Having a bunch of microneedles rubbed all over your face is probably not how most people want to spend their lunch break. But as someone who has had the procedure on her list of aesthetic curiosities for the better part of five years, I was all too ready to cut my Caprese salad time short in favor of letting someone create thousands of micro-injuries on my face.
Even though the concept sounds borderline medieval, many forward-thinking beauty enthusiasts and professionals swear by microneedling, making it one of the buzziest procedures on the market. Additionally, by 2030, micro-needling is projected to be a billion-dollar industry.
From Angelina Jolie to Kim Kardashian, some of the most revered faces in the game have placed their skin under the puncturing dig of a microneedling treatment. However, a recurring theme with many of the beauty treatments we see orbiting the aesthetic zeitgeist is a gap in how these procedures work on Black and brown skin.
When it comes to lasers, peels and hair removal, there are certain safeguards Black people have to look out for before proceeding, which has left many of us reasonably skeptical about the effectiveness and safety of these procedures.
This was another driving factor in my decision to try out the procedure. Regarding what I hoped to address with micro-needling, texture and hyperpigmentation were my most significant dermis nuances. From a distance, my skin is not super problematic. But observed with a scrutinous gaze, you will notice more than a few blemishes, and I am beyond ready to start the trek toward my best skin.
So, if you’re vaguely curious or actively considering micro-needling, below is everything I learned during my micro-needling journey, along with expert commentary from a board-certified dermatologist.
What is microneedling?
“Microneedling works on the principle of causing columns of damage intentionally separated by columns of non-damaged skin which laterally heals, says Dr. Neil Farnsworth, a board-certified dermatologist based in Houston, TX, at Westlake Dermatology. “So basically you’re remodeling the collagen of the deep layer of the dermis.” explains Dr. Farnsworth.
It can also be used to treat hyperpigmentation! “In addition to stimulating collagen, we’re breaking up clumps of melanin, so pigment clumps such as you find in an acne scar are broken up and even partially carried away from the healing process of your skin, so it can help resolve acne scarring and even melasma,” explains Dr. Farnsworth.
There are a few different devices that can be used for this; in my case, we used a Skin Pen, which has a disposable cartridge with 14 Japanese stainless-steel medical-grade needles that puncture the skin at adjustable depths depending on pain tolerance, desired outcome and the area being treated.
Professional devices typically reach depths between .75 and 3 millimeters. The deeper the needle gets, the better results, says Dr. Farnsworth, “Typically, we go deeper as we go lower onto the face where the skin gets thicker,” explains Dr. Farnsworth.
Most people will need four to eight treatments to see ideal results, but some changes can be seen just two weeks after your first treatment. In terms of pricing, micro-needling averages around $350 per treatment.
My experience
My main concerns were hyperpigmentation and overall texture because I have struggled with tiny bumpy breakouts that can really show through under makeup.
On a scale of one to ten, I would say the pain maxed out at around four. Thankfully, the numbing made it feel like gritty sandpaper at its worst and like someone was tracing over my skin with their finger at its best. Boney areas like your t-zone and jaw may be more uncomfortable, but as someone who cries when getting my eyebrows threaded (judge somebody else), this was by no means an unbearable process.
It took less than 20 minutes for the actual micro-needling to be completed, and the numbing process (the thoroughness of which cannot be understated) took about 45 minutes. The longer you let the numbing cream sit, the less pain you will feel.
The aftercare
In terms of aftercare, this process also makes you especially sensitive to the sun, so I was slathered up in sunscreen before leaving my appointment. They also stressed the importance of staying on top of your SPF routine with particular diligence following your treatment.
My dermatologist also wrote me a prescription for hydroquinone (a depigmentation agent) to minimize any inadvertent darkening that can sometimes occur in darker skin tones post micro-needling.
After my appointment, I did experience some mild peeling, and my skin was tender to the touch until the three-day mark, but overall, there was no real “down” time, and I was back to my regularly scheduled programming by the 72-hour mark (just with a lot more sunscreen).
The pros, cons and everything in between
As for the pros, I have noticed some improvement on a dark mark from a recent pimple on my nose, but the hydroquinone may have played a role as well. Overall, the texture of my skin is about the same, which is to be expected since I have only received one treatment and would need at least two more to see more visible results.
One con, which is common with many cosmetic procedures, is the cost. Since you will need multiple treatments, most people can expect to shell out around $700-$3,000 in total.
Final verdict
This procedure was not as painful as I expected. I also did not bleed nearly as much as I expected, which Dr. Farnsworth says it varies based on the individual and their lifestyle choices (use of blood thinners or recent consumption of alcohol can make you bleed a lot more). In any case, this was extremely lucky for me because the sight of blood does make me feel a bit queasy.
Overall, I would need to get a few more treatments to see if this is something I would like to keep up with, but there were no significant drawbacks.There are also a bevy of at-home micro-needling kits on the market, but I prefer to keep my DIY ventures to low-risk pursuits, AKA not my skin.
If you are curious about what the procedure can do for your skin, or just want to know more about the treatment, consulting a board-certified expert is always your best bet.
