Dermapen

Maintaining the health and appearance of our skin has become a priority for most of us these days. Treatments like Botox and Fillers are new alternatives to the severity of a facelift and any stigmas, that used to exist have, almost totally faded, as they have become more mainstream.

However, there is an element of maintenance and commitment attached to such approaches, and any scrimping on cost can result in that tell-tale frozen look that we all dread.

The good news is that there are now many alternatives that, if adopted early on, can help you maintain the appearance of your skin and forego any more extreme measures, for as long as possible. Or indeed, altogether, if they are not your cup of tea.

Microneedling, is one such treatment, and one that I have found to be extremely beneficial. Unlike botox or fillers, it won’t utterly eradicate lines and wrinkles but it does most definitely minimise them. It will also plump up the skin and tighten it, giving an all over lift to skin.

I have had microneedling treatments before and definitely noticed a difference in my skin texture. For the last year I have been noticing that the skin on my neck was becoming more crepey and was definitely looking at looser. When I had microneedling treatments before, only my face was treated and the difference between the skin on my neck and face was becoming quite noticeable.

I recently attended Azul Laser and Skin Beauty, in Clontarf, Dublin. They treat both the skin on the neck and the face at the same time at a cost of 170euro per session. The types of device used at skin clinics differ, although most have moved from the original dermaroller to a dermapen.

At Azul, they use the Genosys Dermafix Pen. Unlike my previous experience with microneedling, I was brought in for a thorough consultation ahead of my appointment. This involved an allergy test for the numbing cream that is used during the treatment and also an assessment of my skin needs.

The therapist did a full examination of my face and determined that during my treatment I would need a combination of two serums, one for anti aging and one to tackle redness. This attention to detail was missing from my previous experiences with microneedling, so I was impressed.

The treatment itself lasted two hours. My face was deeply cleansed and then numbing cream was applied and left to sit for 30 minutes. Something that I hadn’t experience before was having cling film placed on my skin to allow for numbing cream to take affect. The sensation was cold followed by a tingling feeling and my skin felt distinctly numb, to the extent that there was little discomfort apart from on the more boney parts of my face, like the forehead and nose.

The sensation, when you can feel it, is like mini pinpricks that happen in rapid succession. It is tolerable, not painful, but definitely not comfortable. The extra time spent allowing the numbing cream to work definitely decreased the level of discomfort that I felt.

My skin takes a very strong reaction to treatment and goes extremely, “Samantha- in- Sex and the City- after- her- peel”, red.

A mask with hyaluronic acid was placed on my face afterwards. This was extremely cooling and brought the burning sensation down. Some people don’t go as red as I do, but you most definitely cannot have this treatment done immediately before any event and should allow 24-48 hours downtime.

My previous experience with microneedling saw my skin take approximately 2 weeks to fully recover, with significant peeling. However, this was not the case on this occasion. The redness dissipated after a day and was fully gone within 4 days. To avoid infection after the treatment, only mineral make-up can be applied. I found that, with make-up, the redness was completely covered and I was able to resume my normal routine the following day.

Microneedling is also known as collagen induction therapy. Basically, as your skin repairs itself from the tiny injuries created by the dermapen, it induces collagen production and strengthens the dermis. It also triggers the body to create more elatstin with the results that skin is tighter, firmer and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles are diminished. It is particularly beneficial to those looking to treat acne or surgical scarring and I immediately noticed a significant decrease is the size of my pores. It is also effective in the treatment of stretch marks.

What I was most impressed with following my visit was the immediate appearance in the texture of the neck on my skin and a visible tightening.

4-6 treatments, spaced over 4-6 weeks apart, are recommended for more visible results. Results can be seen between 1 to 8 weeks later and can be ongoing for months.

Microneedling is a relatively affordable treatment that does see results. For anybody looking to immediately get rid of specific lines or wrinkles, it won’t achieve this, but it is definitely a great treatment to maintain the quality of your skin and try and hold off on any more extreme treatments.