Microneedling is a wrinkle and acne scar treatment designed to rejuvenate your skin by stimulating your body’s natural production of collagen. Acne occurs primarily in adolescents, but for some, acne is an ongoing condition that persists throughout adulthood. Many patients notice troublesome acne scars that persist long after an acne outbreak has subsided. Microneedling offers a minimally invasive treatment for acne scars and can also be used to treat signs of facial aging. Both acne scarring and wrinkles can make you feel self-conscious and can contribute to an unclear complexion. At Sutton Place Dermatology, we offer microneedling for acne scars and wrinkles.
Microneedling, also referred to as collagen induction therapy or skin needling, is an acne scar treatment that uses a microneedling pen to stimulate your body’s production of collagen and provides skin resurfacing. Because of its ability to stimulate collagen, microneedling can also be utilized to treat fine lines and wrinkles. A microneedling pen is a hand-held device with short, small pulsating needles. The short needles of a microneedling pen are specifically designed to gently puncture your skin, which will stimulate your body’s collagen production cycle. The needles create small punctures in the skin, but because the microneedling pen is designed to create small pinholes, no permanent scarring will occur. Instead, your body simply begins to produce new collagen in order to fill the small punctures from your microneedling procedure, which creates younger-looking skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars. For the most dramatic, youthful-looking results, microneedling can be combined with platelet-rich plasma injections for a more complete facial rejuvenation.
To begin your microneedling procedure, our dermatologists will apply a topical anesthetic to the treatment areas to reduce any discomfort you may feel during your microneedling treatment. Next, our NYC dermatologists will gently place the microneedling pen over the treatment area, which may include your forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose. A microneedling procedure generally lasts thirty minutes but can vary depending on the size of your treatment area. Following collagen induction therapy, your face may be sensitive and appear slightly inflamed. Any inflammation or irritation should quickly fade in the first few days after your microneedling treatment. While some microneedling results may be seen in the first week after your microneedling procedure, ongoing and continuing results can be expected to be seen in the weeks and months following your initial treatment. Most patients undergo three to six microneedling sessions in order to obtain the most beautiful results.
Microneedling can help treat:
Acne scarring occurs when your pores enlarge due to the presence of excess oil and bacteria. While acne scarring is often contributed to be a result of people picking acne, scarring can still result from acne that has healed without picking. Pores that rupture close to the epidermis are generally mild and can heal without any lasting marks. If the rupture of your pore occurs deeper and affects your dermis, which is the layer of skin under your epidermis, then your body will attempt to heal by stimulating the production of fibers. In some cases, the production of new collagen fibers may cause skin to form that is not as smooth as your original skin, resulting in raised and inflamed acne scarring. In other cases, hypertrophic scarring may occur, which is where the skin produces an excess of new fibers and creates a scar that is three-dimensional or raised. The majority of acne scars are, however, atrophic, also known as depressed scars. Depressed acne scars are a result of too little collagen production, which creates scars that appear sunken. Microneedling promotes the production of collagen, which can fill depressed acne scars and even out hypertrophic acne scarring.
As you age, your body begins to produce less and less hyaluronic acid and collagen. Hyaluronic acid helps your skin to retain moisture, creating a full, youthful appearance. When your body begins to slow the production of hyaluronic acid, your skin’s ability to maintain moisture is significantly hindered, resulting in skin that becomes loose, less volumized, and lax. As a result of depleted levels of hyaluronic acid, your facial features may begin to sag, and wrinkles and creases begin to form. Facial wrinkles and fine lines are also a result of repeated facial movements such as smiling or frowning. You may also have wrinkles from excessive sun exposure or lifestyle choices, such as smoking. By promoting your body’s collagen production cycle, microneedling can firm loose, sagging skin and reduce facial wrinkles.
Our dermatologists would be glad to discuss microneedling with you. To request a personal consultation with our dermatologists to discuss microneedling, please request an appointment online or call 212.838.0270.
