As dealing with acne isn’t hard enough, most of us also have to deal with acne scars. If we are lucky, acne scars are only a discolouration that slowly goes away on its own. But, sometimes, we get indentations on our skin exactly where a pimple was. That usually happens after cystic acne or if we were picking our acne. So once we are acne-free, we shift our focus to getting rid of those acne scars. And lately, microneedling for acne scars is all everyone is talking about. So let’s look at how it works.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling, as you can guess by the name, is a process where a bunch of tiny needles prick the skin, encouraging it to produce more collagen and elastin. That is a simplified way of explaining it. To explain deeper, the microneedling tool creates micro-wounds, which must be filled with more collagen and elastin to be healed. And that’s why it’s so popular for acne scars.
Acne scars are usually ‘holes’ in the skin, and to be less visible, they have to be re-filled with something. So collagen, a building block of our skin, acts almost as a filler to get rid of those acne scars.
Some people have acne scars that are raised from the skin. Microneedling won’t help those people because they already have a build-up of collagen in those areas. Those people need something precisely the opposite of microneedling – they need to get rid of excess collagen.
Also, microneedling can help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles because it encourages the production of more collagen and elastin, which then ‘fills up’ those fine lines and wrinkles.
And some people decide to go for microneedling just to make their skin appear smoother and more even.
And to clarify, microneedling can also be called dermarolling (as per the brand name), skin needling, or collagen induction therapy (CIT).
Who is microneedling for?
Microneedling is suitable for all skin types, even sensitive ones. And because there is no heat in microneedling, it is suited for even those more susceptible to pigmentation (unlike lasers and light procedures).
So here is what microneedling can help with:
- any type of scars (acne, burn or surgery scars)
- stretch marks
- fine lines and wrinkles
- large pores
- reduced skins elasticity
Also, microneedling doesn’t have to be performed only on the face. It can be done on the other parts of the body too. For example, on the upper back to treat acne scars or on your thighs or tummy to treat stretch marks.
Who is it not suitable for?
Microneedling isn’t suitable for those with keloids. Keloids are a keratin build-up, and microneedling can make it even worse. It’s also not suitable for those with any inflammation and open wounds such as psoriasis, active acne or cold sores.
Also, if you are a smoker and hope for microneedling to repair your fine lines and wrinkles, it might be a waste of money. By smoking, you actively increase free radicals in your body, which destroy your collagen and elastin. And as microneedling encourages collagen and elastin production, it is ultimately not going to do that for your skin if you continue to smoke. So, the best thing to do is to stop smoking.
Microneedling for acne scars – what does the appointment look like?
Find a good therapist
Let me walk you through a microneedling appointment. Before you even get an appointment, do due diligence and research well where you are going. Many places offer microneedling, and some are more professional than others. Always look at the reviews and look for their previous results and their accreditation to ensure you are getting the best possible treatment for your money.
Book Consultation
Once you find your therapist, you need to book a consultation. In the consultation, they will look at your skin, talk to you about your expectations and let you know a realistic outcome of the treatment. They will also inform you about possible contraindications, side effects and how many treatments you will need (usually 4-6).
Treatment time – numbing cream first
When the time comes for your treatment, come without makeup. The therapist will first cleanse your skin and then apply a numbing cream. That cream stays on the skin for about 45 mins to an hour to work its magic. Then the treatment can start.
Treatment time
The therapist will move the microneedling tool evenly over the skin for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the severity of the skin condition.
Post-treatment
After the treatment is finished, the therapist will apply soothing cream or growth serum.
So in total, microneedling treatment can take anywhere between an hour and a half to two hours.
Post-treatment care
Because microneedling is a treatment that includes puncturing the skin and making micro-wounds, it’s essential to keep the skin clean after treatment. So that means no touching your face, no sweating and no makeup. Also, because the skin is ‘damaged’, it’s more sensitive to the sunlight, so keep away from sun exposure. You should also avoid any exfoliating skincare products such as AHAs or retinol.
To summarise, avoid:
- touching your face
- makeup
- sweating
- sun exposure
- exfoliating products like AHAs and retinol
And to help your skin heal faster, you can help it stay hydrated by drinking loads of water and staying out of the sun.
Here are a few examples of skincare you could use as an aftercare.
Side effects
Microneedling is generally very safe if performed by a qualified therapist. But, as you can imagine, a bunch of tiny wounds will leave your face looking red. There might even be some blood coming out. Also, your skin will be more sensitive to the sun, so avoid sun exposure for the first week after microneedling. For some people, the redness goes away fairly quickly, and they can even go back to work makeup-free after their appointment.
As your skin heals, it might start peeling or flaking. And the healing process can, for some people, take longer than usual – it can even take a few weeks.
Lastly, the most significant risk is the risk of infection. If the microneedling tool isn’t sterilised properly, it can bring some germs into the skin. That’s why it’s essential to do your research and find good quality and reputable therapists who will have the best possible standards in their space.
Microneedling at home
With the popularisation of microneedling treatments, more tools are becoming available to do it yourself at home. But that might not be the best option. Keeping the needles sterile could be very hard in your home environment. By now, you know that the tool consists of a bunch of tiny needles, and if you don’t have some kind of steriliser, it’s next to impossible to sterilise it.
Also, you could hurt yourself. The needles on home rollers are usually shorter and duller, and you might feel the need to press in the skin more to get the effect.
Lastly, the effect you get from home rolling is nowhere near the same as the one you get professionally. As the needles on home devices aren’t as sharp and long, they don’t pierce the skin but just press on it. It’s almost more like a massage than a microneedling. Your skin might still get a bit red, but that’s because you increased blood flow to the skin’s surface.
But because there is no piercing of the skin, there is also no healing, which means that the skin is not stimulated to produce new collagen.
Microneedling for acne scars – is it the best option
Microneedling is generally very safe and can be done on any skin type. That makes it one of the best options for treating acne scars. There are no significant side effects as there might be with other options such as laser or fillers.
As it encourages collagen production in the skin, it is also a very ‘natural’ way of healing acne scars. But it does take some time. One session of microneedling wouldn’t be enough. You will probably need four to six appointments to have good results. But it is still faster than getting rid of your acne scars with skincare. And another thing is that it doesn’t last forever. So you will have to go maybe once a year after the initial few sessions to keep up the results.
The only downside is that it can be expensive. It usually costs about €100 to €150 per treatment, and because one is usually not enough, it can be very expensive for some people.
Other options
There are many other options a person can try to treat their acne scars. Most of them are for removing depressed scars (holes). And they all usually either cost more or are more taxing on the skin.
Here are some of the other options:
- Laser – a popular option but has a risk of creating hyperpigmentation on darker skin.
- Fillers – usually injecting collagen, fat or some other substance to fill out the scar, but it doesn’t last forever and has to be re-filled to keep the results.
- Dermabrasion – removing the top layer of the skin with a rotating brush. Good results but can leave skin scarred and changed in colour.
- Chemical peel – similar to dermabrasion, includes removing the top layer of the skin by using chemicals. It can change the colour of the skin, especially in darker colours.
Skincare
And the last option, often the cheapest one, is using skincare to target acne scars. This process can be very long but saves you money in the long run. Firstly, always using sunscreen can help keep the contrast between the scars and healthy skin at the minimum and, by doing so, reduce the visibility of the scars. Also, using AHAs and Azelaic acid can do a similar thing and help resurface the skin, similarly to the chemical peel but at a much milder rate.
Lastly, and most importantly, using retinoids can be very beneficial for healing acne scars. Retinoids also increase the production of collagen. And that’s why they are the most popular ingredient in treating fine lines and wrinkles. But the increase in collagen can also help with acne scarring. That is a very long process, but it works amazingly well, and you just have to have patience.
Another note to add, the best possible thing you can do for your acne scars is to prevent them. And you can do that by treating your skin appropriately. And if you need some help with that, check out my guide about all the acne types and how to treat them.
Conclusion
Microneedling for acne scars is the best option for treating them. It encourages the production of collagen without many side effects. Collagen fills up depressed acne scars and, in that way, reduces their visibility. Unfortunately, microneedling can be expensive, and one session is not enough to get a visible difference. And it also doesn’t last forever. You would need to do an occasional top-up after the initial set of treatments.
But as far as other treatments go, microneedling has the least amount of side effects – only redness and some flaking.
If you have a lot of depressed acne scars (holes) and won’t get rid of them somewhat quickly, microneedling might be the best option for you.
Otherwise, if you want to save money and have patience, start including retinoids in your skincare routine, alongside mandatory SPF and occasional AHA, and look at your skin starting to change.
