There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look more youthful, especially as you get older. Having smooth, healthy-looking skin can be a massive confidence boost.
Many people try different ways to rejuvenate their facial skin. Proper moisturizing and a skincare routine are essential. But there are more creative ways to approach wrinkle removal.
Keep reading to learn more about microneedling and how it can help you look and feel younger.
What is Microneedling?
Microneedling is a skincare treatment that is growing in popularity. It uses a handheld device called a SkinPen with dozens of tiny needles on the end of it to stimulate collagen production.
The increased production of collagen rejuvenates your skin. A microneedling session is a cosmetic procedure like no other!
How Does Microneedling Work?
A dermatologist or trained aesthetician performs microneedling treatments. They start by applying a numbing cream to the area that is getting treated.
This cream ensures you won’t feel any pain during the treatment. Then they use a sterilized instrument, a bit bigger than a pen, that has thin needles on the end of it.
The device gets moved across your skin with just enough pressure to create tiny pinpricks. The aesthetician only applies the SkinPen to areas of your skin where you want rejuvenation. Smaller treatment areas keep treatment and healing times to a minimum.
Microneedling may sound a bit extreme, but the science behind it is sound. When performed correctly, microneedling encourages collagen production in the treated area.
Collagen is a protein necessary for healthy skin, muscles, and bones. It heals and strengthens your skin by helping your skin cells repair themselves and to create new cells. It also helps your skin retain moisture which is a big part of having wrinkle-free skin.
Unfortunately, you produce less and less collagen as you age. That is why your skin tends to wrinkle and lose life as you get older.
You can think of microneedling as a professional bio-hack. It induces a collagen-producing healing response in your body.
Increased Collagen Production Makes You Look Younger
Your body produces collagen to heal the microscopic breaks in your skin created by the needles. As it heals your skin, the collagen also fills in wrinkles and makes your skin firmer and more supple.
Collagen does not discriminate when it improves the condition of your skin. Skin conditions like scarring from acne and age spots respond to microneedling because collagen heals all skin no matter what.
If you have any issues with your skin, microneedling will likely benefit it. The presence of extra collagen in an area of your skin will strengthen and improve the health of that skin no matter what was wrong with it before.
For this reason, microneedling is a viable alternative to cosmetic surgery. It works equally well on skin conditions everywhere on your body.
While it is most often a face treatment, microneedling is equally effective elsewhere on your body, even treating conditions that are not necessarily age-related.
It is often used along with medication to treat lesions in the skin caused by sun exposure. And it is also an excellent treatment for stretch marks and other blemishes!
Microneedling may even be effective for hyperpigmentation or hair regrowth. However, these are new areas of study, and the results are still inconclusive.
How Long Until I See Results From Microneedling?
Your body begins healing from microneedling right away. You may experience some redness after the procedure, up to a few days, as well as some tenderness.
But, you shouldn’t expect any bruising or severe pain from the treatment. Your daily life will remain unchanged.
Microneedling is not a one-time treatment. It is a continuous therapy that takes weeks to achieve the best results.
You will need to be patient. Don’t expect remarkable changes after your first session. Your skin needs time to grow new tissue and heal.
Most people get three microneedling sessions about a month and a half apart from each other. Some people may need more treatment to achieve the desired results and do up to six sessions.
You should begin to notice the improvement to your skin between six and twelve weeks after your treatment.
Who is Microneedling Good For?
Microneedling is great for a wide variety of people. It works well with all kinds of skin tones and is less expensive than other popular skin treatments.
However, it is not suitable for everyone, so you will need to consult your dermatologist before the treatment. A few reasons you may not be able to receive microneedling include:
- Pregnancy
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- An acne flare-up
- You’ve had radiation therapy
- Skin cancer
Also, patients with other serious health issues may not be good candidates for microneedling. Microneedling stimulates collagen production by puncturing your skin to induce a healing response in your body.
If your body has trouble repairing itself for any reason, it is a good idea to avoid stimulating the healing response it has difficulty performing.
Microneedling may sound strange, but it produces real results. Schedule an appointment at Ellis Eye in El Cerrito, CA, to discover the miracle of microneedling!
