Microneedling: Is It a Fad?

Who would have thought that people would willingly choose to have a needle studded roller, rolled back and forth on their skin all in the name of beauty? Celebrity fans raving about it are believed to include Angelina and Brad, Jennifer Aniston, Kim K…what exactly is it? Microneedling, also known as skin needling, collagen induction therapy, or percutaneous collagen induction is a minimally invasive skin rejuvenation procedure that uses a device that contains fine micro needles, traditionally in the shape roller, much like a paint roller. The needles puncture the skin and create a controlled skin injury. Each puncture creates a channel, triggering the body to produce new collagen and elastin. Over time, improvement in skin texture, firmness and pore size will be seen.

Microneedling uses:

Good news is that microneedling can be used on all skin types. It is an office based simple and safe method to treat the above skin conditions. It is a cost effective treatment that can be performed on areas that are not indicated for lasers and peels such as around the eyes, mouth and chest. Professional microneedling devices come in the form of manual hand held rollers and range to automated powered devices.

The procedure

Does it hurt? That is a frequently asked question. For your comfort a topical anesthetic cream placed on the skin and with that the procedure is typically well tolerated with minimal discomfort. You may notice more of a red or pink flush to the skin, which will dissipate soon afterwards, and potentially some bleeding. It is a normal reaction to experience this. The number of sessions depends of the individual skin condition. A series, with an interval of 4-6 weeks between treatments is typical, and number of sessions dependent on your individual skin condition.

Can I do this at home?

Yes, even though you the depth of penetration is not as deep as what you get at your doctor’s office, you can still achieve some improvement with home roller devices. If you choose to DIY, the quality of the needles are the most important, and secondarily the penetration depth depending on what you are treating. For general improvement of fine lines, pore size and facial rejuvenation, the most common starting depth is between 0.2mm and 0.5mm, and can be used two to three times a week.

Microneedling is not just a trending topic or fad, it’s clearly here to stay…it works! It stimulates collagen to give you better-looking skin on every level. With ever expanding indications, it’s a treatment to keep an eye on, as we can expect to see more clinical data to confirm what doctors are observing in their practices.