About Microneedling

Microneedling is also known as collagen induction therapy and can be done with either a micro needle roller or an automated micro needle pen. The micro-needling roller is made up of lots of tiny needles on a roller that you roll up and down the treatment area that lightly puncture the skin. The automated micro needle pen is made up of tiny needles on a disposable needle head that attaches to the automated pen. With the pen this does most of the work, so you don’t need to go over the skin as many times as you do with the roller. The roller is better for larger areas where you don’t need to change needle depth such as the stomach or back of the legs. The needle depth on the pen can be changed so this is much better for the face as the recommended needle depth changes depending on area.

Micro-needling works in two ways. The first part is that it assists transdermal absorption and the second by increasing collagen production.

Transdermal absorbtion
The first aided need for skin-needling was to aid better product penetration. When the needles pass over the skin, they pierce the stratum corneum and create tiny channels in the surface of the skin that allow products to bypass the water proof barrier of the skin. Once the products have penetrated through the stratum corneum they diffuse through permeable capillaries found in the superficial dermis and then from here into the blood stream. The channels heal very rapidly restoring the skins natural barrier.

Collagen production
The penetration of the needles at a certain depth creates micro trauma, this initiates the wound healing response. During the wound healing process new collagen is produced and old misaligned collagen is broken down and removed by the body. This is particularly important when dealing with scar tissue and stretch marks. Over the next few weeks, a collagen and elastin matrix are created, this continues for up to several months. The new matrix will start to thicken the skin and improve the skin texture giving the skin a fresher more youthful glow.

During the micro needle treatment your skin thinks it’s under attack so it encourages the body to produce new collagen. As we get older around our mid twenty’s we naturally start to lose collagen around 1% each year. This is why wrinkles form as our skin loses its elasticity so treatments like this help us regenerate the collagen to help us stay looking younger for longer. Once you reach the age of 30 the effects of collagen loss become a lot more noticeable, so this treatment is great for 30+

The dermis is made up of 2 layers the papillary dermis which is the thin top layer made up of intertwining ridges of the epidermis and is composed of fine loosely arranged collagen fibres. The reticular dermis is the lower thicker layer of the dermis composed of dense irregular connective tissue featuring densely packed collagen fibres. The dermis is made up of 3 major types of cells which are fibroblasts, macrophages and adipocytes. Dermal fibroblasts are responsible for generating connective tissue and allowing the skin to recover from injury. Macrophages are important cells of the immune system that are formed in response to an infection or accumulating damaged or dead skin cells, there’s large specialized cells that recognize, eat up and destroy target cells. Adipocytes known as lipocytes and fat cells which primarily compose adipose tissue specialize in storing fat as energy. That area of skin is also made up of collagen which provides strength and elastin which provides elasticity. So, looking at what that area of skin is made up of you can see why this treatment can be so effective.

Needle lengths:

This treatment is not recommended for people suffering with live acne, wait until after the breakout has cleared up as gliding over acne can cause the bacteria to spread. Same with serious skin conditions like psoriasis as the skin is to dry and scaly, this is where the body makes too many skin cells in one area and they build up during the desquamation process as there generating a lot faster than the average skin cell. It can be painful and sore.

The recommended sessions for face rejuvenation, fine lines and wrinkles are minimum 3, and for acne scarring, cellulite more underlying conditions we recommend minimum 6.

What can skin needling benefit?

Facial rejuvenation
The increase in collagen and elastin will help to tighten skin and thickens skin too, reducing and preventing the thinning of skin due to the ageing process. Fine lines and wrinkles are smoothed and relaxed, enlarge pores reduced in size and skin luminosity.

Stretchmark’s or striae (long process in healing, good 12 months)
Stretchmark’s differ to scars resulting from trauma. When there is rapid expansion of the skin, the collagen and elastin matrix is stretched out of alignment and the result is silver, pink or red lines absent pf containing little collagen matrix. Stretchmark’s can take a considerable time to see results. However, when results are seen they are quite impressive. From case studies that we have seen personally, stretch marks respond to an aggressive needling technique. The trauma stimulates collagen and elastin to rebuild the area.

Cellulite
At the basic level cellulite is caused by fat cells becoming swollen and pushing through the collagen and elastin matrix. When the fat cells begin to push through the healthy basket weave matrix of collagen and elastin, they distort the matrix producing a dimple like appearance associated with cellulite.

Many clinics use micro needling to effectively assist this condition. The exact mechanism by which this works is not yet understood. It is possible that micro needling benefits this condition by producing a new stronger collagen and elastin matrix which can then better control the swollen fat cells.

Hyperpigmentation
The causes of hyper pigmentation are complicated as are the ways in which micro needling benefits it. Many cases are found in individuals with darker skin such as those of African and Asian origins. Excessive sun exposure is a key-cause but there can be a variety of other causes including acne vulgaris. This treatment is a godsend to many Asian clients where other conventional salon treatments are more high risk for them. For example, IPL skin rejuvenation and microdermabrasion can cause heat friction to the skins surface and causing further hyper pigmentation or pigment loss.

Scientifically the main case of hyperpigmentation is disorders of the melanocytes which produce melanin. The mechanism by which micro needling benefits hyperpigmentation has not yet been studied but it is believed that micro needling breaks down pockets of melanin and normalizes the signalling between keratinocytes and normalise melanogenesis melanocyte differentiation.

There are treatments like IPL and laser, however better results have come from using micro needling and the client’s own plasma. The needling technique of a more aggressive needling in the area using a derma pen was used. I would highly recommend this way and to use a mesotherapy serum Gluthionine along with it.

Age spots
Same as above on the hyperpigmentation.

Rosacea
This is a chronic skin condition characterized by redness of the face. The use of micro needling to benefit this is relatively recent but shown to have positive results. Medically Rosacea is associated with a hyper-sensitivity of the blood vessels in the face. The constant expansion of the blood vessels cause the redness of the face. This constant expansion leads to weakening of the collagen and connective tissue between the blood vessels. Once this is damaged the blood vessels can expand more easily and are closer to the surface making the appearance of rosacea worse. Long term Rosacea can also lead to scar tissue forming in the skin.

Micro-needling can assist by thickening and strengthening the collagen and elastin matrix. Micro-needling should not be done on pustular Rosacea or Nodular Rosacea.

Acne
The use of micro-needling on acne is highly effective but also difficult to perform effectively. Micro-needling can be used to increase the absorption of products for acne, however do not go over active acne as you can spread the bacteria. The treatment must be performed in and around outbreaks. If treating acne make sure your clients are not taking acne medications which are contraindicated with micro-needling.

Enlarged pores
Enlarged pores are particularly common in the nose and cheeks but can also be found elsewhere on the face. In china they are treated by tapping the area with a derma stamp to increase the circulation to the area. Over time this reduced the size of the pores. The micro-needling works in the same way and over time it improves the texture of the skin and inducts collagen to that area and so reduces the size appearance of enlarged pores.

Hair Loss
Micro-needling can effectively benefit several different types of hair loss. The first if these is Androgenic Alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness. Despite its more common name it also occurs in women in the form of thinning hair.

Micro-needling works well in postpartum hair loss. Although this type of hair loss naturally resolves over time, micro-needling appears to reduce the amount of hair lost and speed up recovery time.

Micro-needling assists hair loss by increasing the release of endothelial growth factor which has been shown to promote hair growth, increase follicle and hair size and benefit platelet derived growth factor which assists the interactions that lead to hair canal formation.

Combined with the use of minoxidil (known to create hair follicles), the micro needling allows the product to be absorbed better giving far better treatment results.

Scars
Skin needling has really great success at reducing the appearance of scars. It will work equally as well on hypertrophic scars (slightly raised scars) and Atrophic (sunken) scar tissue, however those with previous history of keloid scarring are strictly forbidden.

Scars are created when an increase of collagen forms over and around the area, where trauma has occurred. This misalignment of collagen causes a disturbance in the basket weave matrix of normal healthy skin; leaving the client with scar like indentations or raised bumps on the area.

Types of scar tissue