5 Skin-Enhancing Benefits of Microneedling

“Collagen” has become a buzz word in the skin care industry, but what is it, why do you need it, and how do you get it? 

We’re glad you asked.

Ashley Cook, WHNP-BC, and our team of skin experts at Woodlands Aesthetics Center in The Woodlands, Texas, love to talk about collagen and how it can benefit your skin. Although you may see ads for collagen in the form of topical creams and even nutritional supplements, we believe one of the best ways to get collagen is to help your body create more of its own.

That’s where microneedling comes in.

Here’s a closer look at collagen, how microneedling can boost your supply, and how your skin will benefit.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a fibrous protein that’s tough, insoluble, and found in abundance throughout your body. Thanks to collagen, your skin is flexible and resilient, your bones are strong, your cartilage and tendons are tough but pliable, and your connective tissues can anchor firmly to one another. Essentially, collagen molecules are responsible for holding your body together.

Unfortunately, around your mid-20s, your body slows down its production of this vital protein, and you begin to see the signs:

• Wrinkles form on your skin, and it becomes less elastic
• Wounds heal more slowly
• Cartilage, tendons, and ligaments wear down
• Muscle mass decreases
• Digestive problems begin to occur

You can give your body a helping hand by eating foods high in amino acids, such as meat, eggs, and legumes, which your body converts into collagen. But even if you eat a healthy diet, the aging process makes it more difficult to absorb the nutrients and synthesize them efficiently, so you may need to look elsewhere for your collagen supply.

What is microneedling, and how does it affect collagen?

Also known as collagen-induction therapy, microneedling is a simple cosmetic procedure that creates countless micro “injuries” in your skin using tiny sterilized needles. 

Microneedling isn’t painful, but you may feel some slight discomfort during your session, which is why we apply a numbing cream on your skin before we start. The miniscule pinpricks send your body into healing mode, which includes amping up its collagen production. Suddenly, your skin is flooded with the essential protein, and it begins to change from the inside out. 

How microneedling enhances your skin

If you have age-related skin problems, you can bet that collagen depletion is to blame. So, when microneedling gets the protein flowing again, your skin reaps the benefits. Here are five of them.

1. Smoother skin

With more collagen in your tissues, your skin becomes stronger and tighter. This helps reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and crepey skin. 

2. Even skin tone

As the years roll by, dark spots pop up and make your skin look blotchy. Some of them stem from sun damage; others are the expected consequences of aging skin. Either way, microneedling can break up those clumps of melanin and clear away the spots.

3. Scar and blemish reduction

Whether you have scars left over from teenage acne or you have a minor reminder of a small cut or scrape, microneedling renews the skin tissue and fades the scars. And say goodbye to blemishes that mar your face and detract from your natural beauty — microneedling addresses them all.

4. Smaller pores

Pores are the “holes” through which your skin pushes out sweat and oil. Some people have small pores, and others have large, visible openings that make them self-conscious. In addition to genetics, you may have large pores due to acne, sun damage, excess oil production, or poor-quality makeup. Topical solutions that promise to reduce pore size actually only fill them with a solution that clogs them and may lead to breakouts.

Microneedling shrinks your pores from the inside out by increasing your collagen production and restoring the integrity of your skin’s structure.

5. Better elasticity

One of the classic signs of aging skin is that it tends to sag and hang rather than snapping back. Again, collagen, and its sidekick elastin, are to blame. Microneedling brings back these proteins and makes your skin more elastic and stretchy, closely resembling the skin of your youth.

Microneedling essentials

At Woodlands Aesthetics, we use SkinPen® by Crown Aesthetics, which is the first microneedling device to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, and it’s still the best at clearing away dark spots, scars, and wrinkles. 

We also offer a way to boost your results by adding platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to your treatment. Derived from a small sample of your own blood, PRP seeps down into the micro punctures and accelerates the healing and cell renewal process.

To find out if microneedling is right for you, call or click to schedule an appointment with our experienced team of skin experts at Woodlands Aesthetic Center.