Over the years we’ve been asked hundreds of questions about skin needling, so we’ve collated a collection of the top 35 questions we get asked all the time!
The Basics
What is skin needling? It is predominantly a facial treatment but can also be used anywhere on the body. It uses an electric pen with super fine needles to puncture the skin causing a ‘controlled wound’
How does skin needling work? By causing a ‘controlled wound’ this signals to the body that the area that’s been needled needs to be repaired. And how does the body do this? The same as with any other wound, it send white blood cells to the area to create new collagen and elastin.
Does skin needling work? Absolutely, it’s a fantastic treatment that can help with so many different skin conditions.
Does skin needling hurt? This one is really person dependent. Some people may be uncomfortable during treatment, but it also depends on whether you opt for numbing cream, and the depth of the needles. Different depths target different skin conditions.
Is skin needling safe? When performed correctly by trained professionals, who know how the skin reacts and what to do in case of an adverse event, yes it is very safe.
Is skin needling safe during pregnancy? Provided the appropriate products are used, then yes, technically it can be performed during pregnancy. However, due to the increase in blood, this treatment isn’t always recommended for pregnancy.
What can Skin Needling Help with?
Does skin needling help acne? This is a bit of a controversial topic. A lot of practitioners won’t perform skin needling on active acne, but in fact, on most acnes other than cystic, skin needling can definitely help. You need to know the right depth and procedures for this treatment though. It’s definitely an advanced protocol.
Does skin needling help pigmentation? Depending on what type of pigmentation you have, it can have varying degrees of efficacy on pigmentation. For pigmentation it wouldn’t be our first suggestion.
Is skin needling good for wrinkles? If you were looking for an alternative to laser or anti-wrinkle injections, then yes, it would be good for wrinkles.
Does skin needling help rosacea? It can help rosacea by strengthening the skin, however Rosacea usually points to a gut health issue, so we would be looking at this first, and then other treatment options such as IPL before moving onto skin needling, it is never our first recommendation for Rosacea.
Skin needling to remove stretch marks? It can have an impact on stretch marks, but mostly fresh stretch marks that are still red/purple in colour. Silver stretchmarks may not improve.
Does skin needling reduce pores? By creating new collagen and elastin, pores can appear smaller due to the tightening effect.
Can skin needling be done for melasma? There is some evidence that skin needling can help improve melasma, this again is an advanced technique as it can also very easily make melasma worse.
What about for vitiligo? At a conference we attended recently, there was a discussion about the ‘melanocyte’ (cell responsible for creating pigment) being dormant and not dead, recent studies showed some promising improvements for patients with Vitiligo.
Can you use skin needling for hair loss? Yes you can, it’s best when combined with PRP
Concerns
Can skin needling cause scarring? If done incorrectly, or with an inferior device, absolutely it can cause scarring.
Can skin needling cause pigmentation? Again, if done incorrectly, with an inferior device or with the incorrect products, it can and does cause pigmentation known as Hyperpigmentation.
Can skin needling cause breakouts? Yes, if performed incorrectly it can cause breakouts.
Can skin needling cause broken capillaries? No, not that I’ve ever seen, and would not think it could.
Is it possible to have skin needling without numbing cream? Absolutely, some people even believe it’s better to have treatment without numbing cream.
General Questions
How much does skin needling cost? Depending on where you go will greatly depend on how much you pay. We currently charge $119, but some clinics charge up to $400
Who can perform skin needling? Only trained Beauty Therapists (we recommend a highly trained Beauty Therapist with additional studies in skin), a Dermal Therapist or Clinician, Nurse or Doctor should perform these treatments.
Is skin needling permanent? From your first session, collagen and elastin will continue to build for up to 12 months. When starting out, we recommend a course of treatments, usually 4-10 depending on what you’re trying to target, then maintenance once every 4 months.
How many skin needling treatments? Depending on what skin condition you’re trying to target will depend on how many sessions are recommended. If you’re looking for just better looking skin then 4 sessions, for something like acne scarring 10 treatments would be recommended.
How long does skin needling take? Our procedure takes roughly 30-45 minutes, we also include numbing as well which takes the total treatment time to 1 hour.
How to skin needling at home? Check out our blog on: How to: Skin Needling at home
What is skin needling with prp? PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma. A PRP treatment is when blood is taken, just like in a blood test, it’s then spun down, this process separates Plasma from the blood, the plasma is then removed and needled, and usually injected back into the skin. This treatment can only be performed by Doctors & Nurses.
What’s the difference between skin needling, dermapen, dermal rolling, dermastamp & PRP? Dermapen is a brand of skin needling device, Dermal rolling is using a roller instead of a pen, we don’t recommend this device as it tends to tear the skin rather than needle it. Dermastamp is often the named used for a device that stamps tiny needles with product in them into the skin. PRP is using the bodies own Platelet Rich Plasma to perform treatment and usually involves injecting the plasma as well.
How often should you have skin needling? No less than 4 weeks apart. We always schedule our clients every 6 weeks. Anything less than this and you can actually cause damage to the collagen and elastin forming, which means your treatments are effectively pointless.
Aftercare
What happens after skin needling? After your treatment, your skin will look red and flushed. You need to keep it free of products for at least 24 hours, as well as being sun smart and keeping it away from heat, this includes exercise and hot showers. After a few days, you may begin to lightly flake.
When to exfoliate after skin needling? We recommend waiting at least 4 days post treatment to exfoliate your skin, however make sure it’s just a gentle exfoliation and nothing too harsh.
How long does skin needling take to heal? The skin heals quite quickly, the small little punctures close within a few minutes, but overall the skin will take a few days to heal. It will still be sensitive to the sun, so make sure you remain sun smart.
How long after skin needling can i wear makeup? It’s best to wait at least 24 hours after treatment to apply make-up, and make sure you use clean brushes and good quality non-comedogenic makeup. This will reduce your risk of infection.
How long after skin needling can i exfoliate? We recommend waiting at least 3-4 days after treatment to exfoliate again.
How long after skin needling can you exercise? Minimum 24 hours after treatment you can exercise again. The skin will feel red and flushed like a sunburn and exercise exacerbates this, and we want the skin to calm itself down.
Still got more questions? You can call or TXT Capalaba: 0437 372 764 Aspley: 0466 470 580 or Springfield Lakes: 0402 887 487 or book online