Anyone who has experienced an acne flareup or breakout can agree that it’s not a good feeling. We run for our home treatments/masks, dig out our pimple patches, and begin counting down the days until our skin has healed up. The sad reality for some, though, is that their skin doesn’t heal back to its normal smooth, even texture like they hoped it would. There is good news though! With the right facial treatment and supporting skin care, smoother, even skin isn’t that far out of reach.
Microneedling to the rescue!
Since we first started offering microneedling in 2019, these facials have become one of our go-to treatments for helping clients minimize the look of acne scarring and improve their skin texture. Microneedling is a minimally invasive facial that involves using a hand-held device (a lot like a tattoo machine) with tiny, fine needles. The needles move up and down rapidly (again, like a tattoo machine) to create controlled micro punctures in the top layer of the skin.
Puncturing the skin stimulates the body’s natural healing process. As your body works to repair this (intentional) damage, it produces new collagen fibers. Collagen is a protein that gives the skin structure and strength and plays a big role in helping our skin feel smooth and bouncy – just the way we like it! When addressing acne scarring, microneedling encourages the skin to create additional collagen it needs to smooth out the skin, minimizing the look of scarring. Take a look at the photo below for a visual on how microneedling helps smooth out the skin:
What Causes Acne Scarring?
When you experience a breakout or acne flareup, your body sends white blood cells to the site of the inflammation. Depending on the severity of inflammation or infection, this can cause the follicle wall to break. As your body works to heal the broken follicle, it produces collagen to heal the skin, much like a microneedling facial. However, the body sometimes produces too much or too little collagen, which can results in raised or depressed scarring.
Types of Acne Scarring
Acne scarring generally falls into two categories: atrophic scars and hypertrophic or keloid scars.
Atrophic scars are depressed scars that form below the surface of the skin. They occur when the body doesn’t produce enough collagen during the healing process. Types of atrophic scars include:
- Ice Pick Scars: Deep, narrow scars.
- Boxcar Scars: Broad, rectangular depressions with sharp edges.
- Rolling Scars: Wide, shallow depressions with smooth edges.
Hypertrophic or keloid scars are raised scars that form when the body produces too much collagen. Hypertrophic scars are confined to the original acne site, while keloid scars can grow larger than the original area.
Microneedling for Atrophic and Hypertrophic Scars
Microneedling is a versatile treatment that can be customized to meet the specific needs of each client and can be an effective way to treat both atrophic and hypertrophic scarring. The depth of the needles can be adjusted depending on the severity of the scarring, and additional serums or growth factors can be applied to further enhance the results. Over course, we are obligated to remind you that results may vary from person to person, but we have had many clients with great results!
Benefits of Microneedling for Acne Scars
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- Improved Skin Texture. One of the key benefits of microneedling for clients with acne scarring is its ability to break down old scar tissue and stimulate the growth of new, healthy skin cells full of healthy, balanced levels of collagen. This collagen stimulation helps to fill in and smooth out atrophic scars (such as ice pick, boxcar, and rolling scars), making them less noticeable and giving the skin a smoother, more even texture.
- Enhanced Skin Repair. The increased collagen and elastin produced during your facial helps the skin to repair itself more effectively, promoting the healing of scar tissue and improving overall skin quality. Think: radiant and youthful-looking complexion – who doesn’t want that?!
- Long-Lasting Collagen. The new collagen and elastin produced as a result of microneedling can continue to remodel the skin for months after the final treatment session, leading to ongoing improvements and continuously better looking and feeling skin!
- Increased Absorption of Skincare Products/Treatments: During a microneedling facial, we carefully select a serum targeted to help achieve your skin goals. The micro-channels created by microneedling enhance the absorption and effectiveness of this serum, penetrating the skin and kickstarting the benefits of the skincare. The micro perforations result in a physical exfoliation of sorts, sloughing off dead skin at the surface, which also helps skincare absorb better and boosts the look of radiance quite quickly!
How many microneedling treatments will I need to help my acne scarring?
Most clients require multiple treatments to achieve and maintain their desired results. We often recommend 3-6 treatments approximately 1 month apart depending on the unique needs of your skin type, lifestyle, type of scarring, skincare routine etc. Thankfully, microneedling requires very little downtime and aftercare. You can get back to your lifestyle almost right away and notice visible improvements to your skin just as quickly!
We are here to help!
Overall, microneedling facials can be a great option for clients looking to minimize the appearance of acne scars and improve the overall health and appearance of their skin. As with any skincare treatment, we will complete an in depth consultation with you before your service and walk you through your first microneedling facial so you know what to expect every step of the way. Head over to our booking page to find a spot that works for you or have a look at our other facial treatments.