What Is Microneedling?

Written by:Paula Begoun

Microneedling is a skincare technique with a name that pretty much sums up what it is and what it does: Tiny needles attached to a device that repeatedly punctures skin. Sounds fairly straightforward? It isn’t!

 

Questions about microneedling abound and for good reason: The claims for what it can do are pretty unbelievable. Microneedling is being touted as the solution for everything from improving acne scarring to diminishing wrinkles, helping skincare ingredients penetrate better, and even to grow hair! The laundry list of its attributes makes it easy to understand the intense interest to the question, “Does microneedling work?”

 

The answer is yes, to some extent. However, despite hundreds of published studies and articles about microneedling, it isn’t easy getting to the truth about what it can and can’t do. That’s because much of the information is often skewed by either poorly controlled studies or is done by people selling the devices or procedures, meaning there’s built-in motivation for favorable outcomes. Here’s the basics of what you need to know to make an educated decision about whether microneedling is for you.

 

What Can Microneedling Do?

Microneedling, especially when done in a medical setting, is recognized by the research for improving many different types of acne scarring. However, the before and after photographs you’re shown are always the ones that are the most impressive, you’ll rarely see pictures of the people who only had less than stellar results. Just know that not everyone will get the “best” results.

 

The claims touting microneedling for wrinkles, skin discolorations, and pore size have research that’s somewhat less clear. Some studies show worthwhile results but others not so much and again there is the issue of the reliability of the research because it comes from the companies promoting the device or service. However, in theory, at least when it comes to wrinkles, it should work because of the way it builds support in the lower layers of skin. The other claims should be viewed with skepticism.

 

When it comes to dimpled skin, even some of the companies selling or using microneedling devices make it clear they don’t work for that. This condition occurs when uneven fibrous connective tissue mix with fat, even small amounts of fat, and create areas of what’s known as “cottage cheese” skin. You simply can’t puncture that away.

 

Skin striations due to pregnancy or rapid weight changes can have some minor improvements from microneedling by “loosening” up the tread marks, but it doesn’t raise up the skin or replace the scar tissue with normal tissue.

 

Another claim about microneedling is that it enhances penetration of skin care ingredients. There is limited research showing microneedling has some benefits for delivering topical prescription-only ingredients into skin when done in a very controlled setting, but this does not apply to traditional skin care ingredients. Keep in mind that skin care ingredients penetrate based on their molecular structure, and not all skin care ingredients need to penetrate deeply into skin. A brilliant skin care product contains ingredients that interact with varying layers of skin. If everything absorbed deeply it wouldn’t be where skin needs it most.

 

The major issue for helping skincare ingredients absorb better into skin is what happens when skin is constantly being wounded with regular use of at-home devices which eventually cause damage.

 

The secondary but still important issue is that skincare ingredients like antioxidants, sunscreen actives, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and skin-replenishing ingredients in general must stay in the top layers of skin to have benefit. Environmental free-radical damage hits skin’s surface layers first, so if there’s nothing there to help these troublemakers simply keep going, stopping them sooner is better for skin. Some ingredients, such as retinol, could benefit from deeper absorption, but that's not always a good thing because when skin is compromised that direct absorption can cause a sensitizing reaction. An enhanced slow-release delivery system in the retinol products you buy is so much better for skin.

 

Be Wary of At-Home Microneedling Devices

The major question we’re asked is whether or not at-home microneedling devices actually work. There’s just very little unbiased research showing positive results and the risk is what happens when you overuse the device, which is so easy to do. Repeatedly injuring the skin is a bad thing, even though you might not see it because it is below the skin surface, and the tendency with devices like this is if a little bit is good, then more must be better.

 

Another important factor to consider is that at-home devices are not as of yet regulated by the FDA. This means there are no regulations establishing legitimate guidelines for what these devices can actually do (or even claim they can do) and what their risks may be. The FDA is working on it but in the meantime it’s a jungle of claims and no oversight.

 

Should You or Shouldn’t You?

The fine point (sorry, we couldn’t resist) on microneedling is that in some situations, such as doctors’ offices, this practice can have benefit, especially for reducing the appearance of scarring and wrinkles. For microneedling at-home, there’s not enough unbiased research to support adding this tool to your skincare routine. The potential negatives outweigh any possible benefit if you overuse it and knowing when you’ve gone too far can be hard to determine, especially if you’re seeing good results.

 

References for this information:

Journal of Dermatologic Treatment, August 2017, pages 1-18

Journal of International Trichology, January-March 2017, pages 14-18 and January-March 2013, pages 6-11

International Journal of Pharmaceutics, April 2017, pages 92-101

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, December 2016, pages 434-443 and September 2014, pages 180-187

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, February 2016, pages 348-355

Indian Dermatology Journal, July-August 2016, pages 244-254

Experimental Dermatology, August 2015, pages 561-566

Advanced Drug Delivery Research, November 2012, pages 1547-1568

The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, January 2012, pages 11-29