What is “natural collagen induction,” and how is SkinPen microneedling beneficial to our skin?
Dermal needling has been gaining popularity, and this non-surgical method of remodeling the skin is being used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, and overall skin tone. SkinPen is FDA-registered and comfortably creates thousands of micro-injuries in the skin to trigger the body’s natural wound healing process. This process results in skin remodeling, including the formation of collagen and elastin, the two proteins predominantly responsible for the structure of the skin. The result is beautiful, youthful-looking skin. (see before and after pictures here)
During a SkinPen treatment, the face is cleansed, and a topical anesthetic gel is applied to the skin and is given time to take effect. After approximately 20 minutes, the treatment area maintains feeling but is desensitized. SkinFuse products are applied to the face and provide “slip” to the skin as the device is moved across the face. The device itself is covered in a protective sheath, and the one-time-use disposable cartridge contains twelve surgical steel microneedles that are adjusted to varying depths, according to the area being treated. As SkinPen is moved across the face, its microneedles quickly move up and down and create small channels of injury in the skin. SkinFuse product is driven down into the channels, helping to kick-start the production of collagen and elastin. The body’s natural response to the micro injuries is to produce and deposit collagen and elastin into the skin, which helps to rebuild skin tone and structure. The SkinFuse product supports the body’s natural production of collagen. Collagen and elastin production takes approximately six weeks. SkinPen helps with acne scars by physically breaking apart the fibrous matrix of scar tissue beneath the skin and rebuilding the skin.
The idea of twelve needles rapidly creating thousands of injuries to one’s face doesn’t appeal to many, but the procedure itself is very comfortable.
With the lidocaine gel, the procedure feels like a cat tongue, or a “heavy tickle” of the face. Depth of the needles varies according to the area of the face. Typical treatment includes the entire face and neck, and SkinPen is used in multiple passes to create “moderate erythema” (a little bit of pinkness) and/or pinpoint bleeding. Clinical trials have shown that outcomes are dependent on the number of passes performed, and not depth-dependent. While it would be possible to create pinkness of the skin by using a deeper depth of the needle in a single pass, it is better to use a shallower needle depth with multiple passes, increasing needle depth with each pass during the treatment session. Allowing more passes creates more micro injuries, stimulating more collagen and elastin. After SkinPen treatment, the face and neck have mild redness, similar to a mild to moderate sunburn. Patients are sent home with SkinFuse products, which are the only products to be used on the face for the first 24 hours. The micro injuries are considered “wounds,” and SkinFuse products have been studied and shown to be safe in wound healing, so patients are advised to avoid use of any other products. SkinFuse products do not contain sunscreen, and sun is to be avoided after treatment.
The pinkness of the skin gradually diminishes, and most patients are able to return to running errands and being “out and about” without noticeable pinkness approximately 24 hours after treatment.
SkinPen treatment takes approximately 30 minutes, and treatment is effective on the face, neck and décolletage. It is safe for all skin types and is ideal at any time of the year. Because of the recommendation for sun avoidance, winter is a great opportunity for patients to have SkinPen treatment. Patients notice benefit after a single treatment session, and optimal results are typically obtained in 3-6 treatment sessions. Treatments can be repeated in as early as one-month intervals. SkinFuse products that are used during the treatment session are also sent home with the patient for at-home use. Come and discover why SkinPen has been featured on Good Morning America (watch it here), USA Today, and The View (view the segment here), and why our patients are returning for this popular, non-surgical, natural collagen induction technique.