One of the best parts about being in cosmetic medicine is seeing all the new treatments coming onto the market. For patients, this means that there’s likely a solution to whatever cosmetic problem you need fixed. Often, there will be more than one solution, giving patients the power of choice. For cosmetic medical practices, it means a wide variety of treatments that can be offered.

Micro-needling is one such treatment that is fairly new. Micro-needling is used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, discoloration, acne and surgical scars, uneven skin tone, stretch marks and can help reverse sun damage. One of the biggest benefits of this treatment is that it uses your body’s own collagen production to achieve the desired results, eliminating the need for any chemicals to be injected into you. This eliminates the risk of any type of allergic reaction.

What is micro-needling?

In simple terms, micro-needling is when 12 small needles make tiny penetrations into the skin. The result is that, as a response to the tiny injuries, the skin will begin to produce more collagen and elastin as the skin starts to repair itself. Collagen and elastin are part of the skin’s “scaffolding” that give it volume, tone and firmness. The other benefit of micro-needling is that the little holes allow various skin products to be absorbed more efficiently, making them much more effective and producing better results.

Micro-needling isn’t just limited to the face. It’s an effective treatment on the neck, legs, hands, abdomen and back.

Does it hurt and how long is the treatment?

Many describe the sensation like sandpaper being lightly rubbed across the skin. In other words, it’s tolerable. Before treatment begins, the aesthetician will apply a thin layer of topical gel to make the patient more tolerable. Micro-needling has the added benefit that the needles can be set at a specific depth, depending on your skin and what you’re comfortable with. It should be noted that some areas of the body will be more sensitive to micro-needling than other areas. Your aesthetician will be able to give you more guidance if the treatment becomes too uncomfortable.

The procedure can last up to about 30-minutes, depending on the area being treated.

What kind of tool is used?

At Jefferson Facial Plastics, we use a tool called the Eclipse MicroPen. Before treatment begins, a sterile tip with the 12 micro-needles will be inserted.

What is the recovery time and when do results become noticeable?

Generally, after the procedure, patients will notice the treated area is bright red and may feel like a mild sunburn. The average healing time is about 2-4 days. After the treatment you’ll be given special instructions on how to care for the treated skin, which should speed up the healing time.

The results from your micro-needling treatment will be seen almost immediately. Your skin will have a healthy glow. It can take up to six months to see the full results of the treatment since the skin will keep producing collagen during that time. In other words, your skin will look better and better over time.

Take your first step to better looking skin

If you’re interested in micro-needling or any other of our skin treatments, call us today to schedule an appointment. Jefferson Facial Plastics prides itself on being the premier cosmetic medical practice in the Philadelphia area.