Microneedling is one of the best minimally-invasive treatments to promote overall skin health; however, it’s also one of the most frequently misunderstood. To help clear the air, we wanted to give you the skinny on pre-care, post-care, and everything in between so you can decide if it’s the right treatment for you. That way, you can book your appointment with confidence!
What is microneedling?
If you haven’t heard of microneedling before, let us introduce you! Often, people hear needles and become apprehensive about adding microneedling to their skin health treatment plan. We understand that needles aren’t for everyone, but these ones are not the kind you’re picturing. They’re much smaller, and we do all we can to ensure your comfort and confidence before, during, and after this transformational treatment.
Microneedling is performed in our sterile environment by one of our highly trained, expert providers. It involves a device with tiny needles–at santāl skin, we use SkinPen. First, we cleanse your skin to remove any dirt, oil, or debris. Then, we apply one of the best topical numbing creams available to the areas we are treating. We allow the numbing cream to work for 15-20 minutes, when we will remove it and cleanse with an antibacterial/antimicrobial agent. Now your skin is prepared for treatment where your provider targets your areas of concern by creating a controlled “wound.”
At this point you might be thinking, “Why would you purposely inflict wounds on my skin?”. We don’t blame you–let us explain. We want to trick the skin into thinking it’s being damaged, so that it will trigger a skin response called the “healing cascade” to build it back up. That involves essential components like collagen and elastin, which repair the skin and help it look brighter, younger, and more even.
Overall, microneedling is minimally invasive and totally painless with the addition of a topical numbing cream. Microneedling offers consistent results with minimal downtime, and great for scarring, texture, tone, and overall skin health!
Potential Side Effects
Let’s talk about what to expect after your treatment. Managing these expectations is an important part of our patient education.
The most common side effects that people experience after microneedling are redness and sensitivity. Normally, these results are only present for a few days afterward and go away on their own.
You may also experience some peeling, which can start to show up between three to five days after your procedure. This is due to the increased cell turnover rate, as the old, dead skin at the surface begins to slough off to make way for newer, healthier, more radiant skin.
The point is, doing something new can be intimidating. It is often the unknown and the anticipation that is the worst, and it’s always our goal to ensure you can make an informed decision when it comes to your aesthetic services!