Microneedling is a skin rejuvenation technique that’s growing in both popularity and availability. Like many professionally-done procedures, you may be tempted to explore the option of at-home microneedling. Online reviews, tips, and instructions may give you all the information you think you need in order to successfully manage DIY microneedling, but there are serious risks that come with attempting this treatment on your own.
Why Try Microneedling at Home?
This is the age of DIY, thanks to online tutorials. An at-home facial is no exception, and the first reason you might feel tempted to try microneedling at home is cost. One reason DIY projects and procedures are compelling is because you are frequently led to believe you’re saving money if you can do it yourself. Another reason you may consider microneedling at home is the perceived freedom of doing it when it’s most convenient for you.
Finally, you might be able to find inexpensive at-home microneedling devices online, so the ease of ordering and having it shipped directly to you may seem too easy to pass up. Many at-home microneedlers think that watching a video tutorial or two will educate them enough to attempt the procedure at home.
Before you get too excited, stop for a moment and consider. Do any of these benefits – the cost, the convenience, the ease, or the skill – outweigh the risks of microneedling at home?
What Are the Risks of Microneedling at Home?
Anything that directly affects your body and health shouldn’t be taken lightly, and this is especially true for microneedling at home. The cheap way out could end up costing you a lot of money in the long run. If you end up with any damage, whether it’s suffering mild complications, or a severe reaction, the financial cost alone to repair the damage may far exceed the expense of having it done professionally in the first place.
The quality of your microneedling device is also something to consider. If you are purchasing a non-medical grade piece of equipment, you will not be getting the same results as you would be if you were to get the treatment in medical office. Buying medical grade equipment from unknown sources is dangerous and illegal. You’re at risk for using contaminated equipment or flawed devices. You don’t necessarily know if you’re using something which sterile needles, or even which size needles can safely deliver a microneedling treatment. This creates an enormous risk in developing post-treatment infection or irritation. These medical grade devices require specialized training that medical professionals undergo to understand and deliver a safe and effective treatment.
Microneedling is a treatment that only trained professionals should perform. With the skill and training that it takes to correctly administer a microneedling treatment, a professional is aware of any problems or concerns that may arise and how to respond to them, thus preventing possible damage or negative reactions. You can’t ensure safety and precision in a job that you don’t know how to do, and there’s no YouTube tutorial that can guarantee otherwise.
Each of these risks directly answer the reasons you might be tempted to try microneedling at home in the first place: cost, convenience, ease, and skill. As you can see, the risks outweigh the hoped-for benefits every time.
If you’re interested in microneedling, it’s likely because you have a skin concern that you’re interested in correcting or improving. Why risk adding to the damage, giving you the expense of even more skin concerns to treat? I firmly believe that microneedling at home is not worth the risk of damage to your skin nor the savings it touts. The only way to ensure a safe and satisfactory microneedling procedure is to have it professionally done. At the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa, I use state of the art skin rejuvenation techniques to provide you with the safest and most effective microneedling experience.
Ensuring a Safe and Positive Microneedling Procedure
I emphasize sterility, safety, and efficacy in the microneedling procedures I offer. The AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ microneedling device, for example, sets an industry standard by using gold plated, surgical grade stainless steel needles. Pure gold is hypoallergenic and helps prevent irritation to the skin. The stainless steel gives the needle unparalleled structural integrity, and the size (thinner than a human hair) ensures a painless treatment that is both consistent in the area it treats and effective in stimulating collagen production. Another device we offer for microneedling treatments is the SkinPen, the only FDA approved device for treatment of acne scarring. This can provide a needle penetration deeper into the skin and will have more profound results.
Microneedling with PRP is an option that can be used with either AQUAGOLD fine touch or the SkinPen microneedling devices. PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma. A vial of your blood is taken before the microneedling treatment begins, and a centrifuge separates the plasma and platelets. This plasma is rich in growth factors which jumpstart collagen production and promote wound healing and tissue regeneration. When used with either microneedling device, PRP can increase the rejuvenation results you’re hoping to see. Any procedure involving blood withdrawal with re-infusion back to you, should only be handled by a trained medical professional to reduce the risk of serious infections.
These are two of the microneedling treatments I offer. Each of the procedures available at the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa are tailored to your needs, desires, and your availability for repeat treatments. Regardless of which microneedling procedure you choose, you can be confident you’re in skilled hands and will receive the highest quality care, treatment, and desired outcome. Because of this, you can say goodbye to the dangerous risks associated with microneedling at home.
If you have questions about the difference in the various microneedling treatments I offer or are ready to schedule an appointment, please give the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa a call today. My warm, friendly, and knowledgeable staff can help answer your questions or help you determine which microneedling option is best for you. Your refreshed, rejuvenated skin awaits, so give it the treatment it deserves.