Whether you keep up with the latest trends in beauty magazines or you’ve stumbled across advertisements for derma rollers, you’ve probably heard about microneedling. At Revive MD Center in Richmond, VA we know that as one of the most popular cosmetic treatments around, there’s a lot that microneedling treatment can do to improve your aesthetics – including helping you look younger and revitalizing the youthful glow of your skin.
To put it simply: yes, this treatment can help you look younger. In fact, because one of the primary purposes of this treatment is to treat age-related superficial skin concerns, you can count on this treatment to shave several years off your overall appearance. As a leading anti-aging treatment, microneedle treatments can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, dark spots, and dull skin tone, all of which are contributing factors to visible skin aging.
But how can this treatment make you look younger? The secret lies in the fact that this treatment induces your body’s natural regenerative response, which essentially means that this treatment unlocks the fundamental healing properties of your skin to such a degree that the visible signs of aging can be reversed. With every micro-injury created on the skin surface by the microneedles, more of your body’s natural regenerative resources are stimulated, including collagen production and your skin cell turnover.
Collagen may be one of the most important proteins found in the skin. Collagen, along with elastin, is a protein in the skin that provides structure and volume to the skin; as we age, we begin to produce less collagen, and as a result, the structure of our skin begins to decline and wrinkles start to form. When our skin is lacking collagen, it also begins to lack firmness, elasticity, and supplement – not to mention a healthy glow.
Microneedling is also known as collagen induction therapy because it induces the production of collagen within the sub-dermal layers of skin. Basically, the nature and process of this treatment stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen to a high enough degree that new, long-lasting collagen is made to provide new support to the skin. Collagen induction is a natural process, which also means that this treatment itself is more natural than other aesthetic solutions.
Collagen induction with a microneedle tool involves puncturing the top layers of the skin with needles to create micro-injuries; these micro-injuries prompt the body’s immune system to release fibrin and other healing properties to close wounds. When our skin is wounded, our bodies naturally produce collagen to help close and heal the wound. Collagen induction takes advantage of this natural process to restructure the skin from the inside out.
One of the most important parts of collagen induction therapy is the process of collagen maturation. Collagen maturation is essentially the time it takes for new collagen to be built and the time it takes for that collagen to “mature” into a long-lasting protein that provides structural support to the skin. It’s vital for collagen to fully mature so that the structure of your skin can be restored evenly and healthily.
When there is not enough time for collagen to mature, there is a risk of collagen maturation failing, which means you will not get the results you are looking for. This is one of the main reasons why dermatologists and other skin experts caution against certain at-home derma rolling treatments since many people do not allow enough time for collagen maturation and end up doing more harm than good for their skin. When you have microneedle sessions at a clinic, you can be assured that your treatment plan will be structured to allow for collagen maturation between appointments.
The second key for this treatment helping you look younger is the fact that the micro-injuries on the skin surface also prompt your natural skin cell turnover cycle to accelerate. In other words, because this treatment creates controlled injuries on your skin, your skin responds by more quickly shedding dead and injured skin cells. Speeding up your skin cell turnover cycle will help eliminate issues such as dark spots, minor photodamage, pigmentation, and other blemishes related to aging.
Although this treatment is primarily used for anti-aging purposes, the truth of the matter is that most patients can benefit from microneedle sessions. This treatment is an appropriate option for a number of skin concerns, including:
A huge benefit of this treatment is the fact that it can be used on virtually all areas of the face and body. For example, those who have stretch marks on their stomachs, arms, or other areas of the body may be able to use this treatment to fade the appearance of these scars over time. This treatment is often sought by people who have acne scars as well, as microneedle sessions can break down scar tissue and create new tissues to treat icepick scars, boxcar scars, and rolling scars associated with chronic acne.
The number of sessions you require will depend on the severity of your skin concerns. On average, most people will need at least three to five treatments to see their desired results, but this number varies greatly depending on the type of skin concerns that are being treated.
For example, those who only have mild skin concerns, such as fine lines or pigmentation, may only need two or three treatments; those who have acne scars, deep wrinkles, and dark spots may require upward of five treatments. Additionally, factors such as your age, the tone of your skin, and the location of the concern may also determine how many sessions are required to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
In general, your initial round of treatments will be spaced about four to six weeks apart, depending on the sensitivity of your skin and your age. People who have average skin types are usually able to have treatments every four weeks, but those with thin or sensitive skin may require six weeks for adequate skin healing between sessions.
After you have achieved your desired results, you will still need to have microneedle treatments every once in a while to maintain your results, with the exception of treating some scars. Most people can maintain their results with a treatment every three months and will only require one treatment session at a time for routine maintenance.
Although this is a straightforward non-surgical and minimally-invasive treatment, you will still need to attend a consultation appointment. Consultations are important so that we can understand your skin condition and your skin type, as well as your overall aesthetic goals. During the consultation, we will ask about your main concerns, previous cosmetic treatments or products you have tried, and other relevant factors.
At our clinic, in addition to a consultation before your first appointment, you may want to take our virtual skin assessment. The virtual skin assessment is a simple skin quiz that gathers information about your main skin concerns so that we can understand your skin issues and be prepared with cosmetic treatments that are appropriate for your concerns by the time you come in for your first appointment.
Yes, there are some things you will need to do to prepare for this treatment. For at least five to seven days before your treatment, please discontinue any blood-thinning medications or supplements, as well as any active skin products like Retinol.
After this treatment, you should avoid excessive sweating, heat, and direct sunlight. If you must be outside, please wear a strong SPF to protect your skin. Be sure to moisturize with a simple lotion or cream that does not contain any retinoids for at least three to five days after your treatment.
The results of this treatment will appear gradually over several weeks due to the collagen maturation process. It’s important to stay patient. For one to three days after your treatment, your skin will appear fuller and healthier, but these initial results will fade as swelling subsides and your natural skin regeneration begins within the sub-dermal layers of your skin. Most people can see their results within two or three treatments.
Absolutely. For this treatment, enhancing your results is all about promoting the health and healing of your skin. Usually, pairing your skin with the right skincare products can help enhance your results; for example, using hyaluronic acid and retinol for age-related concerns can help your skin maintain high cellular turnover, which will make your microneedle treatments look better.
When people think about microneedle treatments, they tend to think about needles that are the same size as those used for flu shots and blood draws. However, the needles used in this treatment are truly micro-sized. Usually, these needles are about 2 millimeters long, which is just long enough to puncture the epidermis without touching the underlying layers of fat or blood vessels.
Yes, this treatment is safe. Each of your treatments will use sterile needles and will be performed by a skilled aesthetician who understands the proper procedure to stimulate the body’s natural collagen production. This treatment has a very minimal risk of scarring and is not considered painful.
Yes. In addition to combining this treatment with PRP, this treatment also pairs well with other professional cosmetic treatments. For example, many patients use chemical peels, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion, and other facials to enhance the health and appearance of their skin between microneedle sessions.
People of all ages and genders are usually good candidates for this highly versatile treatment. You are likely a good candidate if you want to perfect the appearance, texture, and tone of your skin without the use of more invasive – or expensive – cosmetic treatments.
There’s a reason why microneedling is such a popular aesthetic treatment – and it’s because this treatment works. If you think this incredibly effective treatment is the right solution for your aesthetic concerns, please contact Revive MD Center in Richmond, VA to schedule your first appointment today.
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