Microneedling 101
By now you’ve probably heard of a microneedling facial. AKA skin needling. AKA dermarolling. AKA dermapen. But let’s keep with ‘microneedling’ for the sake of this blog. Righty-o. Moving on.
Microneedling is an absolutely ah-mazing treatment! The concept has actually been around since the 1990’s [1] but technology has changed, as have the results. They’re bigger and better. It’s becoming more and more popular as people are realizing its potential in skin rejuvenation, antiaging, and acne scarring capabilities. Devotees swear by it, and it’s developed its own cult-like following in recent years.
At-home treatments claim to mimic the results, but don’t be fooled – only in-clinic treatments can provide true, collagen-stimulating results. This is because in order to stimulate collagen, you have to stimulate the dermis (deeper layer of the skin, where blood supply is located) which at-home treatments cannot, and should not, do.
A microneedling facial is a great treatment if you want little downtime, a quick treatment, and a result that is completely NATURAL, safe (in the hands of an ethical, medical professional), minimally invasive, and effective as proven by years of independent studies.
It’s a unique treatment as it can be combined with other skin rejuvenation modalities to give it a big beauty boost. You can combine it with PRP (platelet-rich-plasma), LED rejuvenation, certain gentle peels, radiofrequency, and even stem cell therapy.
So let’s go through some FAQ’s and top tips and points about the world’s favorite type of collagen induction therapy.
What is a Microneedling Facial?
A Microneedling facial is a skin rejuvenation and collagen stimulation treatment that involves numbing the skin with a topical numbing cream, then using a device that vibrates tiny ‘micro-needles’ into the skin which creates a controlled healing response. The response mimics a healing process within the skin which stimulates the production of collagen, multiple growth factors [1], and increased elastin synthesis. This starts the road to softening out fine lines, improving skin texture, and ‘lifting’ acne scarring.
And did you know…collagen production starts to slow after the age of 25!? So bring on those needles a la micro, pretty please!
Once you do a treatment, the first 24-72 hours is known as the ‘inflammatory’ phase. Things are happening! To heal the skin, the body releases various growth factors and cytokines. Shortly after this, hyaluronic acid develops and fibroblasts start to create precious collagen. Collagen starts to mature around 2-3 weeks, but can take up to three+ months to give the full, skin strengthening result.
The initial type of collagen formed is immature Type III Collagen. After 2-3 months, this develops into the stronger Type I Collagen, which can be described as ‘scaffolding’ in the skin [3]. But as it takes a few months to see ‘lifting’ in any scarring, you may not notice this particular benefit until, well, three months after your first treatment! But, you may notice other benefits sooner, such as skin glow and clearer appearance in the skin.
“Histological examination of the skin after four microneedling sessions one month apart shows up to a 400% increase in collagen and elastin deposition at six months post-treatment, and thickened dermal layer of the skin even one year post treatment [2]!”
Summary of the last five paragraphs: Microneedling has been clinically shown to increase skin firmness and strength in the skin which can help lift acne scarring and fine lines.
Here at The Luxe Room, we use a top-quality microneedling device which can be adjusted throughout the treatment to allow for appropriate depth for the concern at hand. For instance, different areas of the face require different depths, and different concerns require different depths. Custom depths means the best possible results for each client.
Is Microneedling safe?
Safety is key. Safety is paramount. Don’t get treated anywhere you do not feel safe.
With any microneedling facial treatment, the roller or the device tip should ALWAYS be sterile! It should be completely packaged by the manufacturer and single-use only. After topical numbing, your skin should be prepped with either chlorhexidine or isopropyl alcohol to rid your skin of potentially harmful bacteria [4]. If performing this treatment with PRP, only one treatment should be performed in the clinic at that time to ensure no cross-contamination. These points are paramount in the prevention of any infection.
After your treatment, aftercare instructions will be given to help you get the most from your treatment (see below).
What about home-microneedling devices??
For the most part, at-home microneedling devices have been found to be unsafe and ineffective (5). The needles are not large enough to create proper holes/channels in the skin to lead to rejuvenation or collagen stimulation (remember – you need to penetrate the dermis to stimulate collagen, and you only see pinpoint bleeding if you hit the dermis).
THE THEORY OF AT-HOME DEVICES IS THAT THEY HELP YOUR PRODUCTS PENETRATE DEEPER AND HELP WITH SKIN REJUVENATION. I HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS:
- Your skin products are made to be applied topically, not into little divots you’ve created in your skin (they’ll be way too strong and possibly irritate your skin!)
- You’re using this device either weekly or several times a week. You’re most likely not sterilizing it at home or cleaning it with chlorhexidine, so it’s most likely not clean enough to use on your skin more than once if the point is to penetrate your epidermis.
- You’re only piercing your epidermis and not the dermis with an at-home device, meaning you’re not effectively targeting collagen production either
YES, I USED ONE WHEN THE HYPE STARTED. YES, I STOPPED USING IT AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THE ABOVE AFTER A DAY OR TWO AND DID SOME RESEARCH.
Therefore, in-clinic treatments are going to be the safest option for you as the devices should be single-use and your skin should be cleaned properly before and after your treatment. They’ll also be your best bet for an amazing result!
How many treatments do I need?
This common question has several determining factors:
- What you’re trying to treat
- What shape your skin is in to start with
- If acne scarring, how old the scarring is
- Your age (younger skin heals faster and has more collagen and HA levels)
- If your skin is prepped on quality, cosmeceutical skincare
- How well you take care of your skin after your treatments
Even with all of that said, a general rule of thumb I like to go by for how many treatments may be needed:
- General rejuvenation: 3-4
- Pore size: 4-6
- Acne scarring: 4-8 (though this is highly dependent on the scarring itself and we can often combine a microneedling facial with other treatments to enhance results)
- Fine lines: 4-6
- Surgical scarring: 4-6
- Stretch marks: 4-8 (also depends on size, depth, and how long they’ve been present)
Generally, treatments are done every 4-6 weeks. This gives your skin time to go through the healing phase and be stronger for the next treatment.
As microneedling is working to boost up your collagen and, essentially, plump up the skin, it’s recommended to do maintenance treatments to keep your skin on it’s toes! I usually recommend 1-2 treatments per year. Doing maintenance treatments will also help keep your skin strong and can help your skin in the long-term with antiaging. Sign me up!
Does microneedling hurt?
Here at The Luxe Room, we use prescription-strength, topical numbing cream and let it do its magic for 30-45 min before your treatment. This makes for a super-comfortable procedure. The treatment itself usually only takes 15-20 minutes as well, so it’s pretty quick!
Hear it from the horse’s mouth. Common quotes from my clients during the treatment:
- “Oh, that’s not so bad!”
- “I don’t even feel that!” (if we’re on the cheeks)
- “I think I’m going to sneeze” (if we’re near the brows)
- “Way better than I thought it would be” (80% of the face)
- “That’s a little stingy” (if we’re on the forehead)
After your treatment, there shouldn’t be any pain! You may just feel like you’ve had a mild sunburn, but that’s usually about it.
What do I look like afterwards?
What will you look like after your microneedling treatment in Denver? Right away, you may be pretty pink, but this generally settles in 24-48 hours. After this, loose powdered, mineral makeup may be applied with a clean makeup brush. Cosmeceutical-grade SPF must also be worn after the first 24 hours to prevent hyperpigmentation and to protect the new collagen you’ve stimulated!
Downtime for this treatment is usually only about 3-4 days. Here is a little breakdown of the most common timeline for microneedling I see:
Day 0: Red/pink. Feels like a mild sunburn.
Day 1: Sometimes puffy, less red, but you may see some tiny red marks on the face from the microneedling.
Day 2: Some redness/pink here and there. Face starts feeling a bit rough but not too visibly noticeable.
Day 3: Some very light peeling of the skin may occur due to healing. Skin is a bit rough. Very little redness left.
Day 4: Light peeling, may last a day or two.
Day 7: Glowing!!
One other thing to take note of is you MAY get a little breakout day #3 or #4 if there is underlying congestion. If this happens, it usually only does this on the first treatment and kind of ‘purges’ impurities out of your skin.
Want to lessen the downtime? Even though the downtime is short, we find that combining your treatment with PRP or Stem Cells greatly reduces the length of the healing process and amplifies skin rejuvenation.
Microneedling facial for acne scars?
Acne scars are a direct result of the skin trauma caused by an inflamed pustule, nodule, or cyst. The hair follicle builds up with dead skin, bacteria, and pus which is toxic to your skin. This leads to inflammation, degradation of collagen, and finally, atrophic scarring [6]. Hello, acne scar. Wish I was pleased to see you.
This explains why microneedling can help improve acne scarring – it stimulates collagen production, which helps ‘lift’ the areas of scarring that are like ‘dips’ (atrophic scarring) in the skin.
I generally recommend 4-8 treatments of microneedling for acne scarring every 4-6 weeks. Improvement in scarring is generally seen after 2-3 months but can continue to improve three months and longer after each treatment [7]!
What about rejuvenation?
Looking for a general skin boost? You’re in luck! I feel there is a bit of a two-fold with microneedling and general skin rejuvenation: I immediately notice healthier-appearing, more glowy skin in 4-7 days after my treatment (due to the immediate boost in growth factors and cytokines), then in around 2-3 months after my treatment I notice that my skin looks more plump and any hint of fine lines have disappeared!
Most of the time for general skin rejuvenation, I do low to medium-depth microneedling just to give that boost to the skin without a lot of downtime. This seems to be enough to ‘wake up’ the skin and give a serious hit of dewy rejuvenation.
And antiaging?
As we age, we lose collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) in our skin. As discussed earlier, microneedling stimulates a cascade of events in your skin that help to increase the production of collagen and elastin in the skin which helps build structure and thickness to the skin [7]. This can help minimize wrinkles and prevent more from occurring.
I feel that Denver Botox and dermal fillers still have their place, but doing skin-boosting and rejuvenating treatments like microneedling can seriously help keep your skin looking natural and youthful.
Other benefits?
Microneedling has also been shown to have benefits when treating post-surgical scarring, stretch marks, alopecia (hair loss), drug delivery, and help with pore size and skin texture [8].
Book in for a complimentary consultation to see if microneedling can benefit your skin by clicking here.
And what’s all this talk about having it with PRF (platelet-rich-fibrin)?
Microneedling and PRF…oh my!!
This is how this procedure works:
- Draw blood – quick and easy
- Spin blood in centrifuge separating the red blood cells (not actually used!) from the serum (a component of plasma), which is composed of cytokines, platelets, anti-inflammatory peptides, and various growth factors [9].
- Apply the PRF to the skin while microneedling as well as immediately after. This ensures that the PRF has been infused into the skin via the micro-channels created by the microneedling procedure
Adding PRF boosts the amount of growth factors and cytokines (ref) during your treatment, which can really boost results from your treatments. This can also minimize downtime, as healing is sped up from the PRF application.
Where can I find microneedling in Denver or Boulder CO and how much does it cost?
Microneedling in Denver? Look no further! Microneedling is a commonly-performed treatment here at The Luxe Room.
Microneedling treatments cost $300 per treatment with special pricing of a 20% discount when a package is purchased. Add-on’s (like PRP or Stem Cells) are also discounted when combined treatments are performed.
You can rest assured knowing that only the best devices and products are used, meaning you’ll get the best possible results from your treatments. Standards are always kept high. That’s how we like it.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976400/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18349665
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1726490117303088
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6122507/
- https://andersderm.com/blog/dangers-of-at-home-microneedling
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749614/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4509584/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976400/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/cre2.26
Let’s Chat…
No matter what your concern or want is (within reason!), I’d love to help you and work out a plan to help you feel better about it. Book in for a complimentary consultation and let’s chat!
