It’s funny to think about how much things have changed in my short ten years in dermatology. In around 2014, I remember our local microneedling rep coming into our office and trying to sell everyone on bringing it on at our practice. At that time, I thought there was no way anyone would sign up for such. I’m glad we did, though, because fast forward a few years, and now I can’t imagine living without it!

Collagen plays a major role in our skin. In fact, some people think of it as a building block. Among many other things, it helps maintain our skin’s elasticity to avoid sagging and its lack is a key component in symptoms of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Sadly for us all, collagen production begins dropping when we reach our 20s. Further, it can also be impacted by your lifestyle, too much exposure to sunlight or tanning beds, or smoking. Microneedling is an excellent treatment option to combat the signs of aging and our decline in collagen production. Lucky for you, we have the technology’s best right here in Cookeville, Tennessee!

WHAT IS MICRONEEDLING?

Microneedling is a minimally-invasive aesthetic procedure that uses fine needles to puncture the skin. Before you freak out, know that at Skin + Aesthetics, we use a very effective topical numbing agent. In fact, most patients feel absolutely nothing and I have had more than one patient actually fall asleep on me. The treatment sounds far scarier than it actually is! Now that we have that behind us, let’s talk about why this treatment is so effective.

How It Works

Microneedling works by creating tiny wounds all over your skin through the fine needles on the pen, which come in a single-use, sterile package that is used for one patient and then properly disposed of. Your microneedling head will never be used for more than one session and we will open the package in front of you so you can rest assured that a sterile head is being used specifically on you! I hate that I even have to disclose that because it should be a no-brainer, but reusing of sterile components including microneedling heads has been found at other clinics. Horrifying, I know. That is not and will never be the case at Skin + Aesthetics, which is why I opened my own practice. I want full control over ensuring every single thing is done safely and ethically.

Anyway, getting back on track; when the skin is wounded, the body’s natural response is to jump into action to heal and grow new cells, and this is exactly why microneedling works. The controlled injury by the needles on the microneedling head stimulates the body to produce fresh collagen and elastin. This is why some people refer to microneedling as “collagen induction therapy”. It is an effective treatment to not only help with the process of aging, but can also improve the appearance of acne scarring, skin texture, pore size, stretch marks, hyperpigmentation, and more. Another good thing about this procedure is that it is not limited to the face. It can be in any part of your body, meaning if you have a scar, we can treat it, too!

What to Expect

During the procedure, we will ensure your face is clean, will apply numbing cream to your face for about 30 minutes, reclean your face and remove all numbing, and then we will attach the sterile needle head to the pen and go to work! The microneedling pen is then used at varying depths on specific parts of your face to give you effective results. There is minimal downtime, but the things you can generally expect include temporary redness or a bit of swelling. Because studies showing the efficacy of microneedling have been studied specifically looking at three sessions spaced four weeks apart, we have packaged our microneedling treatments so that you can get great results at a lower price than with individual treatments.

WHY I CHOSE CANDELA EXCEED

At Skin + Aesthetics, we offer the patients of Cookeville, Tennessee and surrounding areas an excellent and proven microneedling option. After reviewing all of the latest technology out there, I decided that I wanted to specifically bring S+A patients the technology of the Candela Exceed microneedling device.

The reason that I chose the Candela Exceed over other microneedling pens is because:

• Maximum Adjustability

The Exceed microneedling device has 19 depth options that are adjustable at a 0.1 mm level, along with multiple speed options. Configuring speed and depth allows your provider to adapt to your unique skin for optimal results.

• Smooth Motion Pattern

Thanks to a flexible needle plate, Exceed’s needles release smoothly from the skin without scratching the surface. This means that it moves with the skin, creating less inflammation and making it easier to target any area of the face.

• Dual FDA Approval

The Candela Exceed is the first and only microneedling device in the nation to be cleared by the FDA’s rigorous testing for two skin concerns: facial acne scars and wrinkles! It is also the world’s first FDA-approved class 2 medical device!

• Reputable Company

Candela has been a trusted company for more than 50 years. In fact, they’re one of the leading providers of medical aesthetic technology solutions in the world. Their brand values science, results, and trust, which closely align with our own values.

WHAT CAN MICRONEEDLING TREAT?

There are so many studies that show the benefits of microneedling, but I want to highlight four specifics that have been proven repeatedly.

1) Microneedling reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

Controlled studies specifically looking at the Exceed have proven that microneedling boasts an improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, and skin texture.

2) Microneedling helps repair visible scars and acne scars.

Several studies have proven that microneedling can improve scarring, which includes both surgical scarring and acne scarring! In a pilot study by El-Domyati et al., ten patients with atrophic facial scars from acne were studied. These patients had six treatment sessions spread over three months and the efficacy of the treatments was evaluated by biopsy. Following microneedling, it was found that there was a statistically significant increase in the production of collagen types I, III, and VII and a decrease in total elastin by the end of treatment and the patients themselves collectively reported a 51%–60% improvement in scar appearance, 40%–50% improvement in skin texture, and 80%–85% overall satisfaction.

In another study by Majid, thirty-seven patients were assessed over 2 months. Following microneedling treatments, over 80% of the patients reported their treatment results as “excellent” on a 10-point scale. On top of all the studies related to microneedling, the Candela Exceed is also the microneedling pen the FDA cleared for scarring!

3) Microneedling improves pigmentation concerns.

Several studies have proposed microneedling as an alternative to conventional treatment in disorders of pigmentation, including melasma, vitiligo, and periorbital hyperpigmentation. One study even showed that microneedling combined with daily sunscreen results had very favorable results specifically for melasma.

4) Microneedling improves hair loss.

The efficacy of microneedling in both androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and alopecia areata (AA) has been highlighted over the last 5 years.

WRAPPING IT UP

Microneedling offers a safe and effective way to improve many of your skin concerns. After reading today’s blog, hopefully you will also see why I’m such a fan the Candela Exceed. If you’re ready to schedule your microneedling appointment and see the benefits yourself, click here. As always, if you have any questions about microneedling or any other procedure, feel free to reach out.

Until next time,

Blakelee Paige Smith, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, NP-C

Dual Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner + Owner

Skin + Aesthetics