Microneedling 101

Microneedling provides so many amazing benefits! We love it at Beauty Bar & Wellness because it can rejuvenate the skin with collagen induction and help improve some common skin ailments. 

Microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure. During the procedure tiny sterile needles are inserted superficially into the skin in a stamping pattern with a device. This causes a controlled trauma response stimulating collagen and elastin to help heal the skin. Collagen and elastin help keep your skin firm and smooth. 

We use the RejuvaPen NXT, it is a FDA cleared device and has been tested for safety and efficacy. 

What Are the Benefits of Microneedling? 

Microneedling can help with common skin concerns including:

• Fine lines and wrinkles

• Skin texture 

• Acne 

• Mild scarring

• Creepy skin 

• Enlarged pores 

• Skin discoloration 

• Stretch marks

Most people do Microneedling on the face, but you could also treat the neck, décolleté, arms, legs or abdomen. Microneedling is safe for all skin tones. 

Risks of Microneedling 

Microneedling is a safe procedure if done correctly and on the appropriate patient, but with any treatment there can be risks involved. These are rare, but can be adverse events of this procedure. 

Risks can include:

• Bleeding

• Bruising 

• Redness 

• Swelling 

• Scarring 

• Skin infection 

Who Should Avoid Microneedling? 

Microneedling is a safe procedure, but may not be right for everyone. You should not get microneedling if you have a history of healing slowly or poorly, are prone to keloid scarring, have a weakened immune system due to a medical condition or a medication, or are receiving radiation treatments. 

You may also want to postpone a treatment if you have a sunburn in the treatment area, have a skin infection, are taking Accutane for acne, or are taking blood thinning medications. 

What Happens During a Microneedling Appointment?

During your appointment one of our practitioners will do consultation to determine if you are a candidate for this procedure. We will look at your medical history and review your current medications and look at your skin. We will create a treatment plan based on your skin concerns and goals. We will numb the treatment area for about 30 minutes prior to the treatment with a topical numbing cream. Microneedling may be a little uncomfortable, but it should not be painful with the numbing process. After numbing, we will cleanse the treatment area and begin the treatment. The device we use sounds like a dental tool, we can adjust the needle depth based on treatment area, concerns and comfort. The treatment usually takes about 30 minutes. After the Microneedling we will apply a serum to help calm the skin and begin the healing process. You will be very red and may have some small pinpoint bleeding after the procedure, you may feel like you have a sunburn. The redness usually lasts about 8 hours, but could last up to 24 hours. 

What About Downtime and Aftercare? 

There is minimal downtime with microneedling treatment. You may be red in the treatment area for several hours. Your practitioner will give you detailed aftercare instructions. We usually recommend that you do not wash your face for at least 4 hours after the treatment and use only a gentle cleanser for the week following the procedure. We recommend using products that moisturize and hydrate the skin and not using retinols, acids or exfoliants for one week following your treatment. We have aftercare kits available for purchase at our office that will have everything you need in them for your recovery process. 

Your skin may be dry and you may feel some texture for several days after the procedure. Results are gradual and may take several weeks to see improvements. We usually do a series of 3-4 treatments every 4-6 weeks to achieve the desired result. You could also do treatments yearly or every 6 months after that for maintenance. 

Elevating Your Microneedling Appointment

We can also add exosomes to your Microneedling treatment to help with skin rejuvenation and speed up the recovery process. Exosomes are tiny vesicles that are naturally released by cells and contain proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and growth factors. They play a vital role in cell-to-cell communication and are used to promote skin rejuvenation.

We use Elevai empower serum that includes a concentrated dose of exosomes, soothing aloe, algae and green tea extract, Hyaluronic acid, glutathione (a powerful antioxidant), a proprietary peptide blend, and a biomimetic ceramide complex. Applying this after your Microneedling will help reduce redness and downtime while also helping to accelerate your results! 

What Are Some Alternatives To Microneedling? 

If you did not want to do Microneedling, or are not a candidate, you could do chemical peels, medical grade facials, our Skinwave Hydroboost facial, dermaplaning, or use topical skincare to achieve the desired results you are looking for. On of our experienced practitioners can help determine if microneedling would be a good treatment option for you!