Microneedling Skin Benefits: What You Need to Know

Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is an innovative cosmetic treatment that can improve the health of your skin leaving it looking naturally youthful. With microneedling treatment, it is helpful to know what you can expect and the benefits of your treatment.

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that stimulates collagen production to slow down skin aging and treat surface skin imperfections. Collagen and elastin are two proteins in the skin that give it elasticity, volume, and a firm texture. Collagen production naturally slows down as the skin ages and this breakdown of collagen leads to reduced skin tone and texture, increased skin laxity, resulting in loose skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. Poor turnover of skin cells and wound healing in aging skin also leads to the buildup of dead and damaged skin cells that dull the skin.

Microneedling uses several tiny needles to puncture the skin, creating small microchannels and triggering the body’s natural wound-healing response. The skin’s healing process stimulates new collagen and elastin growth to turn back the clock on skin aging and replenish the skin with new, healthy tissues.

Benefits of Microneedling

Microneedling is used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions. Some of these treated conditions and benefits of microneedling treatment include:

1. Improve Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Fine lines and wrinkles are some of the earliest signs of aging and they can often make you look older than you really are. Microneedling stimulates collagen and elastin to smooth, soften and fill in fine lines and reduce their appearance. Microneedling can be used on all areas of the face to smooth crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes, frown lines between the brows, marionette lines on the chin, and more!

2. Lift Sagging Skin

When new collagen and elastin growth is stimulated, the skin undergoes a tightening effect that can improve the appearance of loose skin caused by natural aging, weight loss, or other factors. Microneedling is popularly used to lift facial tissues and define facial contours, but it can also improve skin laxity on various areas of the body such as the stomach, arms, and thighs.

3. Smooth Scars

Acne scars are a painful reminder of severe acne breakouts. Microneedling can resurface the skin and generate new tissues to plump the skin and “cover-up” these scars on the face and other scars from surgery or injury on almost any area of the body.

4. Shrink Enlarged Pores

Microneedling creates tiny punctures in the skin’s surface, smoothening out the skin as the skin heals. Collagen growth resulting from those microwounds plumps the surrounding skin to decrease the size of the pores. New tissues heal over enlarged pores and pockmarked skin, similar to the cover-up of scar tissue.

5. Improve Uneven Skin Tone and Skin Texture

Hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and age spots can create an irregular or dull skin tone. Microneedling resurfaces dead and damaged skin cells from the surface of the skin, revealing a new layer of healthy skin with a smooth, glowing skin texture and tone.

6. Increased Effectiveness of Skincare Products

Microchannels created during your microneedling treatment allow skincare products to absorb more deeply into the skin, maximizing their effectiveness. You can achieve the best results from microneedling by following your treatment with an application of hyaluronic acid, moisturizers, antioxidants, and anti-aging serums.

7. Reduce Stretch Marks

When used on the stomach, thighs, and other areas prone to stretch marks, microneedling smooths the skin and covers up those marks, similar to its use for scar treatment. Microneedling stretch mark treatment is popular for women after pregnancy and patients who have undergone significant weight loss.

8. Safe for All Skin Tones

Laser skin resurfacing and IPL are not always safe for patients with darker skin tones. These laser treatments can put people at risk of hyperpigmentation or scarring. Microneedling is safe for patients of all skin tones and can be done at any time of the year independent of season.

Who is a Candidate for Microneedling?

Men and women in overall good health who are bothered by early signs of aging and other skin concerns can benefit from a microneedling procedure. However, you may have to wait to receive treatment if you have an active skin infection or acne breakout. Patients with extremely sensitive skin or conditions like eczema and psoriasis might not be candidates for this treatment.

Is Microneedling Painful?

Although microneedling technically stimulates the skin with microchannels, most patients do not find the treatment to be painful. Your skin will be prepared with a topical numbing cream to ensure your comfort. After microneedling, mild skin redness and swelling are not uncommon but these symptoms will fade within a few days. Discomfort can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain medications.

What Results Can I Expect From Microneedling?

For the best results, Dr. Chetty recommends 4-6 treatments scheduled 4 weeks apart. Collagen will gradually replenish, and you can expect the results to improve gradually after each treatment as the skin heals. Although results are not permanent, the effects of renewed collagen and elastin production will slow down skin aging so you can expect your rejuvenated appearance to last for several months.

Microneedling in Kelowna BC

Do you want to restore brighter, smoother, beautiful skin? Call our Kelowna office on (778) 760-5050 to book your appointment today. Our skincare experts will evaluate your skin and determine a custom treatment plan to match your needs.