What’s your biggest skin concern? For most people, answering this question can be difficult, since many have multiple concerns about the superficial appearance of their skin. However, there are versatile aesthetic treatments that can effectively renew and refresh your skin with minimally invasive techniques. At ALC Med Spa in Gurnee, IL, we believe that microneedling is a treatment that can be used by most people to address a wide range of superficial skin concerns.
How Often Can You Do Microneedling?
Because microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment, it can be done several times a year. When it comes to this aesthetic treatment, the more frequent your treatments are, the better your results ultimately will be. For most people, the best frequency for this treatment is once every four to eight weeks, depending on your skin concern and your skin type.
Factors That May Affect Frequency
Of course, many factors may affect the frequency of your treatment, such as your skin sensitivity or your age. However, the biggest factor that will affect your treatment frequency will be the depth of the needles that are used during each treatment.
If the needles used for your treatment are less than one millimeter long, you will be able to have treatments more frequently. However, if the needles are two to three millimeters long, your treatments will be less frequent. This is because longer needles cause deeper injuries that take longer to heal, whereas shorter needles only affect the upper layers of the skin and heal more quickly.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Many Treatments Do You Need?
It can be difficult to give a ballpark estimate on how many treatments you should expect to need when you use microneedling. Broadly speaking, most people will require six to eight treatments to see significant results from this treatment, but this number is reliant on the severity of your skin condition and how well you respond to treatment.
Determining the number of treatments you need will be done by first examining and analyzing your skin. A dermatologist will be able to determine how many treatments you will need to reduce the appearance of scarring. This number may change depending on whether you choose to maintain your desired results with additional treatments.
2. How Soon Will You See Results?
Most of the time, you will be able to see early results from this treatment very soon after your initial appointment. The collagen produced by this treatment will generally have a noticeable effect on the superficial appearance of your skin within two to four weeks. These results will continue to improve as the subdermal layers of your skin are healed by more collagen and fibroblasts. To see optimal results, you can expect a three to six-month wait.
3. How Does Microneedling Work?
Microneedling is a very simple treatment. Essentially, very fine sterile needles will be used to repeatedly pierce the surface of your skin to create micro-injuries that stimulate the natural regenerative response of your body.
When your skin is healing from micro-wounds, it will produce fibroblasts that are used to knit the skin back together. In doing this, more collagen and elastin will be produced, which will then have a beneficial effect on the superficial appearance of your skin. Specifically, this treatment can improve the superficial appearance of your skin by addressing both collagen production and cellular turnover.
For Collagen Induction
This treatment is also called collagen induction therapy because of how effective it is in producing healthy collagen within the skin. Collagen is a protein that is responsible for the structural support of your skin. By rapidly increasing collagen, the structure and suppleness of your skin will return to a more youthful state. This can be very helpful when smoothing away the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, moderate skin laxity, and even certain types of scars.
For Cellular Turnover
This treatment is also beneficial for improving the superficial layers of the skin, specifically the layers where you might experience sun damage, blemishes, redness, dryness, dullness, and more. This is because as part of the wound healing process, new skin cells will be turned over as your skin recovers from the treatment, which will then reduce the appearance of these blemishes and will refresh your skin appearance.
4. What Can This Treatment Be Used For?
As far as aesthetic treatments are concerned, this treatment can be considered a jack of all trades because it can address such a wide variety of skin concerns. It can also be used to correct both mild to moderate concerns.
For example, the treatment is often used as an anti-aging tool to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it can also be used to address deep acne scarring as well. This treatment can be used to correct the appearance of enlarged pores, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone and texture, and much more.
5. Is There a Best Age for This Treatment?
You can use this treatment at any age. Mature people may use this treatment for anti-aging purposes, while younger people may wish to reduce the appearance of acne scarring or may simply want to have healthier-looking skin. The younger you use the treatment, the longer you’ll likely be able to enjoy fresh, youthful-looking skin.
6. Can You Pair This Treatment?
This treatment is frequently paired with other aesthetic treatments. For example, you can use this treatment with injectables such as neurotoxins or certain dermal fillers to achieve your aesthetic results. The treatment is also paired with other facials such as chemical peels to address superficial concerns. Most importantly, the treatment is frequently combined with PRP to enhance your results.
7. How Can You Maintain Your Results?
The easiest way to maintain the results of your treatment is to have regular microneedling appointments. Most people will be able to maintain the results of this treatment by having an annual appointment once every six months to maintain high collagen production.
You may also maintain your results by using other aesthetic treatments or using high-quality skincare products every day to ensure the superficial appearance of your skin is always good. You can even maintain your results by adopting healthier lifestyle practices, such as reducing tobacco and alcohol intake, drinking more water, and avoiding direct exposure to the sun.
8. What Should You Expect From Treatment?
Usually, this treatment will take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. For your treatment, a topical numbing cream such as lidocaine will be applied to prepare your skin for treatment. The use of the topical numbing cream will ensure that you are comfortable for the duration of this treatment. Overall, most people find that the treatment is comfortable and does not take a lot of time.
Before Treatment
About a week before your treatment, you may need to stop using supplements such as vitamin E, fish oil, and ginkgo. You may also need to temporarily stop using medications that cause the blood to thin, such as aspirin. Discontinuing these supplements and medications will reduce the likelihood of bleeding and bruising during the treatment. You may also want to prepare for your appointment by stopping the use of chemical exfoliants for at least three days before your treatment.
After Treatment
After your appointment, you will be able to go back to work, but you may have a few restrictions you need to follow in terms of skincare. For example, you should not wear makeup for at least 24 hours, and you should avoid hot water, steam, and harsh cleansers on the skin. Moisturizing your skin with a gentle cream or lotion is advisable. You should also be sure to wear SPF outside for one to two weeks after your treatment to protect new skin cells.
9. Is This Treatment Right for You?
This treatment is an ideal match for most people who have superficial skin concerns. Whether you want to reduce the appearance of age-related concerns or you want to correct visible scarring, this treatment is generally a good option for most concerns. If you are currently pregnant, please discuss using this treatment with one of our providers.
Refresh and Renew Your Skin
No matter what your skin issue is, a treatment such as microneedling can be a good option to help you achieve all of your goals. Whether you’re using this treatment alone or combining it with other facials, this treatment is a good foundation for enhancing the overall health and appearance of your skin. Please contact ALC Med Spa in Gurnee, IL today to schedule your first appointment.
