A Microneedling Deep Dive

Written by Sarah Pareds, Medical Aesthetician

If improving your skin’s texture, tone and overall quality is the goal, microneedling is one treatment worth knowing about. Consider this your microneedling deep dive.

What does microneedling do?

Microneedling creates controlled microinjuries in the skin, triggering the body’s natural wound healing response and stimulating new collagen and elastin production. But what does that actually look like?

At IB, we use SkinPen, an FDA cleared microneedling device. SkinPen uses a sterile, single use cartridge containing 14 ultra fine needles. As the device passes over the skin, the needles move quickly in and out of the skin at controlled depths, creating thousands of precise microchannels. This process stimulates collagen and elastin production, gradually remodeling the skin from within.

Who is microneedling for?

One of the reasons we love microneedling is its versatility. It can improve acne scarring, fine lines, uneven texture, enlarged pores and overall skin quality. Simply put, if you want to improve your skin, microneedling is probably for you.

What are the different microneedling options at IB and how do I choose?

At Injector Boutique, we offer three microneedling options, all performed using SkinPen. The microneedling treatment itself stays essentially the same with each option. The difference is in the glide, or the medium we use to help the SkinPen move smoothly across your skin. As SkinPen creates microchannels, that medium comes into direct contact with the freshly treated skin, making what we pair with your treatment an important part of the experience.

1. SkinPen Microneedling

Our traditional SkinPen Microneedling treatment uses SkinPen’s LIFT Hydrogel as the glide. It’s specifically designed for use with SkinPen, providing the slip needed for the device to move smoothly across the skin while creating controlled microchannels.

2. Microneedling with PRP

PRP stands for platelet rich plasma, and it comes from a blood draw at the beginning of your appointment (with one of the nurses, of course). We spin your blood in a centrifuge to separate out the plasma that’s rich in platelets and naturally occurring growth factors. That PRP then becomes the glide we use during your treatment.

Your PRP is applied to the skin as we use the SkinPen, the same way the gel was used in our traditional treatment. The freshly created microchannels allow the PRP to come into direct contact with the treated skin, pairing the collagen stimulating benefits of microneedling with the growth factors found in your own PRP to support the skin’s natural healing and remodeling process.

3. Microneedling with Ariessence pure PDGF+

Our most elevated microneedling option pairs SkinPen with Ariessence pure PDGF+, a lab created, recombinant form of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-BB). Unlike PRP, which can vary from person to person, Ariessence is manufactured to provide a pure, sterile and consistent concentration with every treatment.

According to Ariessence, pure PDGF+ contains up to 300,000 times the concentration of growth factor compared with PRP or PRF. When paired with microneedling, it helps support skin rejuvenation and recovery without the need for a blood draw.

A quick note on PDGF vs. PRP: because PRP comes from your own blood, the concentration of platelets and growth factors naturally varies from person to person. We aren’t analyzing your PRP in a lab before your treatment, so we don’t know its exact concentration or potency. Factors like age and individual health/biology can influence PRP composition, but there’s no way to determine its quality simply by looking at it. If you’d prefer a more standardized and consistent concentration of growth factor, Ariessence pure PDGF+ may be the better option for you.

What to expect at your appointment

We’ll start with a quick consultation, cleanse your skin and take progress photos before applying topical numbing for about 20 minutes. The good news: microneedling is much more tolerable than it sounds. Most clients rate it around a 1 to 3 out of 10. The microneedling itself takes about 15 minutes, then we’ll go over your post care and you’re on your way!

After your treatment

Expect to be red and a little tender to the touch immediately after your treatment, similar to a mild sunburn. The redness typically settles down within 24 to 48 hours, and you may notice some light flaking over the next few days. For most patients, skin starts looking smoother, brighter and refreshed within the first week, while collagen remodeling continues well beyond that initial glow.

What does maintenance look like?

For concerns like acne scarring, texture or fine lines, we typically recommend a series of 3 to 6 treatments spaced about four weeks apart. The results build with each treatment, and collagen production can continue for up to six months.

After your initial series, we’ll reassess your skin and your goals. Some patients may benefit from additional treatments, while others can transition into maintenance with a microneedling treatment every three to four months to continue supporting collagen production and overall skin quality.

The bottom line

Microneedling is one of our favorite treatments for a reason. It’s customizable, requires relatively little downtime and works with your skin’s own natural healing process to create meaningful change over time.

We also think it’s important to note that SkinPen is safe for all Fitzpatrick skin types, making it an option for virtually every skin tone.

If you’re looking for healthier, smoother, stronger skin, you really can’t go wrong with microneedling.