What Your Esthetician Wants You to Know About Microneedling
Microneedling is one of the most popular – and effective – skin treatments today. But what is microneedling really like? Here’s what is important to know and how you can get dramatically younger-looking skin with this simple procedure.
What Does Microneedling Do Exactly?
The concept of microneedling is quite simple. By creating tiny micro-injuries to the skin, the body’s natural healing response is activated. Blood flow is increased, and healing cells are sent to the site of the “wounds.” New dermal tissue is then created, giving you the look and feel of brand-new skin.
How Deep Do the Microneedles Penetrate the Skin?
The tiny needles used in microneedling treatments are only about 0.75mm long – or 0.03937 inches. To put this into perspective, this is roughly the thickness of a credit card.
Seriously, Does It Hurt?
I offer the numbing cream for patients to minimize discomfort. The numbing cream is applied by the patient 30 minutes prior to the procedure for it to penetrate and begin to work.
Very few people report more than mild discomfort from their microneedling treatments. My patients often say that it feels like a vibration sensation or a bit like sandpaper or being licked by a cat’s tongue. Some areas are more sensitive than others such as on the forehead or the bridge of the nose where the skin is closer to the bone underneath.
Can I Use a Derma Roller at Home Instead?
If you do, you risk damaging your skin.
The dermal rollers have needles that penetrate and exit the skin at an angle causing tears in the surface of the skin which results in longer recovery time and more side effects. Medical grade devices such as SkinPen microneedling enters and exits straight up and down creating controlled channels at specific depths to reach old collagen and create new collagen.
At home Dema Rollers carry a higher risk of infection. As explained above, creating tears on the surface of the skin, instead of controlled perpendicular micro-channels, puts your skin at a higher chance of infection due to delayed healing and increased exposure. Also, at home devices are reused and will accumulate bacteria on them if not fully and properly sanitized. Derma rollers are difficult to properly sanitize, which is critical to prevent the buildup of dangerous bacteria that can be reintroduced into your skin the next time you use the roller. Many DIY derma rollers have needles that are too long and cause injury or are just made cheaply and deliver poor results. Professional microneedling devices have disposable needle heads for one time use only.
Microneedling is a medical procedure that should be performed only by a licensed doctor or esthetician in a sterile facility.
Are There Different Types of Microneedling Devices?
At my office, I generally use one of two microneedling devices – the SkinPen ® and the AQUAGOLD® fine touch™.
The SkinPen ®, developed by Bellus Medical, was the first professional microneedling device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It creates tiny openings in the skin that absorb the vitamins, nutrients, and moisture from solutions used during the procedure.
AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ works a bit differently, and I’ve been excited to offer my patients this option. This device features 24K gold-plated microinjectors that are thinner than a human hair. Rather than just creating small “holes” in the skin which skincare solutions “fall into” – much like tattoo ink — AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ uses microchannel technology to deliver customized skincare treatments directly into the skin.
Get Superior Results from Microneedling with the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa
At the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa, we take pride in offering our patients top-of-the-line treatments for a wide variety of skin conditions. Microneedling is an excellent option for patients who have deep acne scars, sun damage, or who just want the benefit of looking and feeling their best.
Call today to schedule your skincare consultation with me at 1-201-505-1020.