Microneedling is loved by both the granola crowd and those unafraid of chemicals and injections. This budget-friendly, time-friendly procedure helps your skin to help itself by stimulating collagen and elastin production. By creating tiny wounds,
Microneedling helps your body to work to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, minimize the appearance of pores, improve scars, and brighten skin overall. We want to help you optimize the effects of Microneedling, so we’ve put together this guide for what to do and what not to do before and after your Microneedling treatment. The choice to make Microneedling apart of your treatment regimen is an easy one, and if you follow this guide, you’ll see incredible results!
Preparation
In order to optimize the effects of Microneedling, there are just a couple guidelines to follow leading up to your session. Best practice dictates that you avoid alcohol and caffeine the day before and the day of treatment, as they can increase your chances of bruising and inflammation and slow healing
Come to your appointment with a clean, makeup-free face. Unfortunately, if you have any active breakouts, it is best to postpone treatment. Micronee
dling could cause a small breakout to worsen and spread.
The Full Process
You will begin to see results after just one Microneedling session, but in order to optimize the effects of Microneedling, you should schedule several treatments about 4-6 weeks apart. Generally, 3-6 treatments willdo the job, depending on your skin and your goals. If the goal is collagen induction, you’ll likely see full results after 3 treatments. If your goal is to reduce the appearance of scarring, you’ll likely need 6 treatments for optimal results. Those with young skin will see results in as little as 2 treatments.
Once you’ve achieved your desired results, we recommend 2-3 treatments per year to maintain your results.
Aftercare
Downtime is fairly minimal when it comes to Microneedling. You will look a little scary the day of treatment, but the next day you’ll likely notice only minimal redness. Full healing generally takes 24-48 hours, but it can take longer depending on the extent of your treatment. During the healing process, treat your skin as you would a wound by protecting it and keeping it clean. Avoid touchingit and keep pillowcases and sheets clean. This will help to optimize the effects of Microneedling.
Wait at least 5 hours to wash Microneedled skin. This is especially important if your microneedling session included Platelet-Rich Fibrin or Platelet-Rich Plasma, as washing it away will impede its absorption and decrease its benefits.
When you do cleanse your skin, do so with only warm water for 48 hours following treatment. On days 2 and 3, a gentle cleanser that does not exfoliate is safe.
Your skin may be more dry than usual after microneedling. It is safe to hydrate with hyaluronic acid and to use serum antioxidants (such as a source of naturally occurring vitamin e) to aid in healing.
What to Avoid
Although the downtime is fairly minimal, because Microneedling creates many small wounds on your skin, there is a laundry list
of things to avoid to optimize the effects of Microneedling.
- Go makeup-free for at least 24 hours after treatment. If you can make it 72 hours with a bare face, this is optimal.
- Avoid Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Beta Hydroxy Acids, Retino
ls, Vitamin C, scrubs, and active skincare products for 72 hours after treatment. - Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for 48 hours after treatment.
- No swimming for 72 hours after treatment.
- No exercise or strenuous activity for 24 hours after treatment. You’ll thank us for this one! Sweat on fresh skin stings!
Go Big
To elevate results, consider upgrading from basic Microneedling to a Vampire Facial by adding Platelet-Rich Fibfrin or Platelet-Rich Plasma to your treatment. You can also use Microneedling in combination with other treatments. Consider combining Microneedling with a Dermaplane, a Chemical Peel, Botox, Fillers, IV Nutrition Therapy, or Radio Frequency Laser (as in the SmoothGlo Facial).
Conclusion
Microneedling is almost universally helpful, and with a little preparation and aftercare, you can easily optimize the effects of Microneedling and meet your skin goals. Contact us for a consultation to learn more!
xoxo, Rachel and Ryan
