Microneedling: The All-Natural Treatment for Younger-Looking Skin

Your body has remarkable tissue-regenerating abilities, systems that can restore tissue and keep your face looking young, fresh, and healthy. But why, then, is the process of aging so hard to stop? These regenerative systems are primarily responsible for repairing tissue damage, such as when you’re cut or burned by the sun. Unfortunately, these systems don’t kick in when you think, “Gee, I’d like younger-looking skin.”

But there are ways to stimulate these healing responses, and a traditional technique that’s getting a new look is microneedling. If you’re unfamiliar with the treatment, it may sound a bit scary. The skin of your face is punctured with tiny, shallow needles to jump-start a process that clears away older tissue and generates new skin components.

The result is smoother skin, free of fine lines and exhibiting a firmer, even appearance. Even such skin flaws as acne scars and dark spots may show improvement. At his practice, Exclusively Faces Cosmetic Surgery & MedSpa, Matthew Karen, MD, can help you decide whether microneedling is right for you.  

What to expect from a microneedling treatment

Most microneedling sessions take about 15 minutes of active chair time. They start with a cream that numbs your skin so the microneedling itself isn’t uncomfortable. Traditionally, the handheld microneedling device is then used on the target areas to create an even spread of tiny punctures that stimulate your body’s repair systems.

The damage from microneedling, though, isn’t all that extensive. Even though there are tiny holes poked into your skin, redness from the treatment typically vanishes in a few hours. The stimulation of microneedling increases blood flow to the treated areas, another aid for the regeneration process.

Dr. Karen offers his patients a further refinement of the microneedling process: the Fractora™ radiofrequency system.

How Fractora enhances the microneedling process

A Fractora treatment resembles conventional microneedling on the surface, but where its advantage lies is below the surface, in the deeper layers of your skin. Radiofrequency energy can warm the tissue in the collagen layers below the surface of your skin. This is a gentle heating, only about 10 degrees above your normal body temperature, but it’s enough to further stimulate the regeneration process that microneedling starts.

Collagen production typically falls off with age, except in the presence of an injury. The collagen layer also holds other tissue that supports and nourishes your surface skin, attracting and trapping moisture to keep skin tight and young. Fractora delivers a double-shot of healing stimulation through the course of a microneedling session.

The benefits of Fractora microneedling

With the addition of radiofrequency energy, the effects of a Fractora microneedling are far-reaching compared to traditional methods. You should notice improvements in the appearance of both fine and deep lines. Your skin’s pore size becomes smaller and the overall texture is smoother. Fine spider veins, facial redness, and other pigment issues start to fade as your body produces new tissue.

Conventional microneedling would need to be combined with chemical peels and dermabrasion to produce results that match what Fractora delivers in a single process. It’s a gentle process, as well, with very little downtime. Depending on the strength, peels and dermabrasions can require days or weeks of recovery. Since the Fractora system is adjustable, treatments are customized for your face.

Contact Dr. Karen at Exclusively Faces Cosmetic Surgery & MediSpa to arrange a consultation. He can discuss how microneedling and the Fractora system can help you address the effects of aging on your skin.