In this Post: A review of my microneedling treatments at Sistine Plastic Surgery in Pittsburgh and discussing microneedling for acne scars. Plus, save $100 on at Sistine Plastic Surgery!
*This post is sponsored by Sistine Plastic Surgery. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that keep The Gem up and running!*
I have spent a ridiculous amount of my life searching the internet for solutions for acne and acne scars. One thing that kept coming up in my scouting was microneedling for acne scars. So, when Sistine Plastic Surgery asked me if I wanted to work together and I found out they had mirconeedling, I wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but boy oh boy was I game for trying this highly recommended solution!
Today, I’m sharing my experience and results. When I posted about microneedling on my Instagram stories, you Gems had A LOT of questions for me. So, I’ve included them in a video below towards the end of the post and I’ll also type the answers up for you in another post in case you’re not a video watcher!
What is Mirconeedling?
Mirconeedling is done with a device (Sistine Plastic Surgery using the SkinPen) that lays tiny micro-injuries to the skin which stimulates collagen and forms new elastin. Basically, it motivates your skin’s own natural healing process to happen. While the treatment has been praised for its anti-aging benefits and is also known to help with hyperpigmentation, I was especially interested in microneeding for acne scars.
Obviously, that process sounds a bit scary, but it really isn’t. I found comfort in knowing that the SkinPen is the first microneedling device to be cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What a Microneedling Treatment is Like
I was instructed to avoid sun exposure for 24 hours before the procedure, stay away from spray tanning/self tanners for 48 hours before, and discontinue any Retinol or Vitamin A products 24 hours prior, but other than that there’s really nothing that needs to be done before.
I was certainly nervous, especially for the first treatment. What if I have some kind of weird reaction? What if this messes my face up? What if I get a weird infection? How painful will this be? What if I cry because it hurts? Those were all things going through my head.
But, I knew I was in good hands! The staff at Sistine Plastic Surgery was so helpful in answering my questions every step of the way. I also felt better when I walked inside and saw how clean the office was. Is that just me? I feel instantly better about something medically related if I walk in and everything is super clean and organized.
Once I arrived at Sistine Plastic Surgery for each appointment, Jenna (the Registered Nurse who performed each treatment) would put a numbing cream on me, let it soak in for a bit, and then she’d get started with the SkinPen.
Does Micro Needling Hurt?
Yes and no. My first and third treatments were almost painless – all I could feel was pressure from the pen. In the video, Jenna and I are having a full conversation while she’s performing the treatment and you can tell I’m doing just fine!
However, for the second treatment, she put on a different numbing cream on me and it did hurt. Not terribly, but enough to make my eyes tear up when she was working on certain spots. That being said, everyone’s skin is different, so if you’re in pain during your treatment, LET YOU PROVIDER KNOW! You never know what they might be able to do to alleviate it or what they can adjust to make the next treatment more tolerable. That being said, make sure you choose a provider that you feel you can openly communicate with. It makes sure a difference! And if you’re in the Pittsburgh area, I certainly recommend choosing Sistine Plastic Surgery.
Get $100 off any service of your choice (excluding products and single session energy devices) at Sistine Plastic Surgery by mentioning my name (Allyn Lewis) when scheduling! Email info@sistineplasticsurgery.com to set up your appointment. Expires 05/16/2019.
Everyone’s skin is different and so is everyone’s pain tolerance. Therefore, you may have a different experience than I did. Something worth mentioning is that even if you are in pain, it is important not to take any anti-inflammatory pain medications as they interfere with the natural inflammatory response that microneedling initiates in order to rejuvenate skin.
What Is the Recovery like with a Microneedling Treatment?
Right after the treatment, my face was kind of red like a 6 if we’re scaling from 1-10. A few hours later, the redness was more intense, like an 8. As the numbing cream wore off my skin felt tight (almost like the feeling when you have a mild sunburn, but without the pain that normally comes along with it). If you look under the “Skincare” highlight of my Instagram stories, you can see the process!
I was already seeing results the day after treatment
The redness calmed down significantly by the time I woke up the next morning – I couldn’t believe the difference! It was a 4 (more of a pink than red) and still had some tightness, but it was already feeling more plump and glowy. I even taught 3 yoga classes the day after treatment, so I was definitely comfortable going out in public. My skin peeled a bit, but it was very mild.
On day 3, the color of my skin was practically back to normal. It still felt a touch tight and was just a very slight shade of pink. I noticed that my pores were noticeably smaller and I loved how the plump effect made my wrinkles far less noticeable.
For our collaboration, Sistine Plastic Surgery offered me 3 treatments. Each time, the recovery was faster with my skin feeling consecutively more smooth. I’m totally impressed that my skincare products absorb SO much better (which means they’re now more effective). Plus, my foundation goes on a lot smoother and it doesn’t settle into my forehead wrinkles like it used to! My skin looks more polished than it used to and the texture has improved!
So, Does Microneedling Work on Acne Scars?
Honestly, it’s too soon for me to tell. I do think there’s been a slight improvement in my acne scars. It’s not enough for me to energetically push it to you as a solution for this, but between the other benefits I mentioned above and the small glimmer of hope that it did show me for my acne scars, it’s absolutely something I recommend trying. Jenna was very upfront with me in explaining that some people see results for acne scars after 2 treatments, but for other people, they don’t see those kinds of results until after treatment 6 or 7. If I had it within my budget to keep going, I so would because it did show potential and I have heard many other success stories. And, it is something I plan to invest in for myself when my financial situation stabilizes (and I’ll definitely be going back to Sistine Plastic Surgery for it even when I’m paying with my own money because they’re that good).
The verdict: Definitely give it a try because you will see some benefits, but if you’re doing microneedling for acne scarring, go into it knowing that you may need to invest in a substantial amount of sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
During my last treatment, I asked Jenna all the questions you Gems had be asking me throughout the process so that you have answers from an expert! Watch the video for everything you need to know about microneedling and a look at what the treatment is like.
