What is microneedling?
Microneedling is a method used to create invisible micro-wounds in the skin. This causes the release of growth factors resulting in collagen tightening and a reduction of pore sizes. In contrast to more invasive treatments such as ablative treatments like the carbon dioxide laser, there is much less injury to the skin and a very quick recovery time. Depending on the desired level of improvement, there can be virtually no downtime and you can return to work and strenuous exercise activities immediately.
Areas that are ideal for microneedling treatments include:
Forehead
Nose
Cheeks
Upper lip
Chin
Neck
Decolletage
Scars
Enlarged pores
Older forms or at home versions of microneedling had a roller that was physically pushed into and over the skin. Today’s new devices are powered, which results in much more significant and lasting results.
What is treatment like?
Your treatment session for microneedling is a 45 minute appointment that can be performed during the middle of a workday. Once you arrive in our office, the skin is cleaned and topical numbing medicine is applied. Almost everyone finds the procedure comfortable with the topical solution.
A topical hyaluronic acid solution is used to glide the microneedling device across your skin. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the skin as well as the main ingredient in dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane. Tiny needles introduce invisible micro wounds into the skin. They also inject hyaluronic acid into the dermis. The depth and intensity of the microneedling can change based on desired effect and treatment location.
After several passes of the device, your treatment is completed. If combined with another therapy such as a chemical peel or dermal filler we would then perform those. A calming cream is then applied to the skin and you are ready to go. As with many of our treatments, we recommend avoiding sun exposure for the rest of the day. You may resume routine skincare and make up the next day.
Many of our patients schedule these during the middle of the workday and go back to work immediately. Their skin resembles a mild sunburn that resolves in a few days.
Other Information
The primary goal of microneedling is to induce collagen tightening and promote your body to stimulate regeneration. Here are some typical skin conditions microneedling treats:
Fine lines and wrinkles
Stretch marks
Acne scarring
Surgical scars
Improving skin tone and texture
Enlarged pores
Hair loss
You will see results after your first treatment. If doing microneedling alone, we often recommend our patients get a series of three treatments spaced one month apart. When combining it with other treatments such as platelet rich plasma, dermal fillers, or a chemical peel, they often need fewer treatments, such as one or two.