MICRONEEDLING. It sounds terrifying does it?! 2 months ago I decided I wanted to do something about the texture of my skin and so I visited Facial Aesthetic Concepts in Aliso Viejo. I had a great consultation with Cassandra, one of their RNs and she recommended microneedling. Here’s all the juicy details:
They booked me in for 3 sessions, each one a month apart to allow time for my skin to heal. I have some pigmentation on my skin so I was given some amazing even tone skin pads that were loaded with ascorbic acid (a type of vitamin c known for reducing dark marks), antioxidants, and hydroquinone (a skin lightener that attacks dark marks and uneven pigmentation).
I was nervous about using something with hydroquinone on my skin but it’s worked so beautifully. So my worry was misplaced, and my actual skin color has not changed at all.
So I drove to Aliso Viejo on the day of my first appointment, which was 2 weeks after starting the even tone pads. Obviously, me being me, I decided to chronicle my journey by making notes each day following my treatment.
Kind of like a Captain’s Log?! So here are those notes, and spoiler alert – my face looks the best it’s ever looked!!
But First, What Is Microneedling?
Here’s an in-depth description direct from Facial Aesthetic Concepts:
“Microneedling is a non-ablative treatment that utilizes a handheld device with sterile needles to create tiny channels in your skin and stimulate collagen production. This treatment for the face takes about 45 minutes and is virtually painless with little or no downtime.
“This treatment is designed to stimulate your skin’s natural ability to produce new collagen and develop healthier skin. It also allows specific topical solutions and skin care products to penetrate the deep layers of the skin for optimal rejuvenating results.
“Microneedling can be used to treat active acne, acne scars, wrinkles, stretch marks, and signs of aging. This treatment can also smooth out irregularities, reduce discoloration left from previous breakouts, and stimulate collagen production.”
Session 1 of Microneedling
I was smothered in numbing cream and left for 30 minutes while it went to work. They assured me that it wouldn’t really hurt once I was fully numb. I knew the cream was working when I began to lose feeling in my lips. That’s a weird sensation!
The microneedling procedure took around 20 minutes and it was pretty uneventful. Some parts of my face were totally pain free, and around eyes, temples, nose, and forehead felt like a tickle or a cat lick. I wouldn’t say it hurt, but it was uncomfortable. Definitely not unbearable in any way though.
My post treatment care involved being pampered with soothing products and a hyaluronic acid jelly mask. Hyaluronic acid is super hydrating and doesn’t burn at all. I have no idea why it’s called an acid! When I got a look at myself in the mirror I was very red, but not bleeding.
I had imagined I would look like something from a horror movie so was pleasantly surprised at how normal I looked.
As the feeling came back through the day my face felt tight and sore. That first night my face was hot and sore – washing it with gentle products helped and I slathered myself in a fragrance-free gentle moisturizer. I was sent home with an extra hyaluronic acid jelly mask so I put that in the fridge ready for the following day.
Day 2 post treatment
My face felt itchy and sore, but the heat from the previous night had gone. At one point I got too hot and had to wash my face with cool water as it felt stingy. I have never been sunburned but I was told that the way it feels after the microneedling treatment is similar to how a sunburn on your face feels.
I used my face mask (which I’d put in the fridge because I’m a genius) and that really helped. It was so soothing and I was very happy about that. I used more of my thick gentle cream on my face. I’m not usually one for creams like that on my face but it felt SO GOOD.
Day 3 – The Peeling Begins!
When I woke up, my face no longer felt sore but the itchiness reached a new level. I thought I looked a little grey when I washed my face but nothing else. I slathered on 2 essences and a thick moisturizer which my skin drank up.
Later on that morning, THREE people told me I had something on my face in the space of 15 mins. I did not have something on my face. MY skin was falling off. The peeling was bad on my cheeks! By the evening the full face peel was in full force!
Day 4 – Major Flaking!
My skin was still drinking up moisture, which is just so weird for me! I continued the gentle skincare routine and hoped I would stop peeling soon. My wish was granted overnight!
Day 5
When I wake up, one of the first things I do is look at my face in the mirror to decide what to wash my face with. I’m somewhat of a product junkie so I have various choices of what to use. When I looked at my face 5 days after my microneedling treatment, I was met with the skin of a baby. Seriously.
My makeup looked AMAZING and went on like it’s never done before. I was blown away by how smooth my skin feels! I decided I was ready to go back to my normal skincare routine. My skin continued to prefer a thicker moisturizer.
Day 6
My skin is heaven. There is nothing else to say. It’s dreamy and I cannot wait for my next microneedling session.
And there you have it: the good, the red, and the peeling. What do you think? Would you try microneedling now that you’ve seen the whole process and the truly fantastic results?
