The Dos and Don'ts of Micro Needling

You may remember a post from three years ago when we travelled to the Netherlands to train with aesthetic doctor and author of 'The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling', Lance Setterfield.

Since then, cosmetic and medical needling has played a large role in our clinic, delivering impressive results in particular for scarring and skin rejuvenation.However, the increase in popularity of the treatment also brings with it unlicensed practice, incorrect technique and lack of understanding.

Cosmetic needling

Our focus is on cosmetic needling, or home needling. This is the repeated and regular treatment of needling done as part of the patients home care routine.Cosmetic needling involves using a needling device such as a dermaroller or dermastamp with needle length approx. 0.3- 0.5mm. There is a big common misconception that a roller is used to intensify the penetration of products applied after treatment. Although this is the case, only certain products are safe for use post needling. When applying cosmetic products after a needling procedure it is important to remember these ingredients are entering the skin, bypassing the skins epidermal barrier. We only recommend applying CE marked products that are 100% safe to be used in this way. Using normal cosmetics and off the shelf topicals can cause inflammatory reactions, itching, breakouts and redness.

How does it work?

The action of the needle is by far the most important thing when looking at the benefits of cosmetic needling. The controlled wounding of the skin from the micro needles helps with collagen and elastic stimulation.For an ageing skin, this stimulation process increases firmness and volume to restore a youthful complexion through natural growth factors. This eliminates the risks and possible side effects of other 'growth factor' treatments.

How often should I do it?

To get the best results from your needling you should aim to roll 3-4 times per week. The procedure only takes several minutes and particular attention should be paid to problem areas such as lip lines, crows feet and forehead.

For more information on cosmetic needling, please ask your practitioner or call 0113 282 3300 to speak to a specialist today.

Written for you by: Emily, Face the Future