America has become a visually-obsessed society. People are on Instagram and other outlets like TikTok throughout the day, scrolling through thousands of images. Your picture is on some of those social media threads. You want to look your best.
If you have facial scars, dark spots, acne, or other skin problems like stretch marks, you’re likely seeking a way to minimize or eradicate them. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that minimally invasive cosmetic treatments increased by 186 percent between 2000 and 2017.
Does the thought of small needles pricking your face to make blemishes go away seem counterintuitive? It is, but the process can work. At Skin Deep Laser, board-certified physician Dr. Laura Riehm provides a range of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures to smooth away skin problems and give your skin a radiant, youthful glow. Some of her patients request microneedling to improve facial flaws.
What Is Microneedling?
Microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure in which tiny needles create microscopic wounds in the skin. The skin around each opening is left unharmed, which helps rapid healing. Once the wounds are made, your body’s immune system kicks into action and rushes nutrients to the site to begin healing. Old, unhealthy skin cells die and are eventually sloughed off, and new ones start to form. The new skin cells contain fresh collagen and elastic, critical proteins that keep your skin supple and youthful.
Dr. Riehm and her team use the advanced Eclipse MicroPen™ for the procedure, a medical-grade automated micro-needling device that can treat all skin types. Microneedling is not a new treatment; it’s been around for more than two decades, but the technology has consistently improved.
What skin problems does microneedling treat?
The beauty of microneedling is that it can kill two birds with one stone. If you have more than one type of blemish, microneedling can smooth away various kinds of skin problems at the same time, saving you money and rounds of appointments with different providers. Following are facial flaws that microneedling might improve.
Large pores
Does your face look like it has hundreds of black holes in it? They’re not blackheads; they’re your large pores. Why do you have large pores? The reasons vary.
If you have acne, you likely have large pores. Acne produces an excess amount of oil called sebum. The oil attracts bacteria and dirt. The gland that produces the sebum, the sebaceous gland, increases in size, and your pores enlarge.
Other reasons for large pores include genetics, aging, and sun damage. Microneedling claims to smooth out your skin texture so that your pores are greatly diminished in appearance. A series of chemical peels may achieve better results. Ask about our chemical club for a low-cost alternative.
Scars and stretch marks
Perhaps you had acne as a teenager and still bear the physical scars from it. You have depressions on your facial skin with rims of uneven skin circling them. Makeup only goes so far in covering these craters.
Perhaps you have a burn scar, a scar from an old surgery, or large stretch marks. You’re looking for a way to reduce the appearance of these marks on your skin. Microneedling is a way to lessen the visibility of these skin flaws. It produces new collagen and elastin in the new skin cells that form after the procedure. One caveat: Microneedling works well on scars that are depressions in the skin — not on raised scars.  We have other treatment options that can yield more predictable results and are more cost-effective.
Fine lines and wrinkles
No one wants to see facial wrinkles; they make you look older than you are. Microneedling might help to smooth away those fine lines and wrinkles as they start to appear.
Uneven skin tone; sun damage
Sunspots, or dark spots on your face, are a telltale sign of aging. They may have developed as a result of getting too much sun in your youth. You may not have always worn sunscreen or a hat to protect your more delicate facial skin. Causing external damage to the surface of the skin can often create more hyperpigmentation. We don’t recommend microneedling for a predictable treatment of sun damage or hyperpigmentation. Energy-based devices offer very predictable results for pigment issues.
Who is not a candidate for microneedling?
Microneedling is safe for almost anyone. The only contraindications are for those who currently have acne, infections, or wound-healing issues. In those cases, Dr. Riehm tells you to wait until you’re medically cleared.
Call Skin Deep Laser or book an appointment online for all of your aesthetic needs. We’re here to help you look your best.
