Facial Microneedling: What It Does and Does Not Do
Acne marks remain on your cheeks, or fine lines are becoming more visible. You have heard about facial microneedling and want to understand what it could change about your skin. Microneedling creates tiny punctures in the skin so that it repairs itself. The result varies from person to person, and an assessment shows whether this treatment makes sense for your skin.
At a glance
Five things to know before deciding- The treatment: small needles puncture the skin of the face, and the effect comes from the repair of these tiny punctures.
- What it can improve: texture, skin tone, fine lines and the uneven surface left by acne, gradually and with no guarantee.
- Sessions and after-effects: several sessions may be needed; after the treatment, the skin can turn red or look darker and feel sunburned.
- Risks: bleeding, infection and changes in pigmentation are possible; a new needle cartridge is used for each person and each session.
- Before the treatment: an assessment, which can lead to postponing or adjusting the treatment.
What Is Microneedling and How Does It Work?
Facial microneedling uses small needles to puncture the skin. The punctures are tiny, and their repair is what matters: as the skin heals, collagen, a protein that supports the tissues, comes into play. This is called collagen induction. The repair can make scars and fine lines less visible, and texture and skin tone more even.
Collagen builds up gradually: you cannot judge the result from how the skin looks right after a session. An improvement may be visible after a few weeks, and it usually takes several months to reach the full result.
The term "microneedling" refers to this use of small needles. When it is done on the face, it is also called facial microneedling: it still involves small, controlled punctures and is not a treatment that acts only on the surface.
What Microneedling Is Used For: Benefits and Indications
Microneedling can make certain skin irregularities less visible. What you want to improve matters: uneven texture, fine lines and acne scars are not the same problem.
- Texture and skin tone
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Uneven skin texture or skin tone can become more even.
- Fine lines and fine wrinkles
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They can become less visible.
- Visible pores
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They can look less prominent; the treatment does not remove them.
Microneedling for Acne Scars
An acne scar is the uneven surface or mark left by a healed pimple; an active pimple, on the other hand, is ongoing inflammation. The two are not treated at the same time: painful, deep or pus-filled pimples can lead to microneedling being postponed until they clear up. The treatment can make scars less visible as the skin produces collagen; it does not guarantee that they will be erased.
For some indented acne scars, a fractional CO2 laser can produce a more noticeable improvement than microneedling, with a longer recovery and more brown spots. The choice depends on your scars and your skin; this does not make the laser a better option in every case.
What Microneedling Does Not Do
Microneedling creates small punctures; it does not inject a filler gel into the skin. The repair it triggers and the volume added by an injected product are two different mechanisms. Nor does it address every visible irregularity. An uneven surface, discolouration and an active pimple do not call for the same approach, and choosing the treatment starts with clarifying what you see.
Finally, another person's skin in a video does not tell you how much change you will get or how long it will take.
How Many Sessions Does It Take, and What Results Can You Expect?
A single session is not always enough: several may be needed to achieve what you are looking for, and the improvement may be temporary, which is why maintenance is sometimes offered. The desired cosmetic result is not guaranteed.
- Number of sessions: ask how many sessions are recommended for what you want to improve.
- Time between sessions: ask what interval is planned and why.
- Maintenance: additional sessions may be needed to maintain the result; their frequency becomes clearer during the assessment.
- First changes: sometimes after a few weeks; the full result usually takes several months.
- How the change is observed: ask how the change will be assessed and when you will review your progress.
The number of sessions that is appropriate for you becomes clearer after your skin has been assessed.
The Days That Follow: Microneedling Aftercare
In the hours that follow, the skin can turn red, as if it were sunburned; on darker skin, it may look darker instead. Discomfort, a burning sensation and swelling are possible. This does not always happen, and it is not the same as a complication.
Before the session, ask what you will need to do for your skin in the following days. After the treatment, your skin may be more sensitive to the products you were using before.
- Sun
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Sun protection is part of the instructions.
- Products
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Ask which products to avoid and when to resume your routine; follow the instructions specific to the treatment.
- If a problem arises
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Before the session, ask for the written instructions and the contact information to use if there is a problem.
Risks, Side Effects and Contraindications
Microneedling punctures the skin, and any procedure that punctures the skin carries risks. Most adverse effects appear shortly after the treatment and go away, but some can last, and a few can be permanent.
Painful, deep or pus-filled pimples, a sunburn or a recent tan can lead to the treatment being postponed. Also mention a skin infection or a cold sore. Slow or difficult healing, a history of keloids, a weakened immune system, a blood clotting disorder, anticoagulant treatment, pregnancy or breastfeeding can make the treatment unsuitable. Discuss these before the session.
- Possible effects
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Bleeding, bruising, redness, dryness, itching, flaking, discomfort and burning.
- Less common
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Infection, changes in pigmentation and cold sore reactivation.
- Hygiene
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A new needle cartridge for each person and each session, even for you from one session to the next; cleaning it does not make reusing it safe.
- Questions to ask
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How the equipment is handled and what to do if a complication occurs.
Seek care right away
Signs of a complication after the treatment require immediate medical care. Before the session, ask which signs to watch for and where to get this care, including when CARE MD cannot be reached.
In a Clinic or at Home: What Changes
A device sold for home use does not provide the same treatment. These products may act only on the surface, whereas other devices penetrate living layers of the skin. When an at-home device punctures the skin, it can cause infection or scarring, and pressing too hard can damage the skin, leave scars or change its colour and texture. The difference between at-home and in-clinic microneedling lies in the device, the depth it reaches, hygiene and the assessment that comes before the treatment.
What Sets Microneedling Apart From Other Treatments
- Radiofrequency
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Radiofrequency microneedling adds heat energy beneath the skin, which makes it a different treatment. Some of its uses have caused serious complications, such as burns, scarring or nerve damage. Conventional microneedling uses needles without adding radiofrequency energy.
- Laser
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For some indented acne scars, a fractional CO2 laser may be discussed, with a longer recovery and a risk of brown spots.
- PRP
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A preparation made from your own blood. Combining it with microneedling is a separate approach, not a feature of microneedling alone; the FDA, the U.S. health authority, has not evaluated the safety or effectiveness of these combinations.
- Peels and microdermabrasion
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A peel can make skin tone more even and the skin smoother; depending on the treatment, a recovery period is needed. If you are considering microdermabrasion instead, ask what change it aims to make to your skin and what after-effects it involves, so you can compare it with the punctures of microneedling and their gradual repair.
During the assessment, you will be able to compare treatments based on what you want to improve and the recovery they require.
Treated Areas: Face, Neck and Upper Chest
A treatment plan for the face does not automatically carry over to the neck or upper chest. For each of these areas, ask whether the device and treatment being considered are appropriate, what intensity is planned and what result to expect.
Why an Assessment Comes Before the Treatment
The assessment is used to examine your skin, learn about your health and understand what you expect from the treatment. It helps determine whether microneedling may suit you and whether your expectations are realistic. It can lead to postponing the treatment, adjusting it or not going ahead with it. Make a note of what has changed in your skin and the treatments you have already tried: this information will help you explain your concern.
Bring the information that could change the decision:
- Your medications: the complete list, without changing how you take any of them on your own.
- Your skin: healing problems, keloids, skin infections, cold sores.
- Your health: a blood clotting disorder, a weakened immune system, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Your history: previous procedures and treatments already tried.
Also prepare your questions: what you can reasonably expect, the number of sessions and maintenance, after-effects and written instructions, how the equipment is handled. You can ask CARE MD these questions even before the assessment, using the contact form. Never change how you take a medication on your own.
Ask Us About Microneedling
If you have painful, deep or pus-filled pimples, a sunburn or a recent tan, your session may be postponed.
If your blood does not clot normally, you take an anticoagulant or your immune system is weakened, the treatment may not be suitable for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does microneedling hurt?
Microneedling can be uncomfortable. An anesthetic applied to the skin is often used to reduce pain, without necessarily eliminating it; mention any allergy or sensitivity to these products before the session. After the treatment, discomfort, a burning sensation similar to a sunburn and a little swelling may linger. Before the session, ask what is planned to limit discomfort in your case.
Sources2 references
How much does microneedling cost?
To find out the cost of what is recommended for you, ask what the plan includes: the area concerned, the planned treatment and the number of sessions. During the assessment, make sure the total cost and what is included are spelled out before you decide.
Microneedling, a peel or microdermabrasion: what is the difference?
Microneedling creates small punctures whose repair brings collagen into play; the change builds up gradually. A peel can make skin tone more even and the skin smoother; depending on the treatment, a recovery period is needed. For microdermabrasion, ask what the treatment can improve in your skin and what after-effects to expect. Your choice needs to take into account what you want to improve and the recovery time, not only the name of the treatment.
Sources2 references
What results and how many sessions can you expect with microneedling, and what is recovery like?
The result is not guaranteed, and it builds up gradually: an improvement may be visible after a few weeks, and the full result usually takes several months. Several sessions may be needed, and maintenance may be offered, because the improvement may be temporary. The number of sessions and the time between them are set during the assessment. In the hours that follow, the skin can turn red or darken, feel a slight burning sensation and swell; your instructions specify sun protection and which products to set aside.
Sources3 references
When should microneedling be postponed?
Certain skin problems and health circumstances can lead to the treatment being postponed or make it unsuitable. Painful, deep or pus-filled pimples, a sunburn or a recent tan, a skin infection or a cold sore must be mentioned before the session to determine whether the treatment should be postponed. Slow healing, a history of keloids, a weakened immune system, a blood clotting disorder, anticoagulant treatment, pregnancy or breastfeeding must be mentioned beforehand: in that case, the treatment may not be appropriate. Never stop taking a medication on your own.
Sources2 references
Does microneedling erase acne scars?
There is no guarantee that they will be erased. Microneedling can make them less visible as the skin produces collagen, but there is no guarantee that they will be erased, and an active pimple must heal first. For some indented acne scars, a fractional CO2 laser may be discussed, with a longer recovery and a risk of brown spots. The assessment makes it possible to compare this option with microneedling for your scars.
Sources2 references
Sources7 references+
- American Academy of Dermatology — Microneedling can fade scars, uneven skin tone, and more (opens in a new tab)
- FDA — Microneedling Devices (opens in a new tab)
- FDA — Microneedling Devices: Getting to the Point on Benefits, Risks and Safety (opens in a new tab)
- Potential Risks with Certain Uses of Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling – FDA Safety Communication (opens in a new tab)
- FDA — Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers) (opens in a new tab)
- American Academy of Dermatology — Chemical peels: Overview (opens in a new tab)
- Agrawal et al., Indian Dermatology Online Journal — Evaluating the Pros and Cons of Fractional CO2 Laser Versus Microneedling in Atrophic Acne Scars in the Skin of Color: A Split Face Study (opens in a new tab)
Microneedling: What It Does Not Guarantee and What Calls for Caution
At CARE MD, the assessment of your skin and your situation is an opportunity to check whether this treatment suits you.
Limitations and precautions
Mention your medications, any healing problems, history of keloids, skin infections, cold sores, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Check that a new needle cartridge is used for you and for each session.
If there is a complication after the treatment, get immediate medical care.
Do not change how you take your medications without medical advice.
Your result is not guaranteed and will not necessarily last; allow for the possibility of several sessions and maintenance.
Your uneven skin texture, discolouration or active pimples call for different approaches: this treatment is not appropriate for every irregularity.
You may have adverse effects that are usually temporary but sometimes long-lasting or permanent.
Do not assume that the benefits and risks of radiofrequency microneedling, or of microneedling with products such as PRP, apply to the conventional treatment: these are separate treatments.
