Of all the skin treatments I’ve posted about, skin needling is the one I get the most questions about.
I know, I know, the thought of having needles rolled across your face sounds awful, but it’s really not as bad as it sounds.
Is it painful? Yeah. Is it worth it? YES!
Skin needling is my favourite professional treatment because it treats all of my main skin concerns in the one treatment.
In the last few months, I had three skin needling treatments with Sarah at Luminous Skin Clinic, and I emerged from lockdowns after the final treatment with the glowiest skin of my life!
Here’s everything you need to know about in-clinic skin needling.
*For transparency, the treatments from Luminous Skin Clinic were complimentary.
What Is Skin Needling & What Does Skin Needling Do?
Skin needling, also known as microneedling, uses small needles to puncture the skin to create micro-injuries.
In-clinic, an automated dermapen micro-needling device is used to penetrate vertically into the skin.
The vertical stamping action creates invisible micro-injuries to the skin, which stimulates the skin’s natural ability to heal itself and increase the production of new collagen.
Sarah from Luminous Skin Clinic used a different infusion in each session to target my main skin concerns, which are fine lines, texture and pigmentation.
In addition to stimulating collagen production, the micro-channels created by the needling device also allow these infusions to penetrate deeper into the skin.
Microneedling At Home vs Skin Needling Treatments.
OK, so does home microneedling work?
It's important to understand in-clinic skin needling is different to at-home skin needling devices where you roll needles across your face.
Like most skin treatments, skin needling performed by a skin professional will yield different results to any at-home microneedling device.
That’s not to say at-home microneedling tools like rollers are bad for your skin, but using one yourself is very different to the in-clinic experience.
The main differences include the depth and size of needles used, the amount of control and precision, professional treatment tools available, expert techniques and risk of damage or infection.
This YouTube video explains the difference between at-home and in-clinic skin needling, too.
Skin Needling Benefits.
According to Sarah from Luminous Skin Clinic, benefits of skin needling include:
Increases collagen production.
Can treat the look of scars.
Reduces the appearance of pores.
Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Helps to achieve smoother, firmer and more toned skin.
Basically, it’s the powerhouse of in-clinic treatments!
Microdermabrasion vs Microneedling.
Skin needling vs microdermabrasion is a common question.
They sound the same, but these two skin treatments are very different.
As mentioned above, skin needling involves creating tiny injuries using a very fine, sterile needle to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Microdermabrasion is a somewhat old-school exfoliating treatment that involves resurfacing the top layer of the skin using a combination of abrasive crystals and suction technology.
You can learn more about microdermabrasion here or watch the YouTube video at home to see how microdermabrasion at home works.
Can Anyone Get Skin Needling?
Microneedling for acne scars, hyperpigmentation and melasma is very popular, but it can also be great for anyone who wants to address texture issues.
But I would always recommend seeing a dermal therapist to get a personalised treatment plan before booking your skin needling.
When I saw Sarah, I got LED light therapy, followed by skin needling, followed by a chemical peel and finished with a soothing mask.
One of the main risks of skin needling is it can lead to pigmentation due to the wound response, so this is why it’s so important to consult a dermal therapist or skin specialist first.
What Happens in a Skin Needling Treatment?
Depending on where you get your treatment, you may get numbing cream applied to your face 30 minutes beforehand.
I’ve had treatments with and without numbing cream, and overall, I didn’t think numbing cream made a huge difference.
The actual skin needling is fairly quick - I would say around 10 minutes for the actual needling itself.
Sarah applied an infusion (like a concentrated serum) and then started using the skin needling pen across my face, neck and chest.
Here’s a video of my third treatment at Luminous Skin Clinic to you can see the treatment in action.
Skin Needling After Care.
One of the best parts about this treatment is the downtime is pretty minimal. I find within 24 hours, the redness has significantly gone down.
You’ll feel pretty sunburnt for the first day or two, and after that, your skin will start to go back to normal.
A few things to be mindful of:
No physical activity for 24-48 hours.
Can you wear makeup after skin needling? No makeup for 24 hours.
After that, I used mineral makeup. I love Aspect Minerals Liquid for after skin treatments.
No active serums for 5-7 days. I always see how my skin feels and avoid any actives until I feel like it’s back to normal.
I recommend sticking to a soothing balm for the first five days after getting the treatment.
My favourite post-procedure skincare product is the Murad Intensive Recovery Cream 50ml, which will calm redness, soothes stressed out skin and aids in skin recovery.
My Skin Needling Before and After Review.
You can see my microneedling before and after results in these microneedling before and after pictures above.
I started my skin needling treatments when I got back from a long holiday in Queensland.
As you can see from the picture, my skin was looking textured and uneven, with enlarged pores.
The main difference I found after the treatments was a reduction in the appearance of my pores and more refined skin texture.
My skin looked and felt tighter, smoother and generally more even after three treatments.
Does Microneedling Hurt?
*WARNING: Bloody pic incoming, scroll at your own risk.
'Does skin needling hurt' is probably the most common question I get...
Yes, my treatments hurt. I’m not going to sugar coat it!
But it does depend on what depth of needle you’re getting. Needle depths can range depending on what skin concern you’re treating.
For example, at-home skin needling devices are around 0.25mm, whereas I’ve had 1.5mm in-clinic.
According to dermal therapist Derya Koch from Victorian Dermal Group, if you were treating acne scarring, the depth of the needles would be around 3mm.
For me, the worst area was the forehead, and once that area was done, I found the rest of the face completely bearable.
Be warned, there will be some blood. But then it's gone! See below.
Beauty editor Joanna got her skin needling done live for the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast and her dermal therapist increased and decreased the depth depending on what part of the face she was treating.
Joanna actually didn’t find it as uncomfortable as I did, so it definitely depends on your pain tolerance.
But if you have a very low pain threshold, you may want to speak to your dermal therapist about whether this treatment is right for you.
Listen to this episode of the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast to experience Joanna’s skin needling treatment.
So, Is Skin Needling Worth It?
I would genuinely highly recommend this treatment if you’re looking for glowier, plumper skin.
How many sessions of skin needling do you need to see results? Ask your dermal therapist how many they'd recommend, usually you need around three.
Despite the pain, it’s still my favourite in-clinic treatment and I would 100% be back again to get this treatment done.
No pain, no gain, right?
Want to know more about skin treatments? Have a read through these articles below:
What Is Laser Genesis? The All-Rounder Skin Treatment Dermal Therapists Are Obsessed With
From Laser to Laser Hair Removal, Let’s Talk About Skin Treatments for Darker Skin Tones
From Laser to Needling, An Expert Shares Exactly What to Put on Your Skin After a Treatment
