The SkinPen™, microneedling therapy, skin needling, collagen induction therapy (CIT) and percutaneous collagen induction (PCI) are all names for the same thing: a minimally invasive skin-rejuvenation procedure that’s delivered using a device equipped with fine needles. While the diameter and length of needles used during microneedling treatment may vary, the theory behind the treatment remains the same.
When combined with additional med spa services, microneedling with the SkinPen™ can take the skin rejuvenating effects of those treatments even further.
How SkinPen™ Works
The SkinPen™ has 12 extremely small, sterile, medical-grade needles. The needles puncture the skin to create microscopic punctures. Each puncture creates a channel within the skin that triggers the body’s healing response, producing new collagen and elastin. Because the skin also creates new blood vessels, improved texture and firmness are also typically seen after microneedling. Surface scars, enlarged pores and even stretch marks can all be reduced as well.
Microneedling is simple and fast, and can safely minimize wrinkles and scars without concerns over hyperpigmentation, as may be seen following laser-based resurfacing treatments. Improvement may be seen in your complexion after a single session, or you may opt for multiple treatments to see even more significant results.
Performed quickly as an outpatient procedure, SkinPen™ is often ideal for areas that may not be suitable for other types of skin resurfacing, such as around the eyes and mouth, on the backs of the hands or to rejuvenate the décolletage. Although microneedling typically requires only minimal down time, your treatment can be still be completely personalized to go deeper on areas that could benefit from a greater level of correction.
Microneedling in Combination with Surface Treatments
Because of the unique nature of microneedling, the procedure perfectly primes the skin’s surface to accept nourishing surface treatments. The skin can more fully absorb the types of nutrients and healing factors that are contained in medical-grade anti-aging serums and high-end complexion creams. When combined with microneedling, the skin’s absorption of these products is enhanced, and the effects of both the SkinPen™ and the serums or creams themselves are often more pronounced.
Try that may be combined with microneedling can be as mild as customized facials and steam treatments, but any number of other spa therapies may be performed by a trained aesthetician to complement your SkinPen™ results. An even more comprehensive approach to rejuvenating your complexion could combine microneedling with more intense skin resurfacing treatments, such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or laser resurfacing.
Often, these treatments need to be performed in stages for the best possible outcome, so coordinating your skincare with the help of your aesthetician is essential.
Steps for Complexion Success
Another way to improve the benefits of combined med spa therapies is to time your procedures for the optimum results. For example, fall and winter can be an excellent time to help your skin recover from summer sun, as spending more time indoors in cooler weather means giving your complexion a break from exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Regardless of the way you approach your efforts to rejuvenate your appearance, your first step should be scheduling a consultation with a skilled aesthetician. From there, you can work together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that combines microneedling with the best secondary surface treatments to suit your personal appearance goals and skincare needs.