thing about microneedling is that it can be done on any part of the body! For instance, if you have stretch marks on your tummy after having a baby -hair-thing can be used to help them disappear.

Microneedling is used to treat:

  • Fine Lines & Small Thin Wrinkles (e.g., on the upper lip, around eyes) 
  • Acne Scars (& General Scarring) 
  • Skin Laxity 
  • Under Eye Bags 
  • Enlarged Pores 
  • Hair Loss (by stimulating the scalp) 
  • Uneven Skin Tone

The Science Behind Microneedling

The theory behind microneedling is that by making these tiny holes spaced apart in a given area of your skin (aka creating a controlled skin injury), your body will respond by sending collagen and elastin to heal the “injured” area. In other words, the collagen and elastin will not only heal the damaged area but also the areas around it, eventually smoothing out minor scars, flattening out fine lines and wrinkles, as well as promoting elasticity in the skin. Additionally, if a product is introduced to the skin during micro needling, that product will be more effective since it penetrates deeper layers of the skin. Be careful when choosing these products. If a product that normally causes irritation as the side effect, the result can become more than what you bargained for! You may want to see how a product affects your skin when normally applied before ramping it up with microneedles.

We recommend that our partners use Theraderm Eternox Peptide Creme when performing a microneedling procedure on their clients. Packed with healing, anti-aging peptides, this creme not only increases efficacy but also reduces the sunburn-like redness commonly associated with this treatment. Here is a photo of the difference in using Eternox Peptide Creme and the hyaluronic acid that is recommended by the microneedling company.

 

 

What actually happens

You can get microneedling done in varying degrees. You can have it combined with your favorite facial at your aesthetician’s office, you can do it at home yourself with a home dermaroller or dermapen device, or you can do a hardcore micro needling with radiofrequency treatment with your plastic surgeon. The difference is the depth of the punctures, the downtime, and of course the degree of effectiveness. When added on to your facial or done at home, micro needling shouldn’t hurt and shouldn’t leave heavy marks. On the other hand, if you’re getting it done at a mac daddy micro needling coupled with radiofrequency at your doctor’s office, you can expect some redness and puffiness The cost varies depending on the extent of the treatment. It will run you about $35-$45 as a light add-on service to your regular facial. If you’re going in to get a microneedling facial then the whole thing ranges from $65-$125 depending on the unit being used. But, if you’re getting an RF microneedle treatment, that’s a whole other story. This can range from $250 – $1200 or even more depending on the area of treatment and where you live. However, you can always do it at home with a dermaroller or dermapen that can cost anywhere from $15 – $130.

Microneedling at Home

We added this section simply because, as with any at-home procedure, if not done properly - things can go very wrong. However, if you want to give your anti-aging products a little boost and don’t have the extra cash to treat yourself, at-home is the way to go! There are a few rules that need to be followed to ensure a great experience.

It’s important to make sure your microneedling device is properly cleaned and applied with a light touch because if there are bacteria on your device or you push it too hard on your skin, you risk infection and possible scarring. We’re pretty sure you don’t want that, so even though you can buy these anywhere for less than $20, it’s not a trivial item and needs to be taken very seriously.

That said, MAKE SURE THE NEEDLES ARE NO LONGER THAN 0.5MM, to lessen the chance of introducing something nasty inside your face that can cause infection.

Follow the directions and only purchase from a reputable source. Take these precautionary measures and you should be on your way to healthy, glowing skin!