Everyone wants to stay looking young and healthy. But sometimes age gets the best of us, and despite our best efforts, we start to look much older than we’d like to. Luckily, new treatments to fight aging appear faster than most of us can keep up with. Everything from laser peels, facials, Botox injections and even facial implants are all designed to fight the war with the toll age takes on our bodies.

Micro-needling is becoming one of the hottest trends in medical spa treatments in 2016. Also called Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), micro-needling uses an instrument called the Eclipse MicroPen that has a dozen small “micro needles” at the tip. These needles poke your skin, causing tiny micro injuries that helps the skin start producing collagen and elastin – the basic building blocks of your skin.

The result? The increased collagen and elastin will greatly diminish (or even erase!) fine lines and wrinkles. Further, micro-needling can also smooth out your skin tone, erase scars from acne and other minor injuries, and improve stretch marks. While a micro-needling treatment might not completely erase the skin’s imperfections in all cases, it will reduce them to the point of being barely noticeable.

Ouch! Isn’t micro-needling painful?

The idea of a dozen needles pushing into the skin might sound painful, when the truth is, it’s a little uncomfortable at worst. Before the treatment begins, the aesthetician applies numbing cream to the area that will be treated to minimize any discomfort. Many patients describe the feeling as if sandpaper were being lightly rubbed over the skin. Some areas of the skin might be more sensitive than others, but our professional aesthetician will walk you through the entire procedure so there are no surprises.

For most patients, the treated area will turn a bright red after treatment, much like a very minor sunburn. This is only a temporary side effect and will resolve itself within a few days after treatment. Patients are free to go about their normal routines after micro-needling, though they will be advised to stay out of the sun while the skin heals. To speed up the healing process, the patients are provided with special ointment to apply to the treated area. It’s important to follow the post-treatment instructions given by the aesthetician for a speedy recovery and to minimize any possible complications.

How many micro-needling treatments are needed for the best results?

The frequency of treatments differs from patient to patient. Some only need it once per year, while others might need up to 3 or more treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart. The aesthetician will help you make that determination. Much of the decision is based on your skin type, how deep the wrinkles are and how advanced scars and stretch marks have become.

You’re in good hands at Jefferson Facial Plastics

If you think micro-needling is a good treatment option for you, call us today for a consultation with our experienced medical team. We’ll answer all your questions and alleviate all your fears. Micro-needling is an excellent way to improve the way you look by using the skin’s natural healing abilities. It’s no wonder why micro-needling has become such a popular procedure in 2016.