Microneedling (also referred to as collagen induction therapy or CIT) is a skin therapy that involves puncturing the skin using a grouping of tiny sterile needles. The purpose of micro-needling is to promote healing without scars and encourage new collagen production similar to fractional laser treatments. Unlike laser treatments, there are minimal side-effects or down-time with micro-needling. At The Youth Fountain, we are proud to offer the Dermapen®. DermaPen is safer and more effective in piercing the skin than traditional skin micro-needling rollers due to its unique vertical micro needling technology.
What Is Microneedling?
Microneedling utilizes a handheld device, often pen-shaped, with a disposable tip housing fine, sterile needles. Unlike at-home derma rollers, which roll over the skin, professional devices like the Dermapen® work in a precise, vertical motion. This technology allows for greater accuracy and depth control, leading to a more consistent treatment with less dermal damage. Microneedling is performed in a medical setting and offers the added assurance of professional care with proper sterilization and a customized approach for your skin.
How Does Microneedling Work?
When the tiny needles penetrate the skin during microneedling, they create controlled microchannels that signal the body to repair itself. These channels activate fibroblasts, which are special cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. Collagen is the protein that gives your skin structure and firmness, while elastin maintains its elasticity. As the skin heals, it begins to produce this new collagen which improves the texture of the skin and provides many more benefits.
The Benefits of Choosing Microneedling
It Is Suitable for All Skin Types and Tones
Microneedling works well for a wide range of skin types and tones. Since it doesn’t rely on heat, it’s suitable for darker skin tones and reduces the risk of pigmentation issues. While not everyone is an ideal candidate, such as those with active acne or certain skin conditions, it can be customized to meet your specific needs. During your consultation, we’ll determine if it’s the right fit for you.
Non-Invasive With No Downtime
Microneedling is non-invasive, meaning no surgery or long recovery. Most patients feel mild discomfort during treatment, but we can apply a numbing cream to make it more comfortable. Afterward, your skin may appear slightly red, like a mild sunburn, but you can resume your normal activities immediately, with no downtime or major adjustments to your routine necessary.
Stimulates Natural Healing
The beauty of microneedling is that it taps into your body’s healing process. Rather than relying on synthetic materials, this treatment encourages your skin to rejuvenate itself from within, delivering gradual, long-lasting improvements in texture and tone.
Improves Product Absorption
Microneedling opens tiny channels in your skin, allowing topical products to penetrate deeper and work more effectively. After treatment, your skin is especially receptive to serums rich in beneficial ingredients like hyaluronic acid or peptides. This enhanced absorption helps boost your skincare routine and supports the healing and rejuvenation process for even better results.
WHAT CAN BE TREATED USING MICRO-NEEDLING?
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles develop as your skin naturally loses elasticity due to aging, sun exposure, and a decrease in collagen production. Microneedling targets these areas by encouraging your skin to rebuild its structure from the inside.
Acne Scars and Other Types of Scarring
Scars from acne or injuries form when the skin heals unevenly, leaving behind uneven texture and depressions. Microneedling helps break down old scar tissue and allows the skin to heal more uniformly. As new collagen forms, scars become less visible, and the overall texture of the skin improves.
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks occur when the skin is stretched rapidly, such as during pregnancy or rapid weight gain, causing the underlying tissue to tear. Microneedling works to rebuild the affected tissue by stimulating collagen production in the stretched areas, which can fade the marks over time and improve the overall appearance of the skin.
Sun Damage
Prolonged sun exposure can cause uneven pigmentation, rough texture, and premature aging of the skin. Microneedling can help repair sun-damaged skin by promoting cellular turnover and stimulating collagen. This improves skin tone and texture, evens out discoloration, and reduces the roughness caused by UV damage.
Loose or Sagging Skin
Over time, skin loses its firmness due to a decrease in collagen and elastin, leading to sagging. Microneedling can help restore a more lifted and toned appearance by encouraging the skin to produce more of these vital proteins. This offers a natural, gradual tightening effect without invasive surgery.
Large Pores
Enlarged pores are caused by genetics, excess oil production, aging, or a loss of skin elasticity. Microneedling tightens the skin around the pores, making them appear smaller. This results in a smoother complexion and helps reduce the buildup of oil and debris that can lead to clogged pores.
Common Treatment Areas
- Face: The face is one of the most common areas for microneedling. By rejuvenating the skin’s surface, it can improve the complexion on the cheeks and forehead and around the eyes.
- Hands: Microneedling on the hands can help reduce signs of aging, such as sunspots and thinning skin.
- Neck: The neck is prone to loose skin and fine lines as we age, often showing signs of aging earlier than other areas. Microneedling can help tighten and smooth this delicate area.
- Scalp: Though less commonly thought of, microneedling on the scalp can help with hair growth by stimulating the hair follicles and increasing nutrient absorption. It’s often combined with hair restoration treatments to enhance their effectiveness.
Why Dermapen?
Dermapen® offers a level of precision that sets it apart from other microneedling devices. Its adjustable needle depth allows us to adjust the treatment to different areas of the skin, allowing for deeper penetration where needed, such as for acne scars, and more gentle treatment for sensitive areas like around the eyes. The device uses disposable needle tips for each session, maintaining the highest level of hygiene. With customizable speed settings, Dermapen can treat both larger areas and more delicate zones.
Before and After Microneedling
Microneedling Considerations
- You Will Likely Need Multiple Sessions: While some improvement can be seen after one session, most patients require a series of treatments to achieve optimal results. The exact number of sessions will depend on your skin concerns and goals.
- You May Experience Redness and Irritation: It’s normal to experience some redness, swelling, or mild irritation immediately after microneedling. These side effects are temporary and typically subside within a day or two as your skin begins to heal.
- Microneedling Is Not Suitable for Active Acne or Skin Infections: If you have active acne skin infections, microneedling is not recommended. These conditions can be aggravated by the treatment, so it’s best to wait until your skin has cleared before considering it.
- Results Can Take Time: The results of microneedling are gradual. Since it relies on your body’s natural healing process, you may not see the full benefits for several weeks as collagen continues to develop and improve the skin’s texture.
Combining Microneedling With PRP
PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, is a natural substance derived from your blood. It’s packed with growth factors that help accelerate the healing process and stimulate collagen production. To create PRP, we take a small sample of your blood, spin it in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets, and then prepare it for application. When combined with microneedling, PRP enhances the treatment’s results by speeding up skin regeneration and promoting a faster, more intense healing response. During or after microneedling, the PRP is applied directly to your skin, allowing the microchannels to absorb the growth factors more deeply.
Combining Microneedling With Other Products
PepFactor™
PepFactor is a unique complex of peptides and natural ingredients that promote skin regeneration. When combined with microneedling, it penetrates deeper into the skin through the microchannels, stimulating collagen production and enhancing skin healing. PepFactor can help address issues like fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone, providing a more youthful and radiant appearance.
Exosomes
Exosomes are tiny, cell-derived vesicles that play a crucial role in cell-to-cell communication and healing. These powerful messengers carry proteins, growth factors, and other essential molecules that promote skin regeneration. When paired with microneedling, exosomes help repair damaged tissue and accelerate the skin’s healing process. The result is improved skin texture, reduced inflammation, and a more youthful glow.
Vitamins
Microneedling opens up channels in the skin, allowing vitamin-rich serums to penetrate more effectively. Applying vitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin E after microneedling can enhance the skin’s healing and brighten the complexion. These vitamins help protect the skin from environmental damage while nourishing it from within, promoting healthier and more resilient skin.
What to Expect
Like all our cosmetic treatments, a microneedling treatment begins with an in-depth assessment of your skin’s current state. Dr. Shakov will assess the potential treatment areas and work with you to decide on an appropriate treatment plan. Dr. Shakov usually applies a topical anesthetic cream and afterward will begin treating the agreed-upon areas. Dr. Shakov will make several passes over the area in a gentle up-and-down motion.
Post-Treatment Care Guidelines
Microneedling is not something that requires downtime. For the most part, your skin will be red and swollen in the treatment areas, but that normally passes within a few days. It is recommended that you avoid exposure to sunlight as much as possible for the next day or two as your skin will be hyper-sensitive. Avoid direct exposure for at least 10 days post-treatment if possible. Alcohol-based skin products may not be used for 14 days post-treatment. Makeup may not be worn for at least 12 hours after treatment unless it is a mineral makeup approved by Drs. Shakov. You may resume wearing regular mineral makeup the day after your Dermapen treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan to be with us for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how many areas need to be treated. The actual needling time is quite fast, but Dr. Shakov likes to ensure that each of their patients is given a thorough assessment before the treatment begins.
Microneedling is very safe! The risk of infection is minimal since the needles are sterile and the skin is cleaned and prepped beforehand. It’s always important to consult your doctor to determine if this treatment is the best option for your specific skin concerns. With our medical expertise and commitment to pairing the right services with the right patients, we can help you decide if microneedling is right for you.
No. Microneedling is only to be used with caution and physician approval on anyone with an active skin infection or raised lesion (wart, mole, etc) on the area to be treated, a history of chronic skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema, or a history of Herpes Simplex infections or diabetes. Microneedling can NOT be used on anyone with scleroderma, collagen abnormalities, vascular disease, or cardiac abnormalities. It can also not be used if you have rosacea, or blood clotting problems or are on blood-thinning medication or an immune-suppressing medication. It should also not be used if you have an active bacterial or fungal infection or if your scars are less than 6 months old.
No. Microneedling is considered a cosmetic treatment and is not typically covered by insurance. Since it is an elective treatment aimed at improving appearance rather than addressing medical conditions, patients should plan to cover the cost out of pocket.
The number of Dermapen treatments you’ll need depends on your skin concerns and goals, but most patients typically require between three to six sessions for optimal results. Contact The Youth Fountain to get an estimate of how many treatments are necessary to achieve and maintain your desired results!
You may notice some initial improvements in skin texture within a few days of your microneedling session. The better absorption of skincare products and the increased blood flow can give you a healthy, hydrated glow during these initial days post-treatment. The most significant results will develop over the following weeks as collagen production increases. Typically, it takes around four to six weeks to see the benefits of the treatment, with continued improvement over time as your skin continues to heal and regenerate.
The longevity of your microneedling results will depend on factors like your skin type, age, and skincare routine. It can also depend on the concern being treated. Your skin can retain the benefits of the new collagen and elastin for many months after the treatment. To maintain results, periodic maintenance treatments every 6 to 12 months are often recommended. Regular sessions help sustain collagen production and keep your skin looking smooth and refreshed.
About Us
At The Youth Fountain, Dr. Emil Shakov, a board-certified general surgeon, brings over a decade of expertise in medical aesthetics. He specializes in a variety of treatments, including neurotoxins like Jeuveau®, Botox®, and Dysport®, as well as dermal fillers and minimally invasive treatments such as PDO thread lifts and microneedling. Dr. Shakov also offers hair restoration, body sculpting, and innovative therapies like PRP, exosomes, and PepFactor for skin and scalp rejuvenation.
Dr. Rada Shakov, a board-certified aesthetic physician, focuses on skin care, medical weight loss, and non-surgical body contouring treatments like CoolSculpting® and EMSCULPT®. With a patient-centered approach, she ensures each individual feels confident and well-cared for, offering treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers. Together, the Shakovs provide expert care to patients in Freehold, NJ, and surrounding areas, helping them achieve their aesthetic goals.
Learn More About Our Microneedling Services in Freehold, NJ
Microneedling offers a powerful solution for a wide range of skin concerns by working with your body’s natural healing processes to improve texture, tone, and overall appearance. At The Youth Fountain, located in Freehold, NJ, we use the advanced Dermapen technology to provide effective, non-invasive treatments with minimal downtime. This approach provides impressive results with minimal discomfort and is suitable for patients with sensitive skin, aging skin, melanated skin, and more. To learn more or schedule a consultation, contact us today at (732) 333-5992, or fill out our online form.