If you’re reading this blog from Dr. Kearney and his team, you know that collagen is what we all want. Collagen is the protein in the body that is responsible for providing support and structure to the skin. It makes our skin firm, yet supple. The problem is that as we age our body produces one additional percentage point less collagen every year after we turn 20. Bogus. That’s why older skin is more loose, wrinkles easier, and loses volume in areas such as the cheeks.
The goal of many procedures is to kick start our collagen production. Microneedling, also known as percutaneous collagen induction therapy, is one of those non-invasive procedures. Microneedling creates thousands of microscopic micro-injuries in the skin that triggers a wound response from the body. The response? Increased collagen production at the treatment areas.
At Dr. Kearney’s we use the microneedling system for treatment of wrinkles and scars. We think a microneedling session makes the perfect stocking stuffer for everyone on your list who would like to improve the look and firmness of their skin. OK, that’s basically everyone!
How does microneedling work?
When the skin is injured the body rapidly gets to work repairing it. In addition to the platelets that close the wound off from any more blood loss, the body is also rebuilding the skin by producing new collagen and elastin for the area. That’s the beauty of the microscopic injuries created by microneedling.
Dr. Kearney is a fan of the system, which has 12 tiny needles located in the tip of the microneedling pen. When moved slowly across the target area, the needles move up and down and produce microscopic holes/channels down into the skin. These heal in just a few hours, but the body perceives them as injuries and elevates collagen and elastin production in the area to compensate. We can adjust the depth of the needle penetration based on the area being treated, and your skin type.
Microneedling is simple, but it has two benefits. First, it stimulates the healing response. Second, these short-lived channels down into the skin are great for the application of topical gels and creams to penetrate below the surface of the skin. We include a growth factor serum with every microneedling treatment to help accelerate skin cell rejuvenation.
What do we treat with microneedling?
- Fine lines and deep wrinkles around the eyes, mouth, and forehead
- Deep lines and crepe-like texture across the face can be firmed
- Coarse, sun-damaged skin
- Acne, burn, and surgical scars
- Stretch marks
- Overly large pores
We use a topical numbing cream prior to your treatment, so you feel no pain. And there isn’t really any recovery time, just some redness on the treated areas for a day or so.
Microneedling is a simple but very popular and effective treatment at our San Diego practice. Maybe you should put a microneedling session in your own stocking! Call us at (858) 677-9352 to make an appointment or to buy a gift card for microneedling for a friend.