Everyone should be microneedling. EVERYONE. Okay maybe not every single soul, but I feel like 9/10 people would benefit from it.
What is microneedling you may ask?
What is Microneedling? Exploring Collagen Induction Therapy
It's a cosmetic produce that involves using a device with fine needles to create tiny punctures in the top layer of the skin. This process is also know as collagen induction therapy. The punctures stimulate the skin's natural healing process, leading to increased collagen and elastin production.
Microneedling is known to help improve the appearance of scars, wrinkles, fine lines, and overall skin texture.
It's often used to rejuvenate the skin and promote a more youthful and radiant complexion overall.
My Microneedling Journey
I have been microneedling every so often for the last 4-5 years.
I work at a dermatology office on Saturdays and have been blessed with this side-job for about many years now. It was by chance that I feel into this opportunity, and with love that I've been fortunate to keep it as a side-hustle because I'm so insanely obsessed with skincare.
I've become close friends with my women who I work with there, but mainly want to highlight my gem of a human estie bestie, Leah.
Leah has turned my skin around and been my skincare guru best friend since the very beginning of our time at Delray Dermatology + Cosmetic Center. If you're in Palm Beach County, I highly highly highly recommend that you check them out.
She is one of the most skilled and professional estheticians I know, but also has a heart of gold and just radiates positive, glowing energy - it's so evident from the way her clients love her and they way she loves them back.
I've seen so many incredible, life-changing transformations of people's skin take place before my eyes, because of the love and passion that Leah pours into her work.
Leah has helped me transform my skin as well.
Before working at the dermatologist, I was basking in the sun, like many young twenty-year-olds. I'd hardly ever wear sunscreen, and definitely would not be caught wearing a hat on the beach.
I was bad.
I had a lot of making up to do (and still do) for my teenage years mixed with my young twenties, just baking in the sun with my bottles of Ban de Soleil and baby oil.
Slowly but surely over time I started working with Leah to help reverse the damage that had been done.
This has not been an overnight process, but it's been an investment well worth it.
The Benefits of Microneedling
Microneedling is less expensive than laser treatments and may work better for people with darker skin tones even because it doesn't involve heat. It mainly helps with the following issues:
- fine lines and wrinkles -enlarged pores
- loose or crepey skin
- mild scars, especially from acne or burns
- skin discoloration or uneven skin tone
- stretch marks
First and foremost, a consultation is necessary to consult with your esthetician about your treatment plan.
You could get it done just a few times, or get it done multiple times a year for maintenance.
There are people who get it done every four to eight weeks. The frequency depends on your skin type and concerns.
But for starting out it's usually recommended that you get 3-4 treatments spaced out every 4-6 weeks.
From Numbing to Collagen Building - The Full Microneedling Experience:
Okay let's say you've had your consultation with your esthetician and you're booking your appointment to get your face (and maybe neck too - pro tip, include the neck!), for the first time.
Appointment times are typically an hour, a half hour to numb, followed up with a half hour to get to town on the needling of the skin.
Definitely plan to be red/pinkish for at least 2 days, but could be up to 4 days. So plan accordingly.
Stop using retinol 48-ish hours out.
Show up to your appointment on time and come with a clean face.
Your esthetician will take you back and it's microneedling time! She'll clean your face with alcohol and face wash to get all the numbing cream off.
Then she'll lather your face with hyaluronic acid/peptides/ceramides etc and it's time to get to collagen building! Overall, it's fairly painless. Your face is numb, and personally the only part that is not as comfy as the others is my forehead. I find that I just can't chat to Leah as much during this time, but it's fairly quick and it's not that bad.
Your skin is thinner on your forehead so you tend to feel it the most in this area. Whereas your cheeks have more fat and there's more cushion.
But it flies by, and it feels very therapeutic. Like a massage for the face. I can just feel all the magical work being done to erase all my damage.
I ask Leah to go harder/more around my mouth area as this is where I see most of my fine lines forming. Mainly because botox freezes most other parts of my face.
Then we never skip my neck. Over the last few years as I've been working remote more with my laptop in my lap, my tech neck has really started to get serious.
Tech neck, in simpler terms, refers to the wrinkles and lines that can develop on the neck due to constantly looking down at electronic devices like phones and computers.
It's not fun to realize that these lines are getting deeper and deeper, but slowly and surely the microneedling is helping it in a major way.
Post Microneedling Care: Essential Tips for Skin Recovery
After your esthetician has finished your microneedling treatment, oftentimes they'll put some peptides on your perfectly microneedled skin. These can help even more so with collagen production, skin repair, wrinkle reduction and hydration post treatment.
Take the advice of your esthetician, but in my case Leah will put some Skinbetter Science Sunbetter Tone Smart SPF 68 Sunscreen Compact on me right after my microneedling. This is a product that has been deemed safe for the skin post procedure. We mainly use this to help reduce the redness, not because I'm planning to go out in the sun - that's a BIG NO NO, lol.
Post-microneedling:
- make sure to drink a lot of water - hydrate, hydrate
- wash your face with a gentle cleanser with lukewarm water the next morning (or at night if you have product on that's approved)
- use the serums that your esthetician gives you to help with post-procedure care
- avoid sun exposure for at least 10 days to 2 weeks
- avoid makeup for the first 24-48 hours
- avoid tanning products for 2-3 weeks
- avoid topical skincare for 2 weeks
- avoid alcohol
- avoid touching your face
- avoid sweating for the first few days
- get a lot of sleep to help your body recover
It typically takes me 1-2 days for my redness and slight swelling to go down post microneedling.
Day 3 I usually experience some dry/tight sensation, and may have some red dots on my face from the procedure.
Day 4 is pretty much the same, but may also have some itching as some of my skin starts to flake.
Then by 5 five I'm oftentimes still peeling a little bit, but my red dots have faded.
I am typically mostly recovered from microneedling after about a week. And by mostly, I mean I'm pretty much done with any peeling and my redness/red dots are completely gone.
After about 2-3 weeks my pigment looks pretty much back to normal.
Then I really start to see the effects of the microneedling after about a month, I'll notice that some of my fine lines looks less defined and that my skin health overall looks much better.
But I definitely recommend more than anything to follow the aftercare that your esthetician recommends, and note that everyone heals differently. I feel lucky that I don't get too red and that I heal pretty quickly, but I do follow the post-microneedling rules pretty closely.
After a month from my appointment I'm looking at my glowing skin and just dying to do it all over again! It is hands down the best procedure I've ever done for my body.
Look at my skin pigment and health before I started microneedling, and then a few years later!
The History and Science of Microneedling: From Past Innovations to Modern Marvels
Guys and what's so cool to think about is that microneedling isn't new.
The first recorded use of a microneedling procedure was in 1905 by German dermatologist, Ernst Kromayer. He developed a technique called "needle dermabrasion", which involved using a dental burr to abrade the skin.
This early form of microneedling was used to treat scars, pigmentation issues and wrinkles.
The microneedling as we think of it to this day was first used in 1995 by Dr. Desmond Fernandes. Dr. Fernandes developed a small needle stamp to induce collagen production.
Preventing Aging Decline
What I love to think about is the scientific rationale behind microneedling. It's based on the skins' natural healing response to injury.
When the skin is punctured with fine needles during microneedling, it triggers a controlled injury response. This response includes:
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collagen production - the body's natural response to injury includes the production of collagen and elastin which are essential for maintaining skin structure, elasticity, and firmness. The micro-injuries created by microneedling stimulate the skin to produce more collagen, leading to improved skin texture and appearance.
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cell regeneration - the micro-injuries casued by microneedling also stimulate the skin's natural regeneration process. this can result in the formation of new skin cells, which can help improve the overall quality and health of the skin.
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enhanced absorption of topical products - microneedling creates tiny channels in the skin, allowing for better penetration and absorption of topical skincare products.
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scar reduction - microneedling is also used to improve the appearance of scars, including acne scars and surgical scars. The stimulation of collagen production and skin regeneration can help soften and smooth out scar tissue over time.
Here I am minutes after my procedure with nothing on, just looks like a sunburn!
Embracing Microneedling for Timeless Beauty
Overall, the science behind microneedling is to harness the skin's natural healing mechanisms to promote collagen production, cell regeneration, and improved skin texture, tone and appearance.
As we age, our collagen gradually declines (I wish it wasn't so). This decline starts around the age of 25, and by the time someone reaches their 30's and 40's, collagen production decreases further. The rate of decline can vary, but depends on genetics, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures.
Generally, collagen loss becomes more noticeable as people enter their 40's and beyond, leading to changes in skin texture, elasticity, and firmness.
So what can we do to prevent our inevitable aging decline? Use good skincare products, protect our skin from more sun damage, eating a healthy balanced diet rich in antioxidants (blueberries!), take our vitamins, drink our minerals, avoid smoking and environmental pollutants AND do some microneedling.
I'm missing things, but you get the gist.
If you have any questions about microneedling or want to share your own personal journey, I'd love to hear from you!