According to Dr. Lance Setterfield, micro-needling is the most effective skin rejuvenation treatment. His research has shown that micro-needling does not cause significant inflammation like other rejuvenating treatments, but rather works at a cellular level to minimize inflammation and stimulate growth factors. Many other skin rejuvenation treatments cause wound responses which maximize inflammation.
Micro-needling, also known as Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), involves pricking the skin multiple times using a specially designed device with needles to induce regeneration via the wound healing cascade. These treatments create thousands of micro-channels to allow greater penetration of topical solutions and set platelet-induced healing in motion.
There are two types of Micro-needling: one is medical and the other is cosmetic. The difference is based on the length of the needles and the depth reach in the skin. Here is some detail about the differences and benefits:
Cosmetic
The cosmetic micro-needling uses a needle that does not penetrate the skin as deeply as the ones used in the medical micro-needling. This procedure still creates channels in the epidermis to increase product penetration, promote epidermal growth factors and cell turnover. For this to be most effective, it must be combined with the topical products that will provide the proper nutrients to the skin cells. For cosmetic micro-needling, the typical needle length is 0.2 and 0.3 mm. This treatment is performed by trained clinical estheticians.
Medical
This form of mirco-needling penetrates deeper into the skin using a needle that is 0.5 to 3.0 mms. Therefore, this accomplishes what cosmetic micro-needling does plus it simulates keratinocytes and fibroblasts, increases cell turnover, collagen and elastin production.
More specifically medical micro-needling is used for the following conditions:
Wrinkles
Thin Skin
Hyperpigmentation (Discoloration)
Rosacea
Loss of elasticity
Premature aging
Scars
Loss of skin strength
UV or sun damage
Stretch marks
Hair restoration
Medical micro-needling is performed by a trained cosmetic nurse, technicians and doctors.
