Right after I turned 44, I met a woman at my gym who was two years older than me. It shocked me because when I first saw her, I figured she was in her early 30s. We became close friends, and after a few years of friendship, I couldn’t help myself – I had to ask her what she did to keep her youthful appearance. I could tell she wasn’t over-Botoxed or over-filled.
She told me she’d been doing microneedling for about 10 years and that it had made all the difference. “I initially went for three treatments close together, now I only do it once a year for maintenance,” she explained.
I had no idea what microneedling was, but I did my research because I wanted to preserve my skin like she had. She told me she loved it because “I still look exactly like myself but it keeps my skin young.”
In case you also didn't know, microneedling is a form of collagen induction therapy
Basically, it makes your skin produce a lot more collagen than it normally would. As we age, our skin stops producing collagen, which is why we wrinkle and sag. Microneedling involves puncturing tiny holes in your skin with sterilized needles. These tiny holes make your body produce more collagen and elastin. It can help with so many things: acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, large pores, reduced skin elasticity, and sun damage.
I was over the moon when I found out my medical spa did microneedling, so I signed up right away. It’s so important to make sure the person performing the procedure has the proper experience and credentials and that all equipment is sterilized. For best results, it’s crucial to talk with the nurse or doctor who will be performing your procedure so you can make sure you get the best results you can. My nurse recommended I do four treatments, each a month apart. I couldn’t get in there fast enough because I was so excited to see what my skin would look like.
I decided to do microneedling with PRP, which involved having my blood drawn
After they applied numbing cream to my face, they drew some blood and spun it until the plasma rose to the top. The longest part of the procedure is waiting for the numbing cream to do its thing, which usually takes about 45 minutes.
Then, they started moving a pen-shaped tool around my face and rubbing my plasma into my skin, which really boosts your collagen production. This part only takes about 25 minutes, then you are done. You can leave right away and you feel — and look — like you have a bad sunburn. The procedure wasn’t very painful for me (I’d say a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most painful), but it’s different for everyone.
During the next few days, you'll be red and can’t wear any makeup or use any active skin care ingredients. You must stay out of the sun for a week. I also had swelling under my eyes for a few days, and you may also have some peeling. Some people hide out during downtime and others go about their life — which is what I did.
After a week, my new skin was revealed and I really started seeing the best results after a month
About a week after my fourth treatment, I couldn’t believe the transformation. All the tiny, fine lines around my eyes were gone. I have a lot of red in my complexion and it’s completely gone, even now. I no longer have to wear foundation, because my skin is glowing. I had a small scar on my chin that completely disappeared as well.
I had lunch with a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time about two months after I was done with my last procedure, and she demanded to know what I did.
“It looks like you have a filter on your face!” she told me.
I can’t recommend getting microneedling enough
It’s great for all skin types and is the perfect thing to do if you aren’t ready for laser treatments or surgery. It’s a natural way to boost your collagen and it really did make me look younger and more awake.
Microneedling sessions range from $200-$700, depending on where you live. It’s definitely an investment, but the wonderful thing about it is that after your initial set of treatments one month apart, you need to do it only once a year to maintain. This is one self-care treatment I'm definitely going to keep up.
