Microneedling 101

The latest skincare technique that I’ve been eager to try, in hope of changing the look of my skin, is micro-needling. That’s enough for me to say yes, but what does the treatment involve, and – most importantly – does it really work?

The ins-and-outs of micro-needling

To give a little context, micro-needling is a procedure that uses a number of tiny needles to puncture the first layer of your skin (sounds much scarier than it is). Micro-needling has two main benefits: it stimulates epidermal growth factors to boost collagen and elastin that plump and firm the skin, and increases absorption of active ingredients by greater than 90%, making this procedure one of the most powerful and effective ways to stop early signs of ageing while preventing new fine lines and wrinkles occurring. Micro-needling works best with serums that have active ingredients, one of my favorites being hyaluronic acid. These types of ingredients will maximize the effects of the micro-needling technique to stimulate collagen, speed up cell turnover, lift hyper-pigmentation, smooth out fine lines, firm, plump and hydrate. For optimized results, you can also combine micro-needling with a light peel. The benefit to this is even greater exfoliation and uptake of nutrients.

What does it do for my skin?

Micro-needling technique improves large pores, acne scars, melasma, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, fine lines and dull skin to name a few (even after first use, from experience). You are left with nothing but a dewy, youthful glow that you simply can’t get from other products or at-home treatments.

Does it hurt?

Most people feel little to no pain. Your face will be numbed with a prescription strength lidocaine gel prior to the procedure.

Is there downtime?

Your face will be red the first day of the treatment and a little bit pink and flaky for the next 2-3 days. You will want to avoid sweating and makeup the day of and the day after the procedure.

How often can/should I do it?

I typically recommend a series of 3 treatments spread four weeks apart, although acne scars will require more sessions. In a perfect world I would have everyone do 3-4 treatments a year for maintenance.