While there are many treatments available to address pore size, microneedling stands out as a successful way to improve pore size, skin texture, and discoloration, as well as, taking care of the appearance of those fine lines you try to hide.
If you're trying to minimize your pores, you should only expect to need one treatment session. On the other hand, you may need two or three treatment sessions to erase moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds.
In addition to removing blackheads, microneedling can also make pores smaller, which helps prevent more blackheads from forming.
No. This is clearly a misconception. What microneedling does that it creates micro injuries on the surface of the skin. When microneedling on enlarged pores, the skin, for some days looks a bit rough and the pores appear bigger because of the damage caused by the needles.
Sometimes skin can look slightly swollen after microneedling. This is due to the natural and mechanical injury of the treatment. Degree of swelling (if any) will depend on skin sensitivity and the aggressiveness of the treatment. When swelling does occur, it is subtle and subsides in about three days.
The initial skin tightening and pore reduction can be seen immediately after treatment. However, you won't see your final microneedling results until four to six weeks after your anti-aging treatment.
During the first few days after your microneedling procedure, you'll want to avoid direct sun exposure and rigorous exercise. Exfoliants and alcohol-based skin products can also make side effects worse, so you should avoid these. It's also possible to experience acne breakouts after skin needling.
It is a good idea to start this type of treatment in your 20's or 30's so that the boost in collagen production is more significant. This is going to train the skin to produce collagen regularly and keep your skin looking younger longer.
As a general rule of thumb, microneedling treatment can be safely done about once a month or every 4 to 6 weeks.
A laser treatment such as Laser Genesis by Cutera, will also reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, will stimulate collagen, and renew damaged skin. Because it is a non-ablative laser, there is no downtime required, and it is an excellent treatment when paired with a series of microdermabrasions.
Most clients see full results at between four and six weeks following treatment. This gives your body enough time to produce collagen and elastin and to send it to your micro wounds. At this point, you'll notice your skin looking both younger and healthier.
Hyaluronic acid can be used following microneedling, and it's even recommended in some cases to help stimulate collagen production after your procedure. If your skin feels dry, it's generally safe to apply coconut oil as an emollient to lock in moisture and hydrate your face after microneedling.
Microneedling creates tiny holes in the skin, which could let germs enter, especially if the equipment isn't cleaned well. But the risk of infection is very low. If you're healthy, an infection from microneedling is unlikely.
Fine Lines and Loose Skin
This happens because our bodies produce less collagen over time, taking away our skin's structure. This is most noticeable in sagging skin, but it's the reason behind wrinkles and uneven skin texture too.
It is suitable for most skin types, but not all. Microneedling, however, is different than a superficial Microdermabrasion treatment and provides much more benefit, because it reaches below the skin surface. The procedure creates many microscopic punctures in the skin's outer layers.
Microneedling causes lax skin to tighten and appear less loose and aged. The boost of collagen, elastin, and healthy skin cells also means your skin is better equipped to resist further signs of aging.
While it can work wonders at improving acne scars, microneedling can actually spread bacteria in the skin, making breakouts worse. Pin point bleeding isn't uncommon. According to Dr. Shafran, it's normal for there to be some pinpoint bleeding on the skin from having the needles inserted into the skin.
As we just mentioned, microneedling can help treat acne scars by promoting the growth of new skin cells, but it can also stop acne from forming by reducing the production of sebum, which makes your skin oily. Reducing sebum production ultimately leads to fewer blackheads and whiteheads, as well as chronic cystic acne.
If you suffer from acne such as blackheads, pimples, whiteheads, then microneedling may be the answer. As the needle pokes tiny holes into your skin, they remove the source of build up and let your skin heal. Followed by the procedure, your skin should be better in line than before the procedure with acne.
Chemical peels generally work best on superficial imperfections; conversely, microneedling penetrates deeper to improve more troublesome issues. Many people with wrinkles find a combination of microneedling and chemical peels deliver the best results.
Microneedling can cause bleeding so it may not be suitable for people with clotting or bleeding disorders, or who take medicine to thin their blood. You may want to avoid microneedling if you have conditions that affect your skin, such as eczema or diabetes, or if you have a weakened immune system.
If you are looking for a way to improve the overall look and texture of your skin, microneedling is absolutely an option you should consider. It is not a painful treatment or one that is going to take a long time. And, the benefits are pretty amazing!
Vitamin C pairs wonderfully with nano-needling though, so definitely try to include this ingredient into your routine without any risk of irritation.