The skin is of utmost consideration in the perception of beauty. We are all drawn to a beautiful face and aspire to have one. For these reasons, you want to ensure that your skin is flawless. Although skin care regimes like cleansing, toning, exfoliating, and moisturizing help in skin maintenance, they don’t combat aging effects like skin laxity. Over time, your skin becomes less elastic due to declining collagen and elastin production. Besides aging signs, other imperfections like acne scarring, larger pores, sun damage, and stretch marks can affect your skin aesthetics. The good news is that Skin Shop medSpa offers microneedling to help you achieve a smoother and more youthful complexion.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling or collagen-induction therapy is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that involves causing minor injuries to your skin using tiny, sterilized needles. The little wounds trigger your body’s natural healing process – the body makes more collagen and elastin. These two proteins make your skin firmer, improving your general appearance. Besides fine lines and wrinkles caused by aging, microneedling can also help with skin issues like:
- Acne scars
- Stretch marks
- Hyperpigmentation
- Reduces skin elasticity
- Scars
- Sun damage
The microneedling procedure benefits everyone regardless of skin color. The process works better for people with darker skin tones because it does not involve the use of heat like laser treatments. Your dermatologist can help you determine if microneedling is an effective treatment for you.
How safe is microneedling?
Microneedling is a safe treatment performed by a board-certified professional specializing in a field like dermatology or cosmetic surgery. However, the procedure still causes side effects like tenderness and redness on the treated skin. There might also be bleeding and bruising, but this depends on the depth of microneedling treatment. Other possible complications of microneedling include:
- Infection. The procedure creates tiny holes in your skin, providing entry for germs. The risk of infection is higher if the equipment is not sterilized, but if you are healthy, an infection from microneedling is unlikely.
- Scarring. If you have keloids, microneedling can worsen this condition.
Today, at-home microneedling tools allow people to perform the procedure at home. While you may incur less cost with at-home microneedling, the results may not be noticeable. Home microneedling devices have short and blunt needles, so they don’t penetrate the skin as much as professional microneedling devices. The risk of an infection is also higher if you do not clean the tool.
What happens during microneedling?
Your specialist will first apply a topical anesthetic on your skin one hour before treatment to numb the treatment area. Once the numbing medication takes effect, the doctor uses a pen-like tool to make tiny pricks under your skin. These pricks are usually so tiny, so you are less likely to notice them after the procedure. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes, but this may take longer if the treatment area is a larger surface. After making tiny pricks on the intended location, the doctor will apply serum or soothing cream on your face.
Results are not noticeable immediately after treatment; sometimes, your doctor may recommend several sessions to achieve the desired results. The procedure is not a quick fix because it involves the body’s natural healing.
Do not let skin imperfections weigh you down. Consult your specialist at Skin Shop medSpa for microneedling to improve your appearance.