The Scoop on Micro-Needling

Micro-Needling is a fairly new treatment to med spa menus, although variations of the procedure have been around for a while. There are a couple of different methods for therapy. A roller or pen-like device is used to deliver tiny needle pricks to stimulate the skin’s natural healing process. The therapy is predominately being used to improve the appearance of fine lines and acne scars in all skin types with minimal recovery time.
Several published studies have found micro-needling to be successful in 60 percent to 70 percent of cases, when performed by a medical professional. It’s great for sunken scars on the skin caused by acne and small, thin wrinkles around the eyes and upper-lip, conditions which are challenging even to the best dermal fillers. Dermal-needling actually causes a slight injury which stimulates the growth of collagen, the scaffolding under the skin.
All that being said, it is important to follow several guidelines, for example, if using an “at-home” roller you must make sure that the face is clean and free from bacteria and that you are using only FDA approved devices. You must also be very cautious in choosing any skin care products to be used with the treatment. It is also important to note that when you are having the therapy in California, it must be performed in a medical environment by a licensed medical professional. Estheticians are not permitted to offer the therapy under state law.
After the treatment, the face will look pink and puffy and there may be light bleeding. Most people will ice the areas for a few hours and redness should diminish within 24 hours, unlike laser resurfacing, which up to recently was the favored method used for wrinkles and scars, and can take a week or more to heal.
Micro-needling is not the so called “Vampire Facial” although it is used as a component in many of those procedures. For more information, or to schedule a free consultation with one of our medical staff, call us at 661-298-8008.