The Ultimate List of Microneedling Dos and Don'ts
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Introduction
Microneedling seems to be all the rage right now. So many of our community are telling us they are getting it done and are very excited about the results. But there are so many questions. Is it expensive? Does it hurt? Does it actually deliver results? How many times do you need to do it? Can you do it yourself?
We will be answering all these questions in this article. And spoiler alert, we are big fans!
What is microneedling?
Microneedling is a treatment that involves using a device with tiny needles to puncture the skin surface. This can be done in two ways:
- Microneedling pen: this is an electronic device which stamps a round head of needles in and out of the skin as it is moved across it. The device has a dial which allows you to choose the needle depth, starting at 0.25mm and going up to 2.5mm. You should use a sealed, disposable needle head every time you carry out the treatment, disposing of it safely afterwards.
- Dermaroller: this is device which is hand-held and is rolled across the skin. The rollers come with a determined needle length, which can’t be adjusted. The dermarollers are reusable and must be sterlised in between uses.
Microneedling can be combined with other treatments. Some of the more common are the ‘Vampire Facial’, which involves covering the microneedled area with the patients’ own blood plasma, and “RF Microneedling”, where the needles are also delivering radio-frequency waves, and some treatments incorporate red light therapy.
How does microneedling work?
The idea is that microneedling causes ‘controlled damage’ to your cells and stimulates the healing process. This involves collagen production, leading to skin rejuvenation. It also opens ‘channels’ that allow for absorption of skincare products. Some believe that the pen is better for collagen induction because it stamps downwards into the skin at a straight, 180 degree angle, whereas the roller stamps into the skin at a 90 degree angle.
Can I do microneedling on myself?
The official advice that comes from skincare professionals is that it is a treatment that should only be done in a beauty salon or skin clinic. However, lots of people do the treatment at home and see great results.
Here we are linking a video from Dr Dray, a dermatologist, who posted a YouTube video giving her reasons why not to do the treatment at home – STOP MICRONEEDLING at home: DANGERS OF DERMAROLLERS & DERMAPEN AT HOME
You can watch this video and form your own opinion.
However, we scrolled through the comments of Dr Dray’s video and found a lot of people who disagreed, posting comments such as:
“Microneedling got rid of my scars.”
“Everything Dr. Dray said in this video is true – it’s risky but if you do it correctly you will be fine.”
“I did a lot of research before doing it because it is something that you should be educated about before doing. Love the results.”
What parts of my body can I use it on?
The good news is that you can use it on any area, and we have seen it used on arms, legs, especially the saggy knee area, and on bellies.
We love this video below which was posted by a mom, who had a very bad, saggy tummy after two pregnancies. The results she got from using a dermaroller once a month were quite impressive and we have heard similar stories of results in different body parts.
How to do a treatment, step by step.
- Ensure everything is clean and sterilized – the area you are going to treat, your hands, the surface you are using and the needles.
- Numb the treatment area. We know people who do this treatment on themselves without using numbing cream. But the reality is that it is sore during the treatment and directly afterwards, especially with depths of over 0.5mm needles. If you go for a professional treatment, they will always use numbing cream and you can buy this yourself, if you choose to do home treatments. The numbing cream should be removed before the treatment is carried out.
- Carry out the treatment. During treatment many people apply hyaluronic acid. The channels created allow it to penetrate more deeply. Go over each area 2 to 4 times. With a roller, this will be in straight lines and with the pen you can use circular motion. The depth of the needle depends on the area being treated – see the reference guide below.
- We recommend using an antiseptic cream afterwards, like Sudocrem or Savlon, because you will have created minor wounds, which need to be kept clean.
- As always, in the days afterwards, be very careful with the sun. We believe that you should always use sun block but particularly so in the days after microneedling.
Needle Depth Guide
Forehead
Nose
Eye Area
Cheek bone
Cheek and chin
Upper Lip
Scarring
Forehead
0.25 mm to 0.5 mm
Nose
0.25 mm to 0.5 mm
Eye Area
0.25 mm
Cheek bone
0.5 mm
Cheek and chin
0.5 mm to 1.0 mm
Upper Lip
0.25 mm to 0.5 mm
Scarring
This can vary between 1.0 mm and 2.5 mm but we would advise having scar and stetch mark damage treated by a professional.
Products you need for microneedling
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Primary Rating:
3.5
£39.99
Primary Rating:
3.5
£21.21
How often should you microneedle?
If you get this done in a salon, they will advise on the number and frequency of treatments. Some of the manufacturers of the electronic microneedling pens advise every 4 to 6 weeks but it really depends on what depth of needle you are using. The rule of thumb is, the deeper you go, the longer the recovery period needed. We have added guidelines in the tabs below but everyone is different so you will need to test what works for you.
Treatment Frequency Guide
0.25 mm
0.5 mm
1.0 mm
1.5 mm
0.25 mm
Every other day
0.5 mm
1 to 3 times a week
1.0 mm
Every 10 to 14 days
1.5 mm
Once every 3 to 4 weeks
Pros
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Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and may be effective for fading age spots and hyperpigmentation.
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Plumps up thinning skin by increasing skin density and boosts the absorption of your skincare products.
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Consistent, repeated treatments can help fade scars and minimise pore size.
Cons
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There is a recovery period of approximately 24 hours when the skin will appear quite red and raw.
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It needs to be repeated quite regularly to deliver results and this requires discipline.
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If done incorrectly, it could lead to bleeding and injury or could cause scarring.
A word of caution...
- You need to make an informed choice before you carry this out at home. Do your research.
- Discuss with your doctor in advance if you have any skin problems or allergies.
- See a doctor immediately if you experience an allergy or any type of injury.
- Be careful to only use sterilized needles, and wash your face and hands thoroughly.
- Ensure you remove all of the numbing cream immediately pre-treatment.
- Dispose of needles safely.
Conclusion
We really like this treatment. We believe that, if it is done regularly over a long-term period, it does rejuvenate skin. And the good news is that doing this at home is really inexpensive. If you add up the cost of the three products above, they come to less than €80, and you would get several treatments for this price as the pen comes with 12 needle cartridges. However, we can’t stress enough that you need to do your research and talk to your doctor, if necessary, before doing a treatment at home.
What do you think of microneedling? Would you do it yourself? Have you tried it? If so, what are your results?