Skin needling? What is it anyway?
Skin needling is a popular treatment right now in beauty circles. The good news is, it will probably remain so because of the surprising benefits to be gained from this relatively new beauty technology.
If you’ve ever hoped for more youthful looking skin (hello, we all have our hands up), then a series of skin needling treatments could be your next beauty treatment investment.
More than a skin surface treatment for acne scarring, pore size reduction and fine lines, skin needling makes a lasting difference deep down too. Even if needles aren’t your strong suit, treatment can still be a manageable, and virtually painless process.
Want to know more about the way skin needling can make you look and feel more youthful? Let’s get under the skin of a treatment with the power to transform inside and out.
Just in case you’re wondering, skin needling and microneedling are terms used interchangeably to describe “collagen induction therapy”. In simpler language, this simply means skin rejuvenation.
Using very fine sterile needles, the skin needling tool penetrates the skin’s surface to create a ‘microchannel’. We use MDerma – a pen with individually wrapped and sterile tips with 12 fine needles that penetrate the skin at a set depth. Effectively this action causes a response from the skin, which stimulates our body’s natural healing process, causing the regeneration of skin cells and production of new collagen.
The microchannels created also provide the means by which healing creams and serums can be delivered more deeply beneath the surface, where they can do the work they’re designed to do.
Not quite the fountain of youth, but from the perspective of beauty skin treatment, certainly a lot closer than we’ve been up until now.
Who should invest in skin needling?
Skin needling is an ideal treatment for both men and women who would love to see a transformation in skin affected by:
- Fine lines
- Open pores
- Stretch marks
- Scarring, especially acne scarring
- A loss of youthful ‘plumpness’ caused by ageing, i.e. thinness and sagging.
The benefit of skin needling is it treats the skin’s texture and appearance. After just one treatment, there is a noticeable difference in the way your skin looks and feels.
While one treatment is beneficial, it’s highly recommended to invest in a series of treatments. The bonus is, collagen production continues to enhance the skin’s appearance and refine facial contours for up to 12 months following treatment.
What can you expect with skin needling treatment?
Before commencing a series of skin needling treatments, we schedule a pre-treatment consult. The purpose of this very informal chat is to understand what you’re looking to treat and what you hope to achieve with treatment.
Once we’ve established this, we can recommend a skin treatment plan ideally suited to you. Regardless of the number of treatments, we supply a pre-treatment care pack, which includes products with vitamin C and A. These help prepare the skin in the seven to 12 days before treatment. It’s an essential step towards optimising the results from your investment.
In the treatment itself, which takes about one hour, a topical anaesthetic is applied to reduce the discomfort from the needling tool.
Although it’s possible to receive treatment without anaesthetic, it’s not recommended, as the anaesthetic helps to make the skin needling treatment virtually painless.
Because Earth + Skin is a Gold Coast based organic beauty spa, we’re able to source a chemical-free anaesthetic at an additional cost for clients wanting this as part of their treatment.
The needling tools is then gently pressed over the target skin areas, causing a mild prickling sensation. Once the needling is complete, hyaluronic acid is placed on the skin. Because the microchannels have been created, the hyaluronic acid, and any other topical serums, can be delivered into the deeper layers of the skin.
The result is plumper and more vibrant looking skin.
Immediately after treatment, some minor redness, swelling and even bleeding is possible. This is due to the adjustable length of the needling tool and the number of times a target area is treated.
Skin may also feel and look like it’s slightly sunburnt, however this should subside in the one to two days. It’s also common for skin to feel ‘rough’, but this isn’t a cause for concern.
Within just seven days, it’s possible to exfoliate your skin, as the healing process continues both on and beneath the surface.
After each subsequent treatment, your skin actually gets better and better, a factor aided by the increased healing process and collagen production. Post treatment care involves the application of hyaluronic acid, which helps increase the moisture in your skin. A series of four to six skin needling treatments should be spaced 14 to 21 days apart, thereby allowing the body to do its repair work.
One thing to note: while the treatment itself is important, the pre and post care are equally so.
If you opt for a series of treatments, it’s important to understand the pre and post care regimes will need to be repeated too, along with your regular beauty care regime. Expect to:
- Apply a serum at night, mixed in with your regular moisturiser
- Exfoliate every second day
- Apply a serum and sunscreen each day
- Cleanse, tone, moisturise each day.
Your treatment provider should spend time with you ensuring you feel confident putting these steps in place.
What are the possible side effects of skin needling?
With any beauty treatment there are risks, and skin needling is no exception. We explain these clearly prior to commencing treatment.
Possible side effects include:
- Temporary discomfort, flushing, a histamine reaction, or slight bruising
- Swelling, stinging, itching, tender, rough, dry or flaking skin
- A sensation of feeling sunburnt could persist for up to four days.
- In rare cases, crusting, scarring, hyperpigmentation/hypo-pigmentation and infection can occur
- Freckles may temporarily lighten or disappear
- Allergic reaction to the topical anaesthetic is possible.
Is skin needling worth it?
We think Yes!
For some time, the team at Earth + Skin has been seeking more clinical treatments with the power to achieve great results – in a way that is as free from toxins and harmful chemical as possible.
We feel skin needling delivers this in spades – and we’re excited to be the Gold Coast’s only organic day spa offering this treatment, using the safest possible ingredients available. It means you’re enhancing and assisting the body’s own natural healing process. You won’t just look better. Deep down, you’ll literally feel better too.
Ready to take the next step?
We’d love you to enjoy the experience of more youthful skin.
Earth and Skin is a Gold Coast organic day spa with a difference. We offer beauty treatments and products that are vegan, organic, chemical-free and free from animal cruelty. We have done the research into the safety and toxicity of common beauty rituals and have developed our menu based on the safest, most effective treatments available, including skin needling. If you’d love to experience beauty that cares for you and the Earth, we’d love to see you. Call now on 07 5530 7959 or click here to book an appointment.