As we get older, the skin slows down its production of collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles and fine lines, sagging skin, stretch marks and more pronounced scars. Skin needling offers a minimally invasive way to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, rejuvenate your skin and address a number of concerns. Let’s take a look at some of the major skin needling benefits for the face and body and how you can harness them.
What Is Skin Needling?
The process of skin needling creates tiny punctures or micro-injuries that force the skin to repair and heal itself. This increases blood flow and reduces cellular damage, enabling you to remodel scar tissue and boost the skin.
Also known as micro-needling or collagen induction therapy, this procedure can be carried out on the face, neck and body. The needles are very fine and not like those used for injections. Many aestheticians also use topical numbing cream to make the procedure more comfortable.
When the needles create injuries on the surface of your skin, they stimulate a healing response, which includes the production of growth factors such as collagen and elastin. They also enable your skin to absorb more of your skincare products.
Experts say the effects of skin needling on a par with deep chemical peels, laser treatments and dermabrasion but the procedure is much less invasive as it doesn’t remove them.
What Are The Major Skin Needling Benefits?
Microneedling Poses Anti-ageing Benefits
The stimulation of collagen and elastin production has a range of anti-ageing benefits for the face. These include plumping up areas that have lost volume such as around the mouth and cheeks. It also smoothes out fine lines, creases and wrinkles and can reduce the size of enlarged pores. It can improve the appearance of sagging skin and contribute to a more even skin tone as well as address sunspots.
Reduce The Appearance Of Scars
While microneedling can’t erase major scars, it may help to improve the appearance of superficial scars, such as those caused by acne. Microneedling can boost skin volume in depressed areas, improving the appearance of ice pick scars.
Improve The Appearance Of Stretch Marks
Skin needling can also be used on the body, specifically to address the appearance of stretch marks that are caused by weight gain or pregnancy. While they may not disappear entirely, regular micro-needling sessions can help to fade stretch marks away as the skin replenishes after each procedure.
Address Pigmentation
Microneedling has been shown to be effective at managing skin pigmentation, especially sunspots associated with ageing.
Get More From Your Beauty Products
In addition to boosting the blood flow to your skin, which gives you that internal glow, microneedling makes little puncture wounds on the surface of your skin. These holes allow for greater penetration and absorption of your beauty products, further contributing to your natural glow.
Skin Needling Works On Every Skin Type
This is important because there are a number of skin treatments that are not suitable for darker skins, such as laser resurfacing.
The Results May Be Noticeable For Up To A Year
Depending on your skin concern and the number of treatments you have, some patients experience skin needling benefits for up to a year after their last treatment.
Does Microneedling Hurt?
While everyone has a different threshold for pain, skin needling is not considered a painful experience. Skin numbing cream can be applied to make the experience more comfortable however if you do have concerns about the pain, it might be a good idea to take over the counter pain medication 30 to 60 minutes prior to your session.
Skin numbing cream will desensitise your skin so you will just feel pressure while your surgeon is working on your treatment.
Skin needling is considered a safe procedure when performed by a trained and skilled aesthetician.
What To Expect After Skin Needling: Redness
The most notable side effect after microneedling is skin redness. For most people, this goes away a few hours after the treatment but for some patients, it may persist for up to 24 hours afterwards and may feel like a sunburn.
It is also normal to experience some itchiness, bruising and photosensitivity post-treatment.
What To Expect After Skin Needling: Some Sensitivity?
It’s important to follow your aesthetician’s guidance for post-treatment care. This will include
- Avoiding direct sun exposure immediately after your treatment
- Using sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher
- Using post-treatment products as directed by your aesthetician
- Avoiding harsh and abrasive cleaning substances
- Avoiding excessive exercise
- Drinking lots of water
- Not shaving for the first 12 to 24 hours
- Not swimming in chlorinated water, have a spray tan or have cosmetic tattoos for the first 48 hours after your treatment.
How Long Do The Effects Last?
This depends on the person in question and their skin concerns, as well as what you expose your skin to afterwards. On average it can take between six to eight weeks to fully realise the benefits, but they may be visible for up to a year after your treatment. Skin needling is cumulative and each treatment results in the production of more collagen, so the more treatments you have, the better the results.
Skin needling presents a minimally invasive way to stimulate your skin’s natural collagen and elastin production. To find out more about skin needling benefits or whether the procedure is suitable for your skin concern, please get in touch with us: (02) 8599 7161
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