Microneedling

Dr. Douglas Stevens offers the most advanced solutions to common skin problems, including wrinkles, fine lines, and acne scarring. He carefully vets every skin care treatment to ensure its safety and efficacy. Dr. Stevens has seen great results with microneedling, a non-surgical, non-ablative technique that improves textural problems for smoother, younger-looking skin using the SkinPen by Crown Aesthetics.

SkinPen was the first microneedling device in the world cleared for use by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and is the gold standard technology in the industry for safe and effective microneedling treatment. The handheld device contains 20 sterile needles that create hundreds to thousands of micro-punctures in the skin per second to jumpstart the skin’s wound healing response for cell proliferation and skin remodeling without forming scar tissue. The “power of the pen” reaches the deeper skin tissues where the micro-traumas stimulate neocollagenesis (new collagen) and blood flow, throwing the body into a healing mode to protect itself with new collagen and elastin for more facial volume and tighter skin.

SkinPen can offer dramatic results for people 18 years or older. While it can be used on many face and body areas, the most popular treatments are for the full face, neck, and chest area to target skin conditions such as acne scarring and neck wrinkles.

Dr. Steven’s Medical Aesthetician typically recommends a three-treatment series for SkinPen microneedling, but more may be necessary for severe scarring or deep wrinkles. Annual maintenance treatments can build upon the results.

Creating tiny pinpricks in the skin with SkinPen also allows growth factors, serums, and other topical skin care products to penetrate the skin deeper for better results.

Once the treated area is numbed, the Aesthetician uses the SkinPen in a basket-weave-type motion, going up, down, side to side, and in circular motions. Your troublesome spots with scars or deep creases may need one more pass with the SkinPen to instigate more wound healing. Treatment with SkinPen may take about 30 minutes, depending on the treated area, but your entire appointment may take 90 minutes.

After microneedling treatment, it is normal for the skin to look red or sunburned. Light burning, tightness, and flaking are also common. Patients can wear makeup to cover up redness as soon as the day after treatment but may want to avoid makeup for several days as the skin heals.

Many patients see noticeable results after a single treatment; however, for the maximum benefit, a series of treatments is recommended. During an in-person patient consultation, Dr. Stevens and our team can determine how many sessions are needed to achieve the desired results.

Clinical trials show SkinPen is safe and effective for men and women with Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-VI, making this technology the only microneedling option for all skin tones. Unlike laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels, long-term use of SkinPen microneedling won’t damage the skin, so patients can have regular maintenance appointments and use the device for years to stimulate healing.

People with active skin cancer, open wounds, sores, active acne, or irritated skin should not have microneedling until their skin has healed. SkinPen is not indicated for pregnant or nursing women or people taking drugs containing isotretinoin (Accutane). You may need a different treatment if you have a bleeding disorder or dysfunction or are allergic to stainless steel or anesthetic.

SkinPen’s patented and single-use sterile needle cartridge was built with safety in mind. A BioSheath was designed to act as a barrier in the pen to prevent cross-contamination between patients and procedures. The SkinPen has a high safety profile, which is why it was the world’s first FDA-cleared device for microneedling. The FDA cleared the SkinPen device and the entire treatment protocol, including a Skinfuse® Lift HG hydrogel that protects the skin from friction and abrasion during the treatment and the BioSheath.

Microneedling should only be performed by a facial plastic surgeon, dermatologist, or trained technician. DIY microneedling with at-home dermapens or dermarollers has several drawbacks. First, the at-home devices’ needles are very short, so they cannot penetrate the skin very deeply and, therefore, cannot provide significant improvement in the treated area. Also, if the needles aren’t properly cleaned or maintained, they can cause infection, skin damage, and even scarring.