What is microneedling?
Simply put, microneedling is the insertion of very fine, short needles into the skin for the purpose of rejuvenation. The premise is simple – create a small wound and the skin will respond with collagen production and new skin cells. That in turn makes our skin tighter and smoother. It also increases facial absorption by 3000%, allowing skincare products to be much more effective. Microneedling treats wrinkles, minor scars, age spots, acne, skin tone and texture, and hair growth. After a course of 8-10 treatments, results can last 3-5 years. Initial results can be seen after 3 treatments.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
All treatments at Mend Acupuncture include 30 minutes of Celluma LED light therapy, a mini acupuncture treatment to address your underlying constitution, and customized herbal serums to bring home.
What to know before your treatment
- You’ll be red for 8-12 hours (usually on par with a light sunburn)
- Do not plan on exercising for the rest of the day (sweating can irritate the skin after microneedling)
- Stay out of the sun for the rest of the day (your skin will be more photosensitive)
- No makeup for the day
- Use hyaluronic acid if your skin feels dry and before you go to bed (you’ll be sent home with this)
- Do not use facial soap for the rest of the day (you can wash your face with warm water if you’d like)
- Back to your normal skincare routine the next day (your skin will absorb much more for the week after your treatment so this is a great time to use your best skincare products—need recommendations? Let us know)
- You must wait 1 month before doing your next microneedling treatment, but you can do nanoneedling sessions once per week for even faster results.
What is nanoneedling?
Nanoneedling uses the same type of oscillating motion to treat the skin, but the cartridge encompasses 81 silicone tips instead of needles. These microscopic hair-like cones separate the cells within the epidermis to allow active products to be pushed into the skin. Nanoneedling only affects the epidermis, treating within the upper 0.15 mm of the skin. The benefits of this serum infusion treatment include pigmentation reduction, increased cell turnover, skin rejuvenation, and an immediate glow with no downtime. This treatment can be done weekly to exfoliate the skin.
Contraindications of microneedling
- Active acne (we cannot microneedle over active acne, but we can work around it. For patients with a large amount of active acne, we recommend 3-5 sessions of LED light therapy to calm down the acne before starting microneedling so we can get the most from your sessions)
- Pregnancy (we can do nanoneedling)
- Local skin infections on face or neck
- Moderate to severe chronic skin disease such as eczema or psoriasis
- Patients currently taking blood thinners
- Extreme keloid tendency
- Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation
What does microneedling feel like?
Most patients describe it as similar to using a rough facial scrub. It can feel a bit irritating, but it is rarely painful. Afterwards, you may feel a little sting on par with a light sunburn. All of these sensations usually go away within hours.
Want to learn more? Contact us today!
