Microneedling is becoming a very popular treatment, with many clinics and aestheticians offering it, promising to reverse the signs of aging, improve the appearance of stretch marks and acne scars or just give you great looking skin.

But are any of theses claims true or is microneedling a scam?

Within this article I aim to answer all your burning questions about microneedling including what it actually does do, who can and can’t have it, is it safe and does it actually work, read on to find out more.

So firstly it’s important to understand a little about how our skin is made up and why we might need microneedling.

We have three main layers to our skin, the top surface layer called the epidermis, this itself has 4 layers the top one is actually mainly made up of mature dead skin cells but is our layer of protection.

The middle layer is the dermis, this is where we make our collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

These are important for keeping our skin youthful but once we hit our 20’s our levels slowly start to decline by about 1.5% each year.

This will over time result in dryer dehydrated skin, sagging, loss of elasticity and firmness and lines and wrinkles.

The deepest layer is the hypodermis, this is our fat layer which keeps us warm and protects our organs.

What Is Microneedling and What does Microneedling Do?

Microneedling is a minimal invasive procedure using micro needles to create invisible puncture
wounds on the skin surface to allow the skin to generate new collagen and elastin through the
body’s wound healing process.

The procedure is used to improve acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, deep pores, stretch marks and pigmentation problems.

It can also help with hair loss problems.

A number of treatments are often needed to treat the skin complaint.

Often it is advised to have an interim chemical peel in between microneedling sessions.

The treatment can be carried out with a microneedling device or a manual dermal roller.

Better results are seen with the mechanical technique which uses a pen like device.

Does Microneedling Help Acne?

It isn’t recommended to have microneedling on your skin if you have active acne, however it is a really good option for when you have your acne under control to help lessen the appearance of acne scars.

Does Microneedling Work For Hair Loss?

This can be a really good option for hair loss as it is minimally invasive and a much cheaper option than surgery.

Special serums are used with a unique blend of active ingredients to promote and stimulate hair regrowth and maintain scalp vitality.

Your expectations must be realistic though, you are not going to get a full head of hair after one treatment, you should be prepared for multiple sessions to see any improvement and then maintain results.

Does Microneedling Tighten The Skin?

As microneedling stimulates collagen productions within the skin, this will plump the skin out making it smoother and tighter with fewer lines and wrinkles.

How Long Does It Take To See Results With Microneedling?

It will definitely depend on what you are wanting to achieve but typically you would expect to need about 5 sessions to see any improvement in skin quality especially where scarring is concerned.

If you are wanting better absorption of your skincare products and healthier looking more hydrated skin, you can achieve this from needling at a really shallow depth of 0.25mm and you will see results straight away but will need to maintain them.

Does Microneedling Hurt?

Microneedling can be classed as cosmetic or medical depending on the depth, the deeper your skin is needled the more painful it will be.

If you are wanting to induce collagen production you will need to be needling at a depth of 0.5mm to be getting down to that layer in the dermis where collagen is produced.

This can be a little sensitive but not painful.

For scaring your skin will be needled up to as deep as 2mm and can be painful, most practitioners will offer numbing cream to make your procedure more comfortable.

Can You Microneedle From Home?

You absolutely can but I would always say to do this with caution! I would only recommend using a derma-roller at home from a reputable company.

There are many cheap devices on the market that could actually damage your skin.

If you are needling any deeper than 0.25mm you should stick to no more than every 4 weeks and do not apply anything to the skin for the first 24 hours to allow the channels to close.

Then make sure you protect your skin with a high protection SPF.

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Are There Any Risks To Microneedling?

You should not have microneedling if you have any of the following conditions or on any of the listed medications;

 Blood thinning medications

 Pregnancy or breast feeding

 Retinoid medication for acne (Roaccutane)

 Active Herpes Simplex (cold sores)

 Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy

 Facial skin cancers

 Keloid scarring

 Active Impetigo

 Active pustules/acne

It is important that any infections of the skin are fully healed before you have a microneedling treatment.

Make sure if you are receiving any of the treatments on the list that you have completed them and wait at least 6 months for your immune system to return to normal.

It is advisable for you to wait 2 weeks following any facial aesthetic treatments.

Microneedling/Collagen Induction therapy is preformed typically to improve the clinical appearance of the skin and encourage the regeneration and rejuvenation of new skin cells.

After treatment, the skin may experience:

 Redness or flushing

 Dryness or tightness

 Tingling or itching

 Tenderness

 Stinging

 Light peeling

 Slight swelling

These temporary skin responses will typically subside within a few hours and most of the time you should be able to return to normal activities the next day.

Some people may react differently to others and may experience these reactions for longer.

If this is the case these reactions are temporary and will usually resolve within 3-7 days.

Minimal invasive procedures such as microneedling may cause slight trauma and scab over. In rare cases this could lead to infection although this is not expected to occur if the equipment used is properly sanitised and sterile.

Do not pick at any scabs or dry areas that may appear.

There is also a risk that the skin complaints can look and feel worse before improvements are seen and in most cases a series of treatments are needed to gain the desired result.

Final Thoughts

So I definitely don’t think microneedling is a scam or a fad, it can be a really effective way of stimulating our skins natural collagen production by tricking it into thinking it has had a minor injury.

The healing process of the tiny channels created induces collagen production and can greatly improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles aswell as acne scars and stretch marks.

It is however important to have realistic expectations and know that more than one treatment will be required for the desired result.