MICRONEEDLING

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Microneedling is all the rage in skin care and for good reason. The process involves rolling a wand or pen affixed with mini-needles to create tiny wounds. These wounds are minuscule and only skin-deep, but your body responds with alarm, sending in healing factors that boost skin strength, radiance, and health.

Microneedling makes your skin glow after just one treatment and continues to boost the appearance of your complexion for months afterward. The benefits of microneedling are many. Here are 10 of the most notable.

1. REDUCES THE APPEARANCE OF LINES AND WRINKLES

No one wants to look older than they are. But premature ageing that presents as fine lines and wrinkles does just that. The tiny injuries from a microneedling session boost collagen and elastin production to fight lines and wrinkles.

Collagen and elastin are compounds in your skin that add structure and strength, lending a youthful quality. The wound-healing mechanisms also stimulate your body to produce new skin cells, making fine lines, crow’s feet, and forehead wrinkles less apparent.

2. SCAR TREATMENT

Because microneedling stimulates collagen and elastin production, it’s also super effective in addressing acne and other scars on your skin. The only type of scar not possible to treat is keloid, or raised, scars.

3. SUN DAMAGE

Microneedling is effective in reducing the appearance of sun damage, particularly hyperpigmentation and age spots. If you have a blotchy, brownish complexion, which is probably a result of too many days of sunning, microneedling and its ability to stimulate new collagen and skin cells can reinvigorate your look and even out your tone.

4. ANTI-AGEING 

Ageing doesn’t just show up as wrinkles and discolouration. As you get older, your skin loses its elasticity, so it appears lax. Ageing skin may also look dull and lack a lustrous glow. Microneedling can change this.

The build up of collagen that occurs in response to the tiny wounds can improve skin structure to fight sagging. Plus, just 24 hours following a session, you experience a radiant, fresh glow.

5. SHRINKS PORES

Despite the fact that microneedling involves punching holes in your skin, it doesn’t increase the size of your pores. In fact, it helps your pores appear much smaller. When the collagen around your pores is stimulated, the area around each pore plumps, making the pore itself almost disappear.

6. IMPROVES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TOPICAL PRODUCTS

Post-microneedling is the prime time to apply anti-aging treatments, moisturizers, and other topical treatments that boost skin health and appearance. The micro-holes receive creams, serums, and gels more readily and deliver them deeper into your dermis than when applied regularly.

7. FIGHTS STRETCH MARKS

Microneedling works just about anywhere on your body. It can be effective in reducing the appearance of stretch marks that show up after periods of rapid growth, such as during pregnancy.

8. ROSACEA REDUCTION

The ruddiness and skin thickening of rosacea can be addressed with microneedling. If you suffer from this skin condition, you experience a hastened breakdown of collagen. Microneedling stimulates the growth of collagen to offset and replace this breakdown, so your skin looks less inflamed and irritated.

9. ACNE IMPROVEMENTS

Because of the improved delivery of topical applications, you can use microneedling to help improve the effectiveness of topical acne treatments. Regular microneedling at Harpers can help your skin clear up.

10. FEWER SIDE EFFECTS THAN LASER OR INTENSIVE PEELS

Microneedling’s effects are comparable to laser and chemical peel treatments but without the long downtime. You can enjoy a glowing complexion 24-72 hours after microneedling, but with laser resurfacing, your recovery may take three to 10 days. Your complexion needs 14-21 days to bounce back after a medium or intensive peel.

Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is one of the most popular aesthetic services in the world. Since it encourages your skin to produce more collagen and promotes neovascularization, it is the most versatile, prestigious skincare treatment.

MICRONEEDLING RECOVERY TIME

Healing from microneedling usually takes a mere 24 hours. However, it may take up to two to three days depending on the extent of the treatment. You are free to return to work immediately after treatment and wear makeup 24 hours after your treatment.  However, you must wait four to six weeks before you receive a follow-up treatment.

FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT SCHEDULE

Depending on the results you’re looking for, you may need a follow-up microneedling session or two after your initial session. Most people need two or three sessions to achieve flawless skin when they’re trying to smooth wrinkles and other texture issues and improve the tone of their skin.

When tackling more extensive issues, such as stretch marks, keloid scars, burn scars, trauma scars, or surgical scars, you may need between six and eight treatment sessions. Since each session must be spaced between four and six weeks apart, it can take six months or more to see the “final” results of your treatment. However, results can even improve for six to 12 months after this.

COLLAGEN INDUCTION THERAPY AFTERCARE

While it only takes around a day for your skin to heal from collagen induction therapy, the aftercare process lasts several weeks. Strict adherence to aftercare instructions ensures that your collagen grows as quickly as possible and you get the best results from each treatment. To care for your skin after treatment, do everything possible to promote collagen health.

WEAR A BROAD-SPECTRUM SPF 55+ SUNBLOCK

The most important thing you should do in the weeks after your treatment is to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen. All sunscreens protect your skin from UVA rays. Some sunscreens protect your skin from UVB rays. However, only broad-spectrum sunscreens will protect your skin and collagen from UVC rays which cause collagen damage and melanoma.

When you’re picking out your sunblock, we strongly recommend that you choose a broad-spectrum sunblock with a sun protection factor of at least 55. You can get away with a lower sun protection factor if you have more melanin in your skin. However, the stronger the sunscreen the younger and healthier your skin will look.

AVOID TANNING BEDS

If you need that beloved bronze look to feel self-confident, get a spray tan. If you’re worried that you won’t look natural, ask your friends, relatives, or coworkers for a recommendation. There are safe alternatives to tanning that will help you look and feel your best without ageing you prematurely and increasing your risk of skin cancer.

STAY HYDRATED

Unfortunately, feeling thirsty is a strongly lagging indicator of hydration. In other words, you will feel thirsty far after you are already dehydrated. Moreover, you may mistake your thirst for hunger and crave salty foods. If you check your urine and it is dark or cloudy, you need to drink more water. Here are some tips for staying hydrated if you have trouble: 

• Eat soup, veggies, and fruits
• Infuse your water with lime 
• Drink plain tea
• Drink plain coffee
• Download an app to remind you to drink
• Keep a water bottle on your desk at work

EAT PROTEIN

The third most important thing you can do to support the collagen production process is to eat plenty of bioavailable protein. Such sources of protein include poultry, tuna, tilapia, eggs, and grass-fed beef or bison. Eating enough protein for your body weight and lifestyle is crucial because collagen is a type of protein.

DON’T SMOKE

It’s important to not smoke during the six weeks following your collagen induction therapy session. Dozens of chemical compounds in tobacco products destroy your existing collagen and slow your skin’s production rate of new, healthy collagen. This means that you won’t get the best results possible from your treatments.

Furthermore, consuming tobacco products elevates your blood pressure which extends your recovery time. Tobacco products elevate your blood pressure by constricting blood vessels. This means that human growth hormones, other growth factors, and nutrients can’t get to your skin and keep it young and healthy.

DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL 

Alcohol isn’t just bad for your pancreas, liver, heart, kidneys, and gut. It’s also terrible for your complexion. As a diuretic, alcohol flushes out an excessive amount of water, leaving you dehydrated. When all that water is flushed out, your body also flushes out a lot of nutrients that are essential to both your overall health and skin health.

EAT A VARIETY OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES

You probably know that unprotected sun exposure and alcohol and tobacco consumption can age you prematurely. What you may not know is that a poor diet will prematurely age you just as quickly as smoking, drinking, and using tanning beds. To keep your skin looking as tight, smooth, and healthy as possible, eat fruits and veggies with every meal.

MINIMISE YOUR CONSUMPTION OF PROCESSED FOOD

Eating processed foods, including protein bars, cereals, and fast food meals, stresses your body out significantly. This stress results in premature ageing of the skin, negating some of the benefits of treatment