We want to look and feel our best, and today’s medical advancements have made it increasingly possible and accessible for patients looking to avoid traditional surgeries.
Many of our patients come into the office with a few requests:
- Gain a more youthful appearance.
- Skip traditional surgery (along with the scars and anesthesia that is involved).
- Minimize or eliminate any scarring.
- Avoid excessive downtime.
Microneedling with Plasma is a classic example of a transformative procedure that checks all the above boxes.
An introduction to microneedling.
Microneedling is also known as collagen induction therapy. You have probably heard of collagen, as it has been a buzzworthy term in skin care for many years. Collagen is a structural protein that keeps your skin looking firm, smooth, and young. As we get older, our body produces less collagen, affecting our appearance.
How it works
Microneedling is performed using a device called a SkinPen. The tip of the SkinPen contains 14 tiny needles to puncture the skin and stimulate the deepest layers of your skin to create more collagen and elastin. Don’t worry – a numbing cream is applied before the procedure to eliminate pain (some patients may feel very mild discomfort in some areas).
Who it’s for (and who it’s not for)
Many teenagers and adults benefit from microneedling, as it improves fine lines, wrinkles, rough texture, large pores, sun damage spots, and acne scars. Microneedling is not recommended for people prone to keloid scarring, have a skin rash in the region, or have any raised lesions.
What is Plasma, and why is it paired with microneedling?
Platelet-rich plasma, or Plasma, has been used to activate the healing of the body in traditional surgeries for many years (including heart surgery, orthopedics, and much more). Platelet activation plays a critical role in the body’s healing abilities.
Plasma in cosmetic procedures involves removing some of the patient’s blood, then stimulating the blood to increase the production of additional platelets.
When the Plasma is reintroduced into the patient’s body, the platelets go to work, leading to increased production of collagen, elastin, and other appearance-promoting elements.
Why combine microneedling and Plasma together?
Because Plasma is rich in growth factors and nutrients that skin cells thrive on, patients often notice better results more quickly than with microneedling alone. Individually, microneedling and Plasma are effective. Together, they are especially transformative.
What to expect.
Patients who are considering microneedling often get very fast results. Patients meet with a physician or licensed medical aesthetician for a skin evaluation, and to discuss specifically how microneedling with Plasma can make an impact.
If the patient is ready for the procedure, it can be performed in the office that same day.
Post-microneedling with Plasma, the skin will appear very red, so a calming treatment is applied immediately. Patients will receive some calming cream to continue application at home for several days. During this time, patients are advised to avoid any makeup, medicated creams, facial products, or chemicals.
Redness will begin to diminish within hours of treatment and is often difficult to notice at all within 24 hours.
Unlike with chemical peels and more invasive procedures, sun exposure is perfectly fine after treatment; however, in addition to avoiding chemicals and creams (aside from the calming treatment), patients should avoid touching their face for several days. Your skin is working hard post-treatment to replenish and help you look your best!
What step should I take right now?
The best way to understand how microneedling and Plasma works to help you look your best is to make an appointment. We will help you look and feel your best! Call us today at 210.446.4477 to get started.