Also known as; skin needling, dermal needling, dermaroller, dermapen, collagen induction therapy. Here at Eterno Aesthetics Medical Skin Clinic in Sheffield, Aesthetic Nurse Hannah Depledge prefers to call it microneedling.
Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment in which an electronic device is used to puncture tiny holes into the skins surface to a depth of between from 0.5 to 2 millimetres; depending on the area and thickness of the skin. The holes that are made are known to be therapeutic as it triggers the body's wound healing response, stimulating collagen and elastin production. Once the punctures are made, the products that are applied topically to the skin, during or after the procedure (such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C) can penetrate deeper into the skin, working more effectively.
Microneedling can help to tackle skin damage such as acne scarring, age spots, sun damage, melasma stretch mark, as well as helping to improve fine lines and wrinkles and can even be used to treat alopecia. Treatments can be performed on all skin types on the body as well as the face.
For best results a course of 3-5 microneedling sessions is recommended with a gap of 4-6 weeks in between each one and then a maintenance treatment every 6-9 month. The entire process takes about 20 minutes. A numbing cream is applied first, then the needles are moved across the skin using a small handheld device. At Eterno Aesthetics we use the Derma FNS pen which is an electronic device. The automated device is deemed more effective than the dermal roller and less traumatic to the skin. Instead of rapid vertical needle insertions the dermal rollers drag on the skin and create more of a tearing wound and cause more downtime. Patients also report less pain with the automated device compared to the dermal roller.
Although at-home microneedling devices are available these are not recommended due to the fact they have increased a risk of infection or scarring as the needles aren't sterile, the results are also no where near as effective as those done using an automated device in clinic.
