What is the Best Form of Microneedling? 

Before we get into everything there is to know about microneedling, let’s just say that you can group us in the “down for anything” category when it comes to beauty. If you’re typically open to trying any trend or treatment as long as experts say it’s safe— if this rings especially true when it comes to something that claims to improve one or more of your many skin concerns.

At the top of that list is acne scars. The pesky marks could be from teenagerhood or 20s or 30s. If you’ve tried every fading, brightening, and lightening treatment known to mankind then you should know that one study that showed that almost 100 percent of microneedling participants reported a noticeable difference and 80 percent reported a vast improvement in the appearance of their acne scars after a treatment. This might be the nudge you need to try it out first-hand, right?  

Before you jump to book an appointment for an in-office microneedling treatment, it’s important to reflect on what you should know before booking that first appointment. If you’re curious about microneedling, you’re in luck! This article will go over everything there is to know about this popular treatment, such as how in-office treatments compare to at-home microneedling devices. Now, if you decide to spend the time and money to get it done, you can feel completely prepared and confident in your choice (and where to find the best one in Clearwater, FL).

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure that uses a device with very thin, sharp needle tips to make punctures on the skin. The functionality behind microneedling is that once the body feels the small pricks, it works to heal those cuts, resulting in a refreshed look; the punctures are only surface-level, so the pain is minimal. This process works to rejuvenate your skin by boosting collagen production, which in turn reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and elevates the overall texture of your skin.

Benefits of Microneedling

Professional microneedling has a slew of immediate and long-term benefits, including:

• Enhanced skin texture.
• Reduced appearance of scars and hyperpigmentation.
• Boosted collagen production.
• Reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Microneedling by itself has only modest effects, like improvement in skin texture and smoothness. But when radiofrequency is added, microneedling can pack a bigger punch. Radiofrequency waves travel down the needles to heat the dermis, which can improve collagen production. Patients can see improvement in mild wrinkles, acne scars, and mild skin tightening when paired with radiofrequency. Microneedling in the dermatologist’s office is also done with sharper needles, which improves the results that patients see. You can also improve the results from microneedling by using a serum with the procedure; the serum will penetrate deeper in the skin for optimal results.

The biggest benefit of microneedling is its ability to radically enhance the texture of your skin. And that goes for more than just the face—microneedling can be used to improve pigmentation, lip lines, wrinkles, acne scars, hair loss, stretch marks, post-pregnancy stretch marks, and brighten the skin.

Microneedling is a collagen-stimulating treatment great for general skin rejuvenation. It treats textural issues dealing with pores, acne scars, wrinkles, tightening sagging skin, and more. 

How to Prepare Your Skin for Microneedling

If you’re using any intense topical treatments, it’s advised to discontinue use a few days before your microneedling treatment. Harsh products could aggravate the skin, so milder is the key. In addition to having a cleansed and toned face, you should also avoid using retinol at least 48 hours prior and avoid direct sun exposure for about three days prior and three days following. It’s also advisable against using any aggressive acids within the week of the procedure.

You should arrive at your appointment with clean, dry skin (if not, the technician will wash your face so it’s clean before the procedure). Next, you’ll likely be slathered in numbing cream so that the pain won’t feel as intense.

What to Expect from Microneedling

Does it hurt? It doesn’t hurt per se, but it doesn’t feel good. After letting the numbing cream seep into my skin for a half-hour, having a bunch of needles continuously puncture your skin is honestly an easy process. In terms of pain, it’s normally a tolerable treatment that lasts all of 20 minutes. The forehead, hairline, and jawline areas can be more sensitive than other areas.

After the microneedling, the procedure is followed up with a soothing serum and hydrating face mask. 

The great thing about this treatment is there’s no significant downtime. Afterward, there’s a little bit of redness and there might be some areas of pinpoint bleeding, but really, it’s a no-downtime kind of treatment, so most people leave here a little bit red. A couple of hours later, you’re pretty much back to normal, and the next day, you can resume your normal skincare and normal activities.

Side Effects of Microneedling

Immediately after the face mask, your cheeks and the top of my forehead can be slightly red. This is a normal side effect of the minimal bleeding that happens during the treatment. It typically fades within an hour.

Another disclaimer to note: if you have extremely sensitive skin, this may happen to you. But by day two, your skin can feel raw and itchy. It’s not unbearable, but it can be uncomfortable. To combat this, try slathering on Cortizone Anti-Itch Cream in the morning and before you go to bed. You may also notice tiny imprint marks (on the forehead especially) from the needles.

By day four, the itchiness will almost completely go away. The tiny post-procedural marks also fade more and more each day. These are normal side effects and should clear up in a few days.

There are no risks or downtime if microneedling is performed properly. When microneedling is not performed properly, there are serious risks like infections, scarring, hyperpigmentation, and bruising.

At-Home vs. In-Office Microneedling

Microneedling in the doctor’s office can go a lot deeper than at-home devices and are thus more efficacious. At-home devices have minimal benefits compared to in-office microneedling. The needles are less sharp than the in-office microneedles, so there is less risk of injury to the user at home. That being said, at-home microneedling has more risks than in-office. Say you have a zit on your face that ruptures during the at-home treatment—then you are potentially rolling the acnes bacteria all over the rest of your face, which can lead to increased acne. Try to leave the microneedling to a dermatologist or aesthetician who can make sure you get the best results.

Microneedling Aftercare

Be prepared to have a lit-from-within glow as probably your favorite benefit of the procedure. Your skin will also be very soft and the appearance of your pores may have shrunk significantly.

The Final Takeaway

Studies show that your topical products are more deeply penetrating after microneedling. This is so, so true. The week post-treatment, your hydrating moisturizer will feel so incredibly soothing on your skin—to the point that you might just look forward to cleansing your skin and applying it the second you get home at the end of the day.

Your pores will feel so open and exposed—so it will feel like your skin has been efficiently absorbing product (which is why you might decide to take it easy on the face makeup).

If you’re interested in microneedling, especially with the benefits of having it done in tandem with radiofrequency, it would be wise to speak with the experts in your area. They can assess your skin and decide whether or not it would be the right treatment for your particular concerns, whether that’s acne marks, uneven tone, rough texture, or something else. And now you can make a more informed decision knowing that the pain and recovery isn’t all that bad.

For an aesthetic spa vibe and professional skin experts, book your microneedling appointment at Botanica Spa! Call us at 727-441-1711 or book your appointment here.