Microneedling (also known as collagen induction therapy)

Micro needling (also known as collagen induction therapy) is a procedure which uses a number of microneedles to make punctures in your skin (not scary at all).

Rolling needles over your skin might sound painful and crazy but actually, it’s not. Rather than using so-called ‘miracle or whitening creams’ to transform your skin with a fusion of chemicals, it’s better to choose medical skin rejuvenation treatments.

As you can guess, skin needling works by stimulating the natural healing response of your body. This fantastic treatment leads to a new, rejuvenated skin

Your skin starts losing natural collagen protein as you age which leads to thinner and loose skin. Microneedling is a non-invasive procedure to combat these problems.

Microneedling has the potential to improve the look of enlarged pores, wrinkles, fine lines, stretch marks as well as scars.

This treatment has two main benefits; it boosts collagen and elastin in the skin which makes your skin look youthful and plump. Secondly, it increases the absorption of active ingredients and serums deeply in pores which makes this treatment the most powerful treatment to defy ageing signs.

How Does Microneedling Works?

micro needling works by stimulating your skin to make more collagen. The pinpricks caused by the procedure cause slight injury to the skin and in response skin makes new collagen-rich tissue.

It’s normal for the skin to lose collagen via age or injury. By encouraging the skin to make new tissue, there may be more collagen to help make the skin firmer and supple.

How is Microneedling Performed?

Before starting the micro-needling treatment, the skin is cleaned then a local anaesthetic or numbing cream will be applied to reduce the chances of pain or discomfort. Next, collagen-promoting ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and peptides are used during the procedure.

The device is rolled on the skin to pierce the skin. Speed and needle size are adjustable if you are using a derma pen or derma stamp . After the treatment hyaluronic acid and sunblock are applied. Moreover, the entire procedure is completed in a matter of 45 minutes.

Will Microneedling be painful?

Just because it says needles, it means it’s painful. To reduce pain and discomfort during the procedure, the technician applies numbing cream is applied before the treatment. The end results are painless skin while powerful and visible skin renewal.

History of Microneedling:

Back in 1995 depressed scars such as acne pits were improved by doctors by poking hypodermic needles just under the surface of the skin. The main idea behind this was to trigger the natural healing process which boosts collagen production. This led to the invention of derma rollers.

What to expect after Microneedling?

Microneedling has little recovery time but the first time you look in the mirror would be a bit alarming. Relax! it is completely normal. Your skin is on its way to healing itself after this intense treatment and will come back to its normal state in a few days. It is important to note that your skin is sensitive post 12 hours of treatment.

Peeling starts after 3 days of treatment. The amount of downtime varies from person to person but it usually lasts for 7- 10 days approximately.

• Cleanse your face with warm or tepid water and gently dry the treated skin. Always make sure your hands are clean when touching your face.

• Since pores are open after micro needling and sweat can lead to bacterial infection, doctors advise avoiding exercise and gym workouts.

• Avoid intentional or direct sunlight as this will increase the chances of hyperpigmentation. Protect your skin by applying broad-spectrum sunscreen daily. This will protect your skin from sun damage and premature ageing.

• Refrain from using any skin care products that contain active ingredients like retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, and other such chemicals as your skin will be highly sensitive following the procedure.

• Let your skin breathe and recover after micro needling. Avoid applying makeup on your face for 24 hours as the chemicals in the products can irritate your skin. Another interesting benefit of using fine needles is that they visibly reduce the look of ice-pick scars and stretch marks as the production of collagen will help to fill these scars. This treatment is super effective to treat acne and acne scars on your skin.

  • Sun Damage 

  Microneedling helps to reduce the appearance of sun damage, particularly hyperpigmentation and age spots. If you have a blotchy, brownish complexion, micro-needling stimulates new collagen and skin cells can reinvigorate your look and even out your tone.

  • Anti Ageing

  As we age our skin loses elasticity so it appears lax. Dull and lack of lustrous glow is also a sign of ageing skin. Microneedling can help to treat premature signs of ageing. Your skin looks fresh and glowing post 24 hours of the treatment.

  • Treat Enlarged Pores

  Micropunctures caused by micro-needling in the skin do not increase the size of pores. In fact, it helps your pores appear much smaller. The collagen is stimulated around your pores and the area around the pores plump which makes your pores disappear

  • Stretch Marks

  Microneedling reduces the appearance of stretch marks usually during pregnancy

  
  Fewer side effects than in other treatments

As compared to other treatments like peels or laser micro-needling has minimum downtime.

How often can we have Microneedling?

You can repeat micro needling every 4-6 weeks until you achieve the desired results. we usually recommend at least three treatments for collagen production with a gap of 4-6 weeks.

However, the number of treatments depends on your skin issues and problems. Some people get perfect results after the first treatment.

Contraindications and Adverse effects:

It is very important that a medical professional carries out the micro-needling treatment, otherwise, the patient may experience erythema, hyperpigmentation, bruising and scarring. Contraindications for this treatment include; active acne, pustules, eczema, skin infection, active herpes simplex, psoriasis and bleeding disorders.

Fusion Treatment with Chemical Peels:

Chemical peels exfoliate your dull, dead skin layers. Microneedling and chemical peel fusion treatment produce better results. Imagine what you can accomplish when you combine these two powerful treatments.

Microneedling is usually combined with TCA peels in order to achieve better and more visible results from the acne scars treatment. It is important to note that when the glycolic acid peel is combined with alpha hydroxy peel, some remarkable results were noticed for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.