A microneedling device uses a sterile tip containing 12 pinpoint needles to make small controlled minuscule, evenly spaced punctures into the skin. The small wounds created, which sometimes will cause pinpricks of blood to rise to the surface, then induce a wound healing response. This is the key to how microneedling works. Your body rushes in to patch up the injury by growing fresh new collagen and elastin, which gives skin more strength and resiliency. By continuing to simulating collagen production over multiple treatments, the end result is patients will see fine lines and wrinkles disappear, enhanced improvement in skin tone and texture, and even reduction in large pores and acne scars. It’s also great for other skin surface irregularities like crepe skin and stretch marks. The bottom line is, as we age, we lose collagen (1% per year to be exact) and coupled with genetic changes and sun exposure this leads to wrinkles. If we can stimulate collagen production, we can fight off wrinkles and keep our skin firm, plump and elastic, to create what Skin Pen patients refer to as an “overall youthful glow.”

Microneedling is a relatively short and painless in-office procedure. When a patient comes in for microneedling the first thing we do is apply numbing cream to the entire area being treated and let it sit for about 15 minutes. As soon as the patient’s skin is numb, we thoroughly cleanse the area and apply a hyaluronic acid-based gel (or vitamin C) to the skin, which allows the device to glide more easily over the surface. Also, the gel absorbs into the skin and contributes to faster wound healing and to the skin’s more plump appearance after the procedure. A full-face procedure takes about 20 minutes. The Skin Pen microneedling procedure involves three passes over the skin surface in first a horizontal direction, then vertical, and the final pass is performed in a circular motion. Although there may be pinpoint bleeding during the procedure, this is typically minimal and resolves quickly.

Although many patients do see improvement immediately after the procedure, the full results won’t be visible for up to 4 weeks and will continue improving for up to 6 months. Most patients will complete a series of 3-4 treatments spaced approximately 4 weeks apart. Medical studies have shown that patients see a 45-55% overall improvement in skin. Patients notice that their skin feels and looks smoother. There is also a reduction in fine lines and skin crepiness and patients can see improvement in acne scars, brown spots, and stretch marks, too. Most patients say their overall skin tone and skin texture is noticeably improved.