Microneedling creates controlled micro-injuries to stimulate the body’s natural wound-healing process, while minimizing cellular damage. It triggers the production of collagen and elastin through hundreds of microscopic wounds. The microscopic punctures begin to heal almost immediately, but the body reacts as if wounded, producing new collagen, elastin, and skin cells and sending them to the wounded area. Once the wound is closed, the body produces new collagen and elastin, along with new skin cells, to repair the skin. The result is effective remodeling of scar tissue, which improves skin texture and firmness, reduces large pores and acne scarring, while keeping the overall structure of the skin intact.
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is used in skin care to kickstart the body’s natural beautification process. A tube of blood is drawn from your arm, and immediately spun down in a centrifuge to isolate the plasma, which contains growth factors, platelets and nutrient-rich proteins. Your plasma is spread over your face, and the mechanized SkinPen device is used to deliver thousands of micro-punctures to the outermost layer of skin. The growth factors and cytokines penetrate deeply, triggering collagen regeneration and stimulating your skin’s ability to repair itself. By precisely controlling the depth, spacing, frequency, and pattern of these needle pricks, Bellus Medical SkinPen technology stimulates your body’s natural healing process, breaking down damaged tissue and producing healthy new cells. These cells repair and remodel the injured tissue, producing organized, healthy dermal tissue such as collagen and elastin, creating smoother more glowing skin.
SkinPen by Bellus Medical is the first microneedling device cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, clinically proven to safely and effectively treat facial acne scars for ages.
The treatment takes about 30-45 minutes. Topical numbing takes about 10-15 minutes.
Downtime is minimal, with skin appearing flushed immediately after a treatment, like a light sunburn to deeper pink. You may also experience some areas of slight pin-prick bleeding. Typically, any redness will resolve within 1–2 days. Most patients can return to work and normal activities immediately following the treatment; make-up can be applied 24 hours later. By 48 hours after the microneedling process, the skin should return to normal, and within the first week the effects of the treatment are seen. Over the next few weeks, continued improvement occurs as the skin remodels, and cumulative treatments lead to more permanent results.
With numbing, patients experience very little discomfort.
Results are apparent in 10-14 days and cumulative after a few sessions.
Multiple treatments deliver lasting results that can keep you looking younger for years to come. Generally, we recommend an initial 3 treatments over 3 months for general skin firming and tone improvement. For scar reduction, three to six treatments are often required.
Let us know if you have a history of cold sores in or near the treatment area. Avoid immediate sun-exposure in the first 48 hours, and wear sunscreen consistently to preserve and maintain results of treatments. Avoid any lotions with Retinol, as this can make you more sensitive to the procedure.
We are proud to offer microneedling at Holladay Dermatology & Aesthetics, and if you desire, we can also include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with your procedure. We invite you to contact us today to schedule your appointment.