Microneedling treatment 101: A step by step protocol
Are you ready to start your skin rejuvenation journey with microneedling, but not sure of the process? It’s always a good idea to do your research on any product or treatment so you feel comfortable and confident to move forward. I’ve outlined the process below from when I have professional treatments and what I’ve adapted for at home treatments. You’ll want to check out this article before you begin, to understand the types of microneedling treatments: https://bestbeautyhacks.com/types-of-micrneedling/
Before you begin
What you will need:
- Microneedling device
- A sterile microneedle cartridge, compatible with the microneedling pen of choice
- Alcohol for sterilizing
- Cotton pads
- Numbing cream – 5% Lidocaine
- Serum for slip, hyaluronic acid is the safest
Generally, hyaluronic acid is used for hydration, skin rejuvenation and slip during the microneedling treatment. It is the safest serum to use, considering your are needling it into your skin. There are some additional serum options that are being combined with microneedling, for additional benefits that can be customized depending on your skin care needs.
Growth factors and peptides are chains of proteins, which are the building blocks of your skin to keep it strong and healthy. These are essential in wound healing and rebuilding textured skin.
Stem cells can be found in plants, animals, and humans. While human stem cell treatments in the past were hotly debated, we can now safely harvest stem cells via plasma in the blood.
Please just be very mindful and cautious of all ingredients, as they will penetrate beyond the skin barrier, and could cause irritation, a reaction or worse.
General protocol
- ALWAYS sterilize EVERYTHING with isopropyl alcohol 91% before you start, including bottles, microneedling pen, etc.
- Double cleanse to ensure all makeup and oils are removed
- Apply numbing cream for medical microneedling. Numbing cream is not necessary for cosmetic microneedling
- Once numb (about 20-30 minutes), be sure to remove ALL the numbing cream – you don’t want to needle any of it into your skin!
- Cleanse again to remove any residue from numbing cream
- Wipe treatment area and hands with isopropyl alcohol to sterilize
- Attach disposable, sterile needle cartridge to pen
- Adjust depth of needle and speed for each area of the face. The forehead requires less depth since the skin is thinner, while the cheeks require a higher depth, etc. Each microneedling pen will have a manual to show the adjusted depths per treatment area.
- Apply serum for slip. Be extra careful with your choice of serum. Only use one that is intended for microneedling treatments. Hyaluronic acid is the safest. DO NOT use Vitamin C, retinol or other aggressive products that could cause a reaction.
- Turn the microneedle pen on, hold skin tight with one hand and glide with gentle pressure – the pen over your skin in small patches or grids using vertical, horizontal, and diagonal patterns. Keep applying serum as needed for slip. The goal is for each area of the face to have the same level of erythema, or redness. You can do small circles in areas that need extra attention.
Post treatment
It’s not necessary to wash your face, but if you are compelled to do so, be sure to use tepid water and apply hyaluronic acid to hydrate, sooth and calm the skin.
Avoid exercise, sweating, swimming, makeup and sun exposure for the first 24 hours.
It’s common to have redness, swelling, pinpoint bleeding. This usually subsides after 24-48 hours.
Be especially gentle with your skin for the next week. Don’t use any harsh or abrasive products or tools. You may peel from the treatment, just be sure to allow your skin to heal on the surface.
Be sure to avoid sun exposure for at least a week, wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water to help protect your skin barrier and hydrate your skin.
After a week post treatment, I like to derma plane (the use of a medical scalpel to remove superficial vellus hair from the face) to get any leftover flakes off for extra smooth skin.
You can return to your regular skin care routine after a week. Be sure to space out your microneedling treatments at least 4 weeks, ideally 6 weeks to allow your skin’s natural healing process to fully cycle.
If you would like more in depth information on microneedling, this book is a great resource: The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling by Dr. Lance Setterfield: https://bestbeautyhacks.com/microneedlebook
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*Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided is for information purposes only Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or skin related diagnosis or treatment options. The statements made about specific products throughout this blog are not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. It is important that you check labels to determine if a product is right for you. Before starting any treatment at home consult a health care or skin care professional to determine if it’s right for you.
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