Going for Blood...Misconceptions of MicroNeedling
Hello Everyone and Happy Spring... I must admit up front, I am super blessed that my business is headed into its 3rd year of existence in Downtown Mesa. Thank you so much for your love and confidence in our work and treatments. It is an awesome feeling to change the world, one beautiful face at a time.
Today, I want to speak on Micro-Needling. Micro-Needling, CIT, Dry Needling, Dry Tattooing...no matter what you call it this treatment should be referred to as a "Controlled Injury" and not solely as a tool for Age Management or to MAGICALLY refresh years of Acne and Dermal scarring, Keloidal and Hyper-trophic Scarring. It is a controlled injury suited to cause Collagen Induction. With this said, I have had several clients who have told me during CIT consults that they don't know much about the procedure itself outside of what they have seen on shows like
"Dr. Oz" or the "Dr's". They have heard things on the Kardashian's or witnessed "how it should be done" on YouTube Channels but the most dangerous story I have heard is that there are non-aestheticians and aestheticians alike offering this treatment with less than a weekend course of study and no hands on time. Some stay at home Moms are being instructed by non-licensed individuals who offer ( at an additional cost) a dermal roller to be used along side of an MLM based, Anti-Aging Product. In my mind, the buck stops here... Dry Tattooing
"Dry tattooing" is actually the term Micro-Needling was first known as in the clinical sense. Dry Tattooing is categorized as an alternative treatment that works directly on damaged skin, relaxing and smoothing scars, also reducing stretch marks and stimulating hair growth. To be honest, whether rolling or employing a needling pen, any needling treatment's goal is to stimulate new life into damaged skin. Wrinkles are present in the skin because they have lost their laxity or the Elastin is damaged. Using a hand held "pen" has become the main-stay and a very quick way and precise method of Dry Tattooing. No serums or nutrition is "tattooed" into the skin, and pigmentation being "normalized" is the clinical endpoint. Not fluffy, skin devoid of wrinkles!
Dry Needling was a form of Healing that began in China centuries ago. It was not until it early 20th century that the idea of using a roller became the norm. In fact, the first rotating dermal wheel was used in Germany in 1905. In the US, the notion of using a needle for scar revision did not begin until the early to mid 90's when two dermatologist brothers in Philadelphia used beveled needles to treat scars. But they STILL were NOT using needling to beautify the skin. Moving Forward into History
When we look at the modern era of micro needling, it is defined as using either solid or hollow needles of the appropriate length and diameter to permeate the top layer of the skin or the "epidermis". Micro-needles weren't being used in 1905 through the 90's because technically, the medical world had to wait until technology caught up to actually produce "Micro" needles. Needles up through this point were "Macro" in size and hinged in slanted columns, like heavy sewing machine needles. So being able to Micro-needle was really based on the ability to technologically produce needles that were small enough to get through the epidermis, into the dermis and allowing for the body's natural healing echelon to occur. Again... The premise was WOUND HEALING and NOT beautification. "Going for blood" was NEVER the intent or goal of Needling... exciting stimulation of the Cytokines that produce collagen was and still is! Unlike the micro-needling devices in the past, Dermal Pens do not roll manually over the skin. They are pen-like instrument that glide across the face either with or without a medium underneath. Most are equipped with a certain "gauge" of needles embedded into a disposable applicator tip. My Pen has an electric motor and is battery powered. The motion of the needle moves up and down with a "stamping" effect. Pens are a better solution to needling because it causes less trauma. "Wheel barreling" causes tearing, rather than stamping.
The beauty of using a pen rather then a roller is that the pen has an adjustable needle depth from 0.25mm up to 2.5mm. The epidermis is only about 100 microns in depth/thickness. The dermis is about 2500 to 3000 microns in depth/thickness, so if you’re on the 2.5, that’s 2500 microns. Another thing I take into consideration when needling is whether I am doing repair or "facial" work. Its important to know which depths to work at because you do not want to cause more damage. For instance, there is no reason to be needling at the 2.5 depth over the top lip "straw wrinkles" caused from smoking or drinking from straws. There are thicker parts of the skin that are cause cause for the depth. Generally I work at the 1.5 and 2.0 area for certain parts of the face, and .75 to 1.0 for shallow areas. So let me set one thing straight...Going Deeper IS NOT Better. Nor is GOING FOR BLOOD! You are at risk for developing clots in the skin, bruising, collagen nodules, hyper-pigmentation and yes, possible nerve damage!
And What About Ingredients...
Most of the people who are taught to needle, are taught by a company or manufacturer of a company who sell specific serums and ingredients to the people who buy their equipment. The equipment originally is purchased in packages where the cost is between $2 and $5,000 and they claim that you MUST return to them in order t buy their specific ingredients. I call Poppycock on this as not all regions of the US are as equally affected by such as Ingredients as Hylauronic Acids.
There are also ingredients such as Copper which helps with the development of connective tissues, ingredients that are used to needle to eliminate or diminish hyper-pigmentation and yet those that deliver enhanced growth factors into the skin. I would highly suggested that you have a conversation with the technician that is doing your treatment. And nurses, PA's, MA's as well as those who work in dermatologists and med spas qualify under this guise as well. Not everybody is trained equally. In fact there are those that are "You Tube Trained". ( which is a scary thought) Treatments are generally scheduled 3 to four weeks apart and sometimes work better synergistic-ally with Peels, IPL laser and Radio-Frequency Treatments. Just keep in mind, you are subjecting your skin to an injury. Controlled Injury or Not it's still an Injury! There is also the aspect of what products you are using at home too and what ingredients that they contain to promote and support your treatments. Let me just say there is NOTHING over the counter that is effective enough to support needling. Maybe a few sunscreens, but on that note, only if they contain 9% of Zinc and Titanium Dioxide!
....And don't get me started on what I refer to as "Poor Man's PRP treatments"....LOL! Another treatment story for another day. Lastly,
Micro-Needling is an Injury and most injuries take between 3-4 weeks to be finished with the echelon of complete healing. Let me just say this, the charlatan that tell you that you can do these two times a month are ridiculous. Unless of course, they are doing superficial work. Also, if you have had acne scarring for over 10 years don't expect it to clear overnight with needling. It doesn't matter what Vitamins you are ingesting, Growth Factors you are using or what products you are using on your face. You MUST allow your skin to heal before you re-injure it. IF you are not prepared for that healing time, you have unreasonable expectations!! I have had my share of those and quite frankly, I am happy I had to turn them away because I want my clients to achieve their 60 to 75% improvement!!
So in the end, Micro-Needling is a GREAT treatment as long as you have done your homework, have booked a consult with a trained professional, and are patient enough to go through what may take at least 6- months to endure waiting for results. I am hopeful I have been able to make things a lot more clear when it comes to this subject for many of you who have asked me. ^j^
