What is Micro-needling or Mesotherapy?
Micro-needling involves making multiple tiny punctures in the surface of the skin - either with an injection needle, derma-roller or mechanical micro-needling device. This stimulates cell healing, rejuvenation and skin tightening.
Micro-needling is safe and non-invasive and it can be applied to almost any area of the body.
Mesotherapy is essentially micro-needling, with the addition of active ingredients. With multiple punctures/pores in the skin surface, specific aesthetic/medical treatments can be applied that penetrate directly into deeper layers of the skin. This is much more powerful than applying creams or products onto the intact skin surface.
An alternative method of applying Mesotherapy is by injecting active ingredients like vitamins, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants or other clinically proven molecules directly into the skin using a syringe or injector.
Micro-needling/mesotherapy is used to treat:
- General signs of ageing
- Sun damage
- Loosening skin
- Large pores and fine lines
- Pigmentation / uneven skin tone
- Scars / stretch marks
- Hair loss
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Is micro-needling/mesotherapy painful?
Depending on the depth of the punctures, and the area treated, it can be painful. However, it is always advisable to use local anaesthetic cream/gel 30-60 minutes before your micro-needling/mesotherapy session. This minimises the discomfort.
How long is a treatment session?
Usually, treatments last 30-60 minutes depending on the area to be treated. The skin is first cleaned and disinfected, then the micro-needling is performed followed by application of active ingredients (if appropriate), and then finally, the skin is protected with a healing mask and sunscreen.
How many sessions are needed before I can expect to see results?
This depends on multiple factors including the condition of your skin, the area of the body to be treated and the type of results you are looking for.
Typically, for skin tightening we see a significant improvement after 5-7 sessions. For deep scars and very prominent stretch marks, it can take up to 12 sessions to achieve a satisfactory result.
What can I expect if I have micro-needling on my face? Will I need to take time off work?
Immediately after the treatment, we see quite a dramatic reaction on most people: Redness, puffiness and sometimes a little bruising if we use deeper needling techniques. You can apply make-up onto your face about 1 hour after the treatment, but the redness usually remains for about 4-6 hours or overnight. The following day, your skin will look dry and you may look like you had a mild sunburn but there is no visible peeling or flaking. Most people do not need to take time off work.
Will I bleed?
There may be a little bleeding with deeper needling, but this is generally very minimal and the blood can easily be wiped from the surface of the skin.
What are the risks?
As with any procedure that involves needles: bleeding and bruising may occur but this is quite rare especially with more superficial needling. The main risk is infection, but we use a very effective disinfectant on the surface of the skin before the treatment starts, and the needling device is sterile.
What kind of aftercare is needed?
The most important after-care is protection from the sun. You will need to apply a good SPF 50+ sunblock every day for at least 1 week after each session to prevent any UV damage to the healing skin. Your doctor may recommend additional topical applications depending on the problem and expected results.
What should I NOT do after I have micro-needling/mesotherapy?
Please do not swim either in fresh or salt water on the day after your treatment. By swimming, you can wash away the active ingredients, and your infection risk may be increased. We also recommend that you not use any harsh chemicals on your face. If you must wash your face before bed, then just use clean water without soaps or cleansers / toners etc (only on the day of the treatment). The next day, resume your normal routine.
How often should I do micro-needling/mesotherapy?
The best results are achieved when sessions are spaced 7-14 days apart. We do not recommend having sessions more frequently than once a week on a particular area because the skin needs time to heal between sessions.