By now you may have heard about microneedling and are probably wondering what all the hype is about. As the name suggests,cWhat this does is initiate a cascade of wound healing activities which stimulates the body to produce more collagen resulting in smoother, firmer skin. Microneedling also works amazingly in reducing acne, acne scarring, fine lines, wrinkles, and even dark spots. Here are some frightening statistics, our body’s collagen production starts decreasing from our mid 20’s, and the rate increases as we get older. Other factors such as spending excessive time in the sun also decrease the rate of collagen production and lead to skin laxity.
What can microneedling do for you?
With microneedling, you can get a new lease on life. Well, that is certainly how you feel after the rejuvenating effects of this minimally invasive treatment. As I said before, by pricking the skin with these tiny needles, a series of events occur within the skin which results in more collagen and elastin being produced. The results? Younger looking, firmer and smooth skin! Microneedling also reduces the appearance of large pores and because the treatment also stimulates blood flow, you also get a clearer complexion. Microneedling also reduces acne by slowing down sebum production which makes our skin oily and acne-prone. Microneedling also helps the epidermis which is the outermost layer of our skin, which naturally thins with age, and becomes thicker, and tauter. Best of all, after microneedling, you will find that you get better results from whatever skincare products you use, due to improved absorption. Now if that is not amazing I don’t know what is!
How is the procedure done?
The procedure is done using a pen-like handheld device that has tiny needles that can make precise punctures in the skin. When treating acne and acne scarring, a needle length of 1.5–2 mm is usually used, when microneedling is being used to treat aging skin and wrinkles and fine lines, a needle of 0.5 mm or 1.0 mm is usually recommended. The procedure when done with needles of 0.5 mm or below is usually painless but anything above will need to be administered with numbing cream. The perception of pain largely depends on the needle length but also depends on the thickness of the epidermis and dermis. Usually a total of four treatments are recommended to see desired results.
Before your microneedling treatment, avoid over-exfoliation and any other treatment that is abrasive and might break the skin’s barrier.
A few side effects are to be expected. The treatment may cause swelling and redness and in a few cases, skin flaking. These side effects usually subside after 5-7 days. During this time, your skin will be more susceptible to sunburn so sunscreen is advised. Microneedling, though helpful to alleviate acne, should not be done during an active breakout. Patients are advised to wait until this has ceased. It is also recommended to avoid makeup within the first 24 hours after the procedure to avoid acne breakouts and decrease chance of infection. After the side effects have subsided, we strongly recommend flaunting your “new skin” all around New York!