Microneedling

Microneedling uses a device which delivers micro-needles at high speed and in a vertical in and out motion.

We fit the device with a sterile, single-use head which contains micro-needles and is moved over the skin while the head vibrates vertically delivering tiny punctures into the dermis.

The device works by triggering your skin’s wound-healing response stimulating the production of new elastin and collagen.

As your skin is primarily concerned with its health, and not how it appears, it usually assumes that stretchmarks, wrinkles and scars are repaired and functional. Microneedling thus tricks the skin into a repair of these areas producing new, healthy skin.

This process of new skin growth can continue for several months after treatment.

The effects of this procedure can be rather striking. Microneedling produces new, healthy, younger-looking skin cells to replace older or damaged ones.

Microneedling does not involve injections and is minimally invasive, so side-effects or allergic reactions are unlikely to occur.

Treatment will usually take about 30 minutes to an hour.

Initially, your skin may look red and flushed as if you have a mild sunburn. This appearance will pass quite quickly, and your skin should return to normal in less than a day.

Initially, your skin may feel tight and mildly sensitive. This feeling will pass within a few hours.

• General skin ageing
• Lines
• Wrinkles
• Crow’s feet
• Folds
• Acne scars
• Stretchmarks
• Chicken Pox scars
• Operation scars
• Other scars
• Burn scars
• Hypopigmentation
• Hyperpigmentation
• Lack of skin firmness
• General lack of skin radiance

The effects of your procedure will start to show in around six to eight weeks and should continue to become more apparent over the next few weeks as more of the healing process replaces old cells.

Microneedling won’t hurt you or your baby, but the needles trigger wound-healing which in turn requires vitamins and nutrients which otherwise might be utilised by the baby, so for this reason, microneedling is not suitable for women during pregnancy.

Microneedling works by triggering your skin to rejuvenate and so naturally is safe for all colours and types of skin.

We do not recommend other invasive procedures such as laser resurfacing for Black or Asian skin due to the potential risks of pigmentary changes, delayed wound-healing, and scarring.

Microneedling is great when used as a treatment for fine lines and wrinkles. We see best results over a period of 4-6 treatments.

Microneedling is effectual in improving the appearance of (or eliminating) stretch marks.

Microneedling is very useful in repairing surgery scars.

Depending on the depth of the treatment required, it’s possible to experience pin-point bleeding during the procedure but not on an ongoing basis. You may have temporary redness of the skin for an hour or so, or possibly for 24 hours, depending upon the treatment depth and age of the skin.

This treatment may not be suitable in the presence of:

• Keloid or raised scarring in the targeted zone
• A history of psoriasis, eczema, and other chronic conditions
• A history of actinic (solar) keratosis
• A history of Herpes Simplex infections
• A history of diabetes
• Presence of raised moles, warts or any raised lesions on the targeted area

This treatment is contra-indicated in the presence of:

• Scleroderma, collagen vascular diseases or cardiac abnormalities
• Rosacea and blood clotting problems
• Active bacterial or fungal infection
• Immuno-suppression
• Scars less than six months old
• Facial fillers less than six months old

For microneedling sheffield we use the Derma FNS, an automated needling device. This is a next generation needling system and has major advantages over manual rollers. It is an electric pen with 9 acupuncture needles. The needles can be adjusted to varying lengths on a continuous dial from 0.1mm through over 2mm. The speed can also be adjusted to a maximum speed that will produce 70,000 holes/minute. As the needles go straight in and out, rather than the cycling motion with rollers, then the automated needling devices are much less painful and redness dissipates much faster. The model we use is different in that the motor pulls the needles out of the skin before pushing them back in again and does not rely only on a spring to retract the needles. A spring cannot keep up with the speed of the motor and this can lead to catching of the skin and excessive unwarranted trauma.

As the head is small the Derma FNS is more versatile allowing easy treatment of the upper lip and nose which were very difficult to treat with rollers.