Microneedling has become a very popular treatment. With Ultra Microneedling even better results can be obtained without a shorter recovery.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling is a new technique to achieve better looking skin. Traditionally, some sort of small needle is used to create tiny holes in the skin. This stimulates the healing response in your skin to make more collagen, the protein that keeps the skin tight, firm, and youthful in appearance. Slowly over time with a series of treatments you will notice improvements in the texture, fine lines, wrinkles, uneven color, and even scars.
There are many versions of microneedling treatments. Some are done in the office and some can even be done at home. Some devices are rollers which create holes while moving along the skin. If the needles are small enough they can be used at home. Those with longer needles need to be done by a professional since they go deeper. Sometimes numbing cream is applied before the treatment to make it more comfortable. Some devices look like a pen and the needles go in and out. Sometimes the depth can be adjusted depending on the person.
Microneedling with Radiofrequency
Some devices are even more sophisticated because they add radiofrequency to the needles. With these systems such as Endymed, Venus Viva, Infiny, and Vivace, the tips produce radiofrequency which heats the deeper layers of the skin. The benefit of this is that you get even more collagen stimulation.
What is PRP?
PRP is short for platelet rich plasma. PRP is obtained by first drawing blood and then separating it by spinning it for about ten minutes. This separates the red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma. The plasma is rich in a certain type of cell called platelets and it contains a high concentration of growth factors. These growth factors help with the healing process. Adding PRP is more involved since your blood needs to be drawn and processed. Then the PRP is placed on the skin either while the needles are penetrating the skin (allowing it to be pushed in the skin) or immediately after once there are holes in the skin where they can penetrate. The main benefit of adding PRP is that the recovery time is shortened and you get a glow for a few weeks.
Some offices use something called PRF, which is short for platelet rich fibrin. This is a slight modification of PRP which some people find to provide even better results.
What is the recovery after a microneedling treatment?
When needles are used to create holes in the skin, bleeding can be seen, especially when the needles are longer. Sometimes when radiofrequency is added, the heat decreases the amount of bleeding seen. When PRP is added on the skin it becomes even more red. Often times the redness and swelling lasts for several days after the treatment. You have to stay out of the sun and you can’t apply makeup.
What is Ultra Microneedling?
Ultra Microneedling is a treatment designed by Dr. Alex to provide even better results than that from traditional microneedling with or without radiofrequency and with or without PRP or PRF. With Ultra Microneedling, Dr. Alex uses a laser technology to create the holes. This has the benefit of more precision and a faster treatment. The Ultra Microneedling treatment usually takes two to three minutes while traditional microneedling usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. The other benefits of Ultra Microneedling are due to the laser itself. The laser produces even more heat than radiofrequency, so there is absolutely no bleeding and the results are even better. At A E Skin we apply a hydrating sheet mask on our patients for about 15 minutes after an Ultra Microneedling treatment. After this you can hardly tell you had a treatment done. You can resume your normal activities right away and apply makeup the next day. v uses conservative settings at your first Ultra Microneedling treatment to make sure your skin reacts appropriately. On the second Ultra Microneedling treatment the settings can be increased depending on the individual person. Dr. Alex recommends a series of six monthly Ultra Microneedling treatments followed by one maintenance Ultra Microneedling treatment every three months after that. In the before and after picture shown here the patient had five Ultra Microneedling treatments. It looks like she has had fillers or even a facelift. These are the additional benefits people enjoy from Ultra Microneedling as compared with traditional microneedling. Dr. Alex often combines the Ultra Microneedling treatment with an IPL photofacial treatment to further address irregular color. This combination is called the #nofilter treatment and is quickly becoming one of our most popular treatments.
Ultra Microneedling Treatment Demonstration
Dr. Alex has performed over 10,000 cosmetic treatments with many satisfied patients. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Alex in our Encino, CA office.