If the needles penetrate beyond the recommended depth into the dermis or subcutaneous layer, it may lead to side effects like bleeding, bruising, or even scarring in severe cases. Deeper microneedling can also break down facial fat, resulting in volume loss over time.
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.
The unfortunate truth is that aside from additional pain and longer healing time, many derma roller users suffer from side effects. These long-term microneedling side effects include infection, scarring, skin pigment changes, and adverse reactions to topical products used during the procedure.
A lack of proper aftercare, inappropriate techniques, and the use of unsuitable products can worsen these outcomes, leading to prolonged healing times and, in some cases, irreversible damage. Even in professional settings, microneedling should not be viewed as a panacea.
Why Do I Look Older After Microneedling? You might look older after microneedling because your skin is temporarily inflamed and shedding older layers.
Certain conditions can make a person a poor candidate. These include pregnancy, recent Accutane use, active acne outbreaks, or specific skin disorders. A history of poor wound healing and skin treatments like radiation and microneedling with PRP injection in the past year also raises red flags for patients.
The average cost of microneedling in the US is about $640 per session, according to over 300 patient experiences on RealSelf. This can vary between $300 to $700, however, depending on: Your location: Prices may be higher in major cities or upscale clinics.
Even though microneedling benefits the skin, overdoing it can cause serious risks, including skin irritation, redness, and inflammation, leading to discomfort. Overdoing treatments or not allowing ample time between sessions can lead to scarring and even hyperpigmentation.
Despite its many advantages, there are some risks associated with microneedling such as infection, inflammation and discoloration. Long-term effects may include scarring or changes in pigmentation so caution should be taken when undergoing this treatment.
Follow a Skincare Regimen
Following a consistent skincare regimen can help to maintain the results of microneedling. A skincare regimen that includes cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing regularly can help to improve the texture and tone of the skin, as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Improper Technique: Applying excessive pressure or using incorrect needle depth can lead to skin trauma, scarring, and permanent damage. Infection Risks: Poor hygiene practices, unsterile equipment, or microneedling over active lesions increase the chances of bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.
Risks that May Occur From Microneedling
As mentioned earlier, microneedling side effects can cause swelling, redness, and skin flaking in the short term. However, people undergoing the treatment risk experiencing more severe side effects such as bleeding, bruising, peeling, and sometimes skin infections.
This triggers your body's wound healing processes to heal your micro wounds immediately. However, the most dramatic results will not be visible until four to six weeks after treatment. It takes roughly this long for your body to create new, strong, healthy collagen.
As stand-alone treatments, these are both fantastic in their own ways. Botox will provide good visual results on the skin, as the area will look and feel smoother – although for firmer, plumper, healthy-looking skin, microneedling wins, hands-down.
Microneedling can help improve the appearance and texture of your skin. It can minimize stretch marks, scars, wrinkles and other skin concerns. It doesn't carry the risk of skin discoloration, unlike some facial rejuvenation procedures that use heat, light or lasers.
A treatment session itself only lasts between 20 and 30 minutes depending on how many areas need to be treated. However, you must wait for the numbing cream to take effect and have your treatment area disinfected. Expect to spend at least an hour or two from start to finish.
Both of these procedures will improve the appearance of skin. However, chemical peels work best on superficial, surface-level imperfections such as dark spots or hyperpigmentation, while microneedling penetrates deeper to improve more troublesome issues, such as acne scars, wrinkles, and sagging.
"There are no risks or downtime if microneedling is performed properly," notes Dr. Katz. "When microneedling is not performed properly, there are serious risks like infections, scarring, hyperpigmentation, and bruising."
The One Area You May Want to Avoid Microneedling—According to Experts. Experts agree: The midface is a no-go zone.
It is rare to get any serious side effects following treatment, however possible side-effects include the following: Bruising/swelling/redness at injection site. Infection. Nausea, headache or flu-like symptoms.
It's normal to experience certain side effects after a microneedling procedure. Your skin can be flushed or even bright red when you leave your visit. Within 48 hours, the majority of the redness you experience after microneedling will go away. Peeling, flaking and breakouts may take a little longer.
What are the side effects of microneedling? There are a few temporary side effects to be aware of with microneedling. The procedure causes short-term swelling, redness, and skin flaking, which can last for a few days. Most people can return to wearing regular makeup within a day of treatment.