MICRONEEDLING

Skin needling is used for facial rejuvenation, to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone, scarring, texture, pigmentation and is safe on darker skin.

As we age we continuously lose collagen and between the ages of 20 and 40 the skin's collagen diminishes by up to 50 per cent. Unfortunately what we lose in fullness and plumpness we gain in wrinkles.

Somewhere between “injectable” and “topical” skin treatments that promise to counteract the visual effects of ageing lies micro-needling, the use of a handheld device that creates careful, controlled micro skin-trauma. 

Wait?? Isn’t ‘trauma’ bad? 

Micro-needling is an excellent treatment for skin resurfacing and it works by using needles that are long enough to cause microscopic injuries to the fine blood vessels that are at the level of the hair follicles (dermis). This is where the collagen and fibroblasts (skin regeneration) cells live. When there is a small amount of bleeding, platelets leave the blood vessels and get exposed to the surrounding tissue. This causes a reaction making the platelets excrete hormones and growth factors which cause the stimulation of fibroblasts and other collagen-producing cells to start increasing their production. This in turn results in more elastic and rejuvenated skin. It’s your skin’s way of rejuvenating and repairing itself!

At AIR we use a variety of needle depths (up to 3mm for the treatments of acne scarring or deep skin resurfacing) - another benefit! 12 micro sterile surgical needles are introduced into the skin surface at different depths and frequencies of vibration (dependent on the treatment and the areas of the face being treated). Micro-needling works even better when combined with mild or moderate deep skin peels, and derma-planing, which can be done in-clinic.

How does the skin look and feel immediately afterwards?

You will see a pinkness in the skin and potentially some little spots of bleeding, this is a sign that it works. Sometimes there is a little bit of dotty bruising, especially over the bony areas like the forehead. I advise a day of  ‘downtime’ as your skin will be red and tender and we don’t advise the application of any skin products for 12 hours to allow the skin to heal. After this, an anti-oxidant serum is excellent, and not too heavy for the delicate areas.  Its a bit like a mild case of sunburn without the wicked UV rays!

How long do the effects last and how frequently should you do it?

This depends on how intense and how long the needle was; however, it can be done repeatedly or as a one off at roughly monthly intervals.

The results from your first round of treatment will last between four and six weeks after they have settled. Thus, you should expect to come in for a follow-up treatment 4 to 12 weeks after your first treatment.When done properly and at the right intervals, your skin will look smoother, healthier, brighter and with reduced signs of ageing.

Prices from £75 for a 45 minute treatment but bespoke skin treatments can be added for tailored skin concerns.

If you would like to make an appointment or have any questions please send us a message or call us on 01935 433 147.