I think by now everyone has heard of microneedling! Microneedling, more officially called Collagen Induction Therapy, is a process that uses tiny needles to create microchannels in the skin. The body treats these microchannels as injuries, so it causes the cells to start producing collagen and elastin to heal the tiny wounds. The result is more even, smooth, and youthful skin!

Here are some of the benefits of microneedling:

• it effectively shrinks enlarged pores
• is reduces the severity of pitted acne scars
• is reduces the appearance of scars and stretch marks on the body
• it effectively treats melasma and sun damage
• it smoothes fine lines and wrinkles
• it only has 24 hours of downtime
• it is fast and relatively low on the pain scale
• it is safe and effective for almost anyone
• it is safer than lasers in the summer

Some common misconceptions about microneedling…

1. Microneedling can be done at home.Okay, let’s unpack this. This is not technically a misconception. Microneedling can be done at home with the use of at-home needle rollers or non-professional devices. However, there are a few reasons why this shouldn’t be done. Firstly, at-home rollers can not be cleaned effectively. Professional microneedling devices use sterile, single-use needle cartridges to ensure no bacteria is introduced to the skin during the procedure. If the channels are contaminated, there is a risk for infection! Secondly, the needle quality on these devices is often poor and degrades over time with multiple uses. A needle will always lose its sharpness after so many pokes! This bings me to my next point.
2. All microneedling devices are the same.Absolutely not! Like just mentioned, needles tend to dull and degrade after they have been poked so many times. There are a ton of different microneedling devices on the market that range vastly in cost and quality. Using needles that are dull or imperfect results in needle drag across the skin, which gives an inferior result and increased chance for infection. When shopping for a microneedling treatment, it is important to ask what device the provider uses and why they chose it. Some devices require a doctor or nurse’s approval for clinical use-these are the ones you want to have for your treatment! You also want to look for an approval by the FDA and/or Health Canada. This is due to the fact that these regulations thoroughly inspect the needles to ensure perfect sharpness, even length, and precise and even depth of penetration. One more note is about the frequency of pulses. Some microneedling devices use a stamping method where the pulses are controlled by the speed of the practitioner, and some oscillate up and down at a variable frequency per second. These devices are superior because they move up and down so fast that there is no time for the needles to drag across the skin. SkinPen use 1600 pulses per second, which means there are MILLIONS of channels created with each treatment, no possibility for dragging, and a more effective result is obtained!
3. Microneedling can be done on anyone.This is almost true, but the contraindications should absolutely be addressed:
   • Microneedling can not be done on pregnant women. This is due to the potential dangers of the numbing cream used before the treatment. It can be done on breastfeeding women, but it is advised to pump before breastfeeding again, and of course always postpone if anything is beyond personal comfort level.
   • Microneedling should also be avoided for people prone to keloid scars. These scars are a thickened, raised scar that typically forms on the earlobes, shoulders, or face. If one occurs, it is common for more to occur in other places. These can be triggered by microneedling.
   • We need to avoid microneedling during active flare-ups of acne, eczema, or psoriasis. Microneedling pens can be used around the occasional pustule, but we are talking about severe acne that covers large areas of the face.
   • Microneedling can’t be done during an active HSV breakout (cold sores). These cold sores are highly contagious so we need to avoid treatment during a breakout!

How soon will I see results from microneedling?

Microneedling is great because results are seen after a single session, although best results are seen with a series of 2-5 treatments. First results will show around 3-5 weeks after your first session and continue to improve up to 6 months after your last session. Results are gradual. You may notice slow, progressive reduction in pore size, fine lines and wrinkles, and scars.

What is the downtime for microneedling?

24 hours of downtime is required. This means no skincare products, no sun exposure, and no makeup. After the first 24 hours, almost all of the redness is usually subsided.

There we have it! If you have any further questions about SkinPen or microneedling in Calgary, don’t hesitate to reach out to our clinic by email at [email protected].