Do you have scars and signs of aging that haven't responded to peels and topical treatments? Would you like a solution that can noticeably improve your skin without too much downtime? It may be time to give microneedling a try. This treatment can ease the appearance of age spots, acne scars, fine lines, and stretch marks.
What Is Microneedling?
This multi-purpose treatment rejuvenates the skin by spurring collagen production. It involves a series of skin pricks with sterile needles. Although the pricks are tiny, they're enough to fool the skin into thinking it's been injured, a process that jumpstarts skin cell generation and results in the production of additional collagen and elastin.
This treatment, which is sometimes referred to as collagen induction therapy, smooths and tones the skin. It is performed most often on the face, but some patients have it done on other areas of the body, such as the thighs, buttocks, back, or stomach.
What Can This Treatment Help With?
Collagen induction therapy can improve conditions including acne scarring, cellulite, fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, and stretch marks. It also tightens the pores and improves the texture of the skin.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
The number of sessions each patient needs depends on the condition of their skin and the scope of the cosmetic issue they want to address. Most individuals see some results after just one treatment, but many need four to six sessions, each of which is spaced four to six weeks apart.
Acne scars, for example, can be addressed with three or four treatments, while stretch marks may need five or six sessions. For patients seeking to renew an aging face, fewer treatments may be necessary. After evaluating your skin, we can develop a custom treatment plan.
How Soon Will I See My Results?
Most patients see some initial improvement a week or two after treatment. But because your results depend on the production of collagen, a process that can take some time, the skin will continue to improve during the year after the initial treatment series.
Gravity and the natural aging process will also continue to take their toll on the skin, so this treatment does not offer permanent results. Many patients maintain their new look by scheduling occasional maintenance sessions.
What Can I Expect During Treatment?
During the days leading up to your treatment, we may ask you to refrain from using retinoids or other aggressive topical treatments. It's also a good idea to stay out of the sun during the three days before and after treatment, which is a way of keeping your skin calm and free of irritation.
At the start of your appointment, we'll make sure your skin is clean and dry before applying a numbing cream. Once the skin has been numbed, we'll use a small rolling tool with tiny needles that will make a series of pricks as it moves over your skin. After your treatment, we'll apply a serum to your face to hydrate it.
How Long Does This Treatment Take?
The treatment itself will probably only take about 20 minutes, but you'll want to set aside a couple of hours for your appointment so that we can allow the numbing cream to do its work and properly hydrate your skin afterward.
Is It Painful?
The numbing cream is applied well in advance of the start of treatment and does a great job of keeping patients comfortable. You will feel the tool as it moves over parts of your face, but you won't experience discomfort.
What Is the Recovery Like?
This is not an invasive treatment like cosmetic surgery, so patients are often able to return to their normal schedules fairly soon. Your skin may be slightly pink and may feel tight during the 24 hours after treatment, but this will subside quickly and can be hidden with cosmetics.
Can I Perform This Treatment at Home?
Patients occasionally inquire about purchasing a roller tool and performing this treatment on themselves at home. The danger of doing this is that a roller you purchase online may or may not be a regulated, safe product. And even if you can get your hands on a good roller, several factors go into performing a safe and effective treatment.
The pressure used with the roller, the way that it is sterilized between uses, and even the serums applied after treatment all require knowledge and expertise that can't be replicated at home by yourself. It's also important that a health care professional determines that you are a good candidate for this treatment. If you have a history of certain scarring conditions, for example, collagen induction therapy may not be a good option for you. This is a treatment that is best left to the professionals.
What Advantages Does This Treatment Offer?
Patients who try this unique treatment enjoy many benefits. Collagen induction therapy can give you a more youthful look by easing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and minimizing sun damage. It can also boost the effectiveness of the at-home moisturizers and serums you are using as part of your skincare regimen.
Fewer Fine Lines
This treatment is a great way of keeping forehead wrinkles, crow's feet, and other fine lines at bay. The extra collagen production this treatment unleashes helps to plump up the skin, making those lines less noticeable. Your skin will appear smoother, firmer, and more youthful.
Less Noticeable Sun Damage
Fine lines aren't the only thing that extra collagen production goes to work on. That additional collagen can also reverse the signs of hyperpigmentation and sun damage.
Smaller Pores
You might think that a treatment that involves small skin pricks would increase the size and appearance of pores, but the opposite happens. The natural plumping of the skin that takes place as collagen production increases shrinks the size of those pores, making them less noticeable.
Scars Are Minimized
If scars associated with previous surgeries or acne are bothering you, this treatment can help. Collagen induction therapy breaks down existing tissue while spurring the production of additional collagen and elastins, both of which renew the skin in ways that make those scars less noticeable.
A Solution for Stretch Marks
Many of our patients are frustrated by stretch marks, which develop when the skin stretches rapidly during pregnancy, a growth spurt, or a significant change in your weight. Stretch marks can be tricky to resolve, but collagen induction therapy can treat this condition.
Enhanced Skincare Product Absorption
One surprising benefit of collagen induction therapy is that it helps your moisturizers and serums penetrate more deeply into your skin, bolstering their efficacy. All of those tiny pricks essentially create small channels that escort your serums deep into the skin. This means that not only do you get the rejuvenating benefits of the treatment itself, but your at-home skincare routine also gets a boost.
Am I a Candidate?
If you're interested in finding out whether you're a good candidate for collagen induction therapy, the first step is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Alan Durkin, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and the owner of our practice. Dr. Durkin earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Miami, a master's degree in physics from the University of Chicago, and his medical degree from the University of South Florida. He is a faculty member and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at Florida State University, and Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Durkin and his staff will review your medical history, review your area of concern, and talk with you about your cosmetic goals. He will help determine if microneedling is the best approach to your treatment. This treatment can be safely used on adults with all skin types and tones, but there are a couple of signs that you may be a particularly good candidate:
You Have Healthy Skin
It helps if the skin in your treatment area is healthy and is free of open wounds, abrasions, infection, or other types of inflammation. Microneedling, at its core, causes a subtle injury to the skin that results in a rush of renewing collagen production. If the body is already busy fighting off other types of infections and inflammation, microneedling will not cause the controlled increase in collagen production you're looking for.
You're in Good General Health
The best patients are in good overall health and are not pregnant or breast-feeding. Patients who have a history of keloid or hypertrophic scars may not be suitable candidates. Patients also should not have taken Accutane, a medication for severe acne, in the last three months. Patients who have recently had radiation therapy may not be candidates.
You Want to Minimize Scarring
Many patients turn to this treatment for its anti-aging and skin health benefits, but some of the individuals who see the best results are those struggling with scarring. Sometimes the skin needs a little help hiding injuries, past acne, or other types of scars. Collagen induction therapy helps stimulate fresh, new skin tissue that can minimize the appearance of those past injuries and scars.
You're Not Looking for a Fast Fix
This treatment can noticeably improve the look and health of your skin, but it won't happen overnight. This treatment spurs the body to heal itself by producing more collagen, and that process can take several months. For many patients, their full results aren't evident for six months or more. There are advantages associated with the gradual onset of your results. The improvement you see will appear more natural, and unless you let them in on your secret, your friends and family will never know that you had a cosmetic treatment performed.
You Want a Gentler Approach
Plastic surgery is often a solution for some of the same cosmetic concerns that collagen induction therapy can address. But not every patient is a candidate for surgery, and not everyone can commit to the recovery period associated with such treatment. The great thing about microneedling is that is can be performed through a series of in-office treatments that don't require you to take a substantive amount of time off of work. If you're looking for a convenient and non-invasive way of improving your appearance, this treatment can be a terrific option.
Ready to Get Started?
If you're looking to rejuvenate your skin without an extended period of recovery, collagen induction therapy could be the perfect option. We can work with you to develop a custom treatment plan that addresses your cosmetic needs and goals. If you're interested in learning more, schedule a microneedling consultation today!