Overview | Suitable option | Things to know | Treatment steps | Benefits | Risks and results | Immediate and future care
Signs of aging can appear on your skin due to various reasons. Keeping the aspect of actual aging aside, sun damage and hormonal issues can result in acne, acne scars, enlarged pores, and wrinkles. If you notice that your skin has started to look older than you actually are, you can consider the microneedling treatment as an effective solution. According to the Stanford Health Care website, microneedling is a procedure that uses tiny needles to make punctures into your skin. This forces your body to produce more collagen, which in turn treats the damaged skin. It also improves skin health, making it firmer and smoother. The best thing about this procedure is that despite the uses of needles, it is not as painful as you would imagine and practically, it has minimal downtime.
When and where is microneedling a suitable option?
Microneedling is an effective procedure, which encourages your body to naturally heal scars, wrinkles, and other skin conditions by influencing collagen production. It is normal to lose collagen production with age, resulting in slow skin cells production. Naturally increasing collagen production with microneedling is the best way to deal with the condition. You can surely benefit from this procedure if you have fine lines, acne, and acne scars on your face. It is also a suitable treatment option for you if you have enlarged pores. There are a few other treatments for the same; however, if you want a minimally-invasive procedure that is safe and effective then microneedling should be the best choice for you. The one thing that you must keep in mind is that the procedure might not suit you if you are pregnant, use acne medicines, or are a regular smoker. Smoking leads to damage of healthy collagen cells. You need to be in good health to benefit from microneedling.
The microneedling treatment is most suitable for your face, where the signs of aging are more clearly visible. Acnes and the scars left behind by it are more prominent on your face. Wrinkles too appear first on your face. Hence, your facial skin can benefit most from the microneedling procedure. Apart from the aforementioned skin problems, the other skin-related issues that are treated with microneedling include age spots, reduced skin elasticity, and uneven skin tone. Even though the treatment is primarily used on the face, microneedling is sometimes also used to treat stretch marks on different parts of the body, neck rejuvenation, and jawline tightening.
Things to know before undergoing a treatment
Before you decide to opt for microneedling as an answer to acne scars, pigmentation, wrinkles, or any other facial skin issue, you need to know about certain things. Start by consulting a dermatologist who can determine if you are the right candidate for the treatment or not. You can book a consultation session at our clinic. You do not have to worry about pain from the treatment as the discomfort is minimal and it never persists. One of the best aspects of microneedling is that it can be used for multiple treatments, as the procedure is equally effective on scars and wrinkles. You should also know that the treatment requires you to commit to aftercare. You will have to keep the treated areas hydrated and avoid gym or sauna for at least a day.
Treatment steps
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the microneedling treatment uses a handheld medical device that has fine needles. The dermatologist uses this device to make tiny punctures into the targeted areas on the face. This action forces your skin to produce more collagen and elastin to treat the punctures using your body’s natural healing methods. Elastin and collagen have the ability to make your skin healthier and more youthful. The doctor uses the device evenly on your entire face to make sure that your skin is equally rejuvenated. In some cases, anesthesia is also used to make sure that you do not feel any discomfort. After the treatment, a calming agent is used to soothe your skin.
Benefits of microneedling
Microneedling has many great benefits. To start with, it can treat a variety of skin-related issues like fine lines, acne, acne scars, and various signs of aging. It also makes your skin healthier, firmer, and brighter. It requires a few sessions for the procedure to be completed, and it can achieve the result you desire. While there are home rollers available in the market for the same treatment, microneedling is more effective. Microneedling has also shown promise in treating stretch marks. Not many minimally-invasive procedures can reduce stretch marks as effectively. The treatment does not have any serious or long-lasting side-effects. Most importantly, microneedling is known for showing great results in a short time.
What to expect at a skin clinic
When you visit us at The Bombay Skin Clinic for a consultation, the dermatologist will discuss with you your expectations from the microneedling treatment. The doctor will also inform you about how to prepare for the procedure. If you are taking ibuprofen or any other medication to treat acne, you will be asked to stop. You must also stop the application of any topical retinoids, as these can increase the chance of side-effects. If you have any doubts regarding the procedure, you must clear them with the doctor during the consultation. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions.
- What can microneedling treat?
- How does it work?
- Are there any side-effects?
- What is the procedure like?
- Is there any downtime?
- Am I a good candidate?
- Will it hurt?
When is the treatment not advised?
While the microneedling treatment is a safe procedure, you should avoid it if you have certain skin conditions. Some of these are sunburn, diabetes, active acne, keloid scarring, signs of active infection, sensitive skin, eczema, unstable skin type, or lupus. You should also avoid it if you are a regular smoker. These can affect your body’s natural ability to heal, which will make it hard to recover from the procedure. If you have overly sensitive skin, your dermatologist may suggest against it. Lastly, pregnant women must also avoid microneedling.
Risks and results to expect after the treatment
Microneedling is a minimally-invasive procedure. The risk of any side-effect is really low. However, like any other cosmetic procedure, this technique too has certain risks. The American Academy of Dermatology states that it must only be performed by an experienced professional to achieve the best results. Immediately after microneedling is performed, you will feel minor skin irritation but it does not last for too long. The treated areas may turn red for a couple of days. Other than these, you can experience minor side-effects in some cases. These include bleeding, bruising, infection, and skin peeling. There is practically no downtime. Hence, you can go back to your daily routine almost immediately. Depending on your condition and expectations, you may need multiple sessions, and the result will start to show within two weeks. However, keep in mind that the results may vary from patient to patient.
How many sessions will be required?
The number of microneedling treatment sessions you need depends on multiple factors. If you want to treat acne scars or any other kind of moderately deep scar, you will require up to four sessions. However, treating stretch marks or thermal burns will require more treatments. For treating signs of aging, you will require to repeat the procedure up to twice a year. You must remember that a gap of at least four weeks is required between two treatment sessions.
Immediate and future skincare tips after the procedure
Right after the treatment, the dermatologist will apply a calming agent to make sure that you do not feel any irritation. Your skin will become more sensitive after the treatment. Hence, it is mandatory that you use sunscreen whenever going out during the daytime to protect your skin from sun damage. Avoid any anti-inflammatory medicine for at least a week, and if you have soreness, you can take the painkiller prescribed by your doctor.
Microneedling at a skin clinic vs. using derma rollers at home
Both microneedling treatment and derma roller treatment are used to make tiny skin punctures to influence collagen production in the treated areas. This naturally improves the quality and health of your skin. While microneedling is done in-clinic by a professional, derma rollers can be used at home. The microneedling procedure is safer, as it can be performed more precisely. Derma rollers might be riskier, as you may not have the expertise to control the device. Also, microneedling provides the desired results faster as compared to derma rollers, and these results are long-lasting. On the other hand, the results from at-home derma rollers are temporary.
Closing paragraph
If the signs of aging and facial scars are bothering you, you should know that these can be treated. Today, with the advancement in medical science, it is easier to treat skin issues, and microneedling is one of the most effective treatment methods. You just need to book a consultation with our clinic and we will guide you through the entire process.
References
- Stanford Health Care: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/m/microneedling.html
- Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/needling-your-way-to-healthier-skin
- American Academy of Dermatology: https://www.aad.org/news/microneedling
