Collagen induction therapy, also known as microneedling in the beauty world, is a skin treatment designed to stimulate fresh collagen growth and repair the skin from the inside-out. At our office, we use the MD Needle Pen to complete your microneedling treatment. This handheld device includes tiny, sterile needles in its head that create micro-wounds in the top layers of the skin.

As soon as your skin is treated, your body begins its comprehensive healing process in response to the micro-wounds. This includes an increase in collagen production to tighten and repair the skin. Over the course of several weeks, this new collagen growth helps correct a number of common skin conditions and concerns. Repeated treatments can help you maintain your ideal image by keeping your skin smooth and bright for years to come.

A normal microneedling appointment lasts 30-60 minutes, depending on the areas treated. Once the collagen induction therapy process is complete, you have the option of combining treatment with a nourishing serum or skincare product to further target your specific concerns. Even better, your favorite at-home skincare treatments will be more effective thanks to the small channels created into the lower layers of the skin.

How Long Does It Take to See Results?

Each patient’s experience and results are unique, but the vast majority of candidates for collagen induction therapy achieve noticeable, attractive results from their treatment plan. Due to the collagen growth process that begins after treatment, final results typically take 4-6 weeks to appear. These results can often be enhanced by follow-up sessions and targeted skincare products to meet all your cosmetic needs.

How Can Collagen Transform My Skin?

It’s no secret that collagen is one of the most important parts of smooth, youthful skin. This essential protein helps create an interior framework in the multiple layers of your skin, keeping the surface of the skin firm and lifted. In combination with elastin, collagen helps your skin maintain its structure and natural glow.

During the aging process, collagen and elastin production levels drop and the existing framework in the skin begins to break down. This can lead to the development of fine lines, wrinkles, folds, and skin laxity. These concerns only worsen over time and may begin appearing in the skin as early as the mid to late 20s, prompting patients to seek out an easy, non-invasive treatment option that can help manage signs of aging even before middle age.

Collagen induction therapy helps naturally raise your body’s collagen production levels and creates a new framework in the target skin. Your results from a single treatment could last for months, while a personalized treatment plan can offer you indefinite skin rejuvenation benefits as you return for regular treatments. Over time, regular collagen production triggered by your treatment can improve your skin concerns and keep signs of aging at bay.

Which Areas Can Be Treated?

This treatment can benefit almost every area of the body. The most commonly treated regions are the face–including the forehead, nose, midface, and jawline–and the chest. However, you may also see excellent results on the neck, hands, thighs, and various problem areas on other parts of the body.

Which Skin Concerns Can You Address?

The body’s healing process can improve a wide variety of skin and aging-related concerns. Here are several of the most popular skin concerns we treat at our office:

Acne

While acne breakouts typically first appear during puberty, this skin condition can affect patients well into their 30s. There are many different root causes for acne, but almost every type can be significantly improved with microneedling treatments. In addition, the micro-channels in the skin help anti-acne products reach the lower layers of the skin and target acne breakouts at their source.

Lines, Wrinkles, and Skin Laxity

Fine lines and wrinkles are a common side effect of collagen breakdown in the skin. They can develop in the skin all over the body, but most patients are most concerned by lines and wrinkles on the face, neck, and chest. Similarly, skin laxity can cause the skin to sag in certain areas, making you appear older or more tired than you actually are. Microneedling treatments can improve mild to moderate lines and wrinkles as well as mild skin laxity.

Sun Damage

While most patients think that sun damage only entails temporary issues like sunburn, the reality is that sun damage can worsen approximately 90% of all common skin concerns. It may accelerate aging and can lead to the development of serious conditions like skin cancer.

While the best way to prevent sun damage is to practice healthy sun protection habits, microneedling can improve some types of sun damage, including discoloration.

Tone and Texture

Many patients find themselves dissatisfied with the overall tone or texture of their skin. This could be due to conditions like rosacea or hyperpigmentation, which cause discoloration in the skin. It could also be connected to acne, dryness, or oil levels in the skin.

An uneven skin tone or dull texture can be difficult to address with topical treatments, but microneedling gets beneath the surface to promote regeneration and achieve a more even appearance.

Scars and Stretch Marks

Imperfections like scars and stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body. While the appearance of these concerns may improve with time, collagen induction therapy can help accelerate the healing process and fade scars and stretch marks in a matter of months.

Depending on your specific concerns, we can treat acne scars on the face and neck, old scars from previous injuries or surgeries, and stretch marks on the thighs or abdomen.

How Long Will My Results Last?

The longevity of your treatment depends on several factors, including your personalized treatment plan, skin type, and areas of concern. Some issues, including sun damage, scars, and stretch marks, could be permanently improved after treatment. Other progressive issues, such as signs of aging, may require ongoing treatments to maintain your ideal image.

On average, each appointment produces results lasting 6-12 weeks. After this time period, you may notice your signs of concern returning. Ongoing treatments can help build on the success of each previous appointment and reinforce collagen structure in the skin.

Am I an Ideal Candidate?

If you are a man or woman over the age of 18 with general concerns about the appearance, texture, or health of your skin, you could be an ideal candidate for treatment with microneedling. In order to receive treatment, you should be generally healthy and free from signs of infection or irritation in the target skin.

Treatment is considered safe and effective for most skin colors, types, and sensitivities, but it may not be ideal for those with severe sensitivity issues. This treatment may not be ideal for patients with diagnosed bleeding disorders. It may not be recommended for patients with cystic acne or active acne breakouts.

Finally, microneedling may not be ideal for patients with certain skin conditions like eczema, which may be exacerbated by the treatment process. If you’re not sure whether this treatment is for you, our doctor can help you evaluate your concerns during an initial consultation.

What Does a Typical Treatment Process Include?

Consultation

To begin your treatment process, you’ll meet with our skilled doctor for an initial consultation. During this appointment, our doctor will examine your areas of concern, review your medical and skincare history, and ask you about your ideal results from treatment.

Once you are approved for microneedling, our doctor will recommend a personalized treatment plan and give you instructions for preparing for your first appointment.

Preparation

This treatment requires your skin to be as clean and healthy as possible. You should avoid irritating products and treatments like exfoliants, peels, laser resurfacing, and some forms of hair removal for at least 1 week before treatment.

You should also limit your sun exposure and avoid sunburn and tanning prior to your first appointment to minimize irritation in the target skin. Our doctor may ask you to stop taking some blood-thinning medications 1-2 weeks before your appointment to reduce your risk of bruising during recovery.

You should also stop drinking alcoholic beverages at least 24 hours before your treatment. Any other instructions provided by our doctor should be followed carefully to ensure the best results possible from your first microneedling session.

Treatment

Before your appointment, you should wash and dry the target skin and avoid applying any makeup or skincare products. Once you arrive at our office, one of our trained staff members will cleanse your skin and apply a topical numbing cream. They will then activate the MD Needle Pen to begin the microneedling process. Most patients report that their treatment is virtually pain-free.

Your session may last between 30-60 minutes in total, but this will depend on the number and sizes of the areas treated. Once our staff has completed the treatment process, they will apply a post-treatment serum or moisturizer to flush the skin with nutrients as it begins to heal. They will also provide you with instructions for your recovery. After your appointment, you can return to your normal activities with zero downtime.

Recovery

As your skin begins to heal, it’s important to protect the treated areas from irritation. This includes limiting your time in direct sunlight and avoiding treatments that could cause inflammation. In general, most patients report that their skin feels back to normal within 1-2 weeks of treatment. Over the next several weeks, you should notice that your areas of concern continue to improve as new collagen lifts and smooths the skin.

Results

Your final results should be visible within 4-6 weeks of your first treatment. Depending on your original concerns, you may notice that your skin is smoother, brighter, and clearer than before. Signs of aging should be noticeably improved, and imperfections like scars, discoloration, or acne should be faded.

Final results usually last 6-12 weeks, with the added benefit of a new collagen framework lasting several months beyond this. Once their results begin to diminish, most patients schedule their first follow-up appointment to maintain their ideal image.

Contact Our Office to Learn More!

If you’re ready to learn more about collagen induction therapy, contact our team of professionals at ICT Eye in Wichita, KS, to schedule your initial consultation today! We look forward to helping you achieve your cosmetic goals!

Most of us can agree that looking good requires some effort, and that includes maintaining a strong skincare regimen. Are you even now looking for something new to build into that regimen – something sure to help you look more youthful? At Beautiful Eyes Customized Eyelid Surgery & Skin Enhancements in Wichita, KS, we recommend collagen induction therapy.

What Is Collagen Induction Therapy?

This therapy, routinely known as microneedling, simultaneously addresses multiple skin conditions. Among the most common are:

• Scarring
• Wrinkles
• Discoloration/spots
• Acne
• Rosacea
• Skin laxity

Our office uses the MD Needle Pen, made of stainless steel and designed to protect skin from damage. At the end of the pen are very fine needles used to cause trauma to the face via tiny micro-wounds. Those wounds are too small to be seen and are delivered in a precise, controlled manner to prompt the body’s natural healing responses.

Why This Is Beneficial

You’ve likely heard this before, but the body is chemically and biologically designed to heal itself. Modern medicine must take over when natural processes fall short, but that’s a discussion for another time.

In terms of repairing wounds – specifically those to the face – the body uses proteins to make new tissues. Chief among these proteins is collagen, and in turn,  new tissues have a firmer, stronger texture and more even tone. This is how microneedling delivers results, by cueing the body to turn over old, damaged skin cells and replace them with new. Visibly, you see skin that is fresher and more vibrant.

The Importance of Collagen

Now might be a good time to talk about collagen and why it’s so important to your appearance. Collagen, woven into a supple, flexible network of fibers with the aid of vitamin C, comprises 80 percent of the skin. While the body produces this fiber throughout our lives, it does so at a reduced capacity starting in our mid-20s.

In mathematical terms, we lose about 1 percent of collagen every year after age 25. Skin subsequently grows thinner and weaker, with results showing gradually until you one day realize you’ve lost both tightness and volume in your face.

Does Microneedling Build Collagen?

Many over-the-counter products, including supplements, creams, and serums, promise to help build collagen. Unfortunately, these products typically fail to deliver. Topical remedies tend to sit on the skin’s surface, and ingested proteins commonly get used by other body parts before finally reaching the skin. By that point, not enough of the protein remains to help maintain healthy skin.

Microneedling, however, is designed to specifically address skin concerns. By applying the derma-roller to the face, collagen production is stimulated in that precise area. So the answer to our overarching question – does microneedling build collagen – is yes, and science supports this claim.

The Evidence

In 2018, a paper published on microneedling research found the treatment to be safe and effective for reducing wrinkles and scars. The American Academy of Dermatology further states microneedling can help minimize pores.

How It Works

Microneedling is known as a fractional treatment. This means it affects only a portion of the skin; tissues around each micro-wound are left unharmed to speed up recovery time. In addition, microneedling does not penetrate deep into the skin, so you won’t experience much more than a drop or two of blood during treatment.

We’ve already explained that collagen becomes more plentiful as the face heals. Elastin – just as important to healthy and youthful-looking skin as collagen – also increases. This protein is woven into the same cellular matrix as collagen. It allows skin to retain its shape while also moving and stretching; without elastin, skin sags and loses its plump appearance.

What to Expect

Your collagen induction therapy session will take between 60 and 75 minutes. In most cases, we apply a topical anesthetic before treatment starts to keep you comfortable. We would like to point out, however, this therapy is very well tolerated, and because it’s non-invasive, you don’t need to worry about the complications associated with surgery.

The therapy itself takes just over 30 minutes to complete, although this estimate varies depending on the treatment area. Once we’re finished with the microneedling, we will apply a calming ointment to your face to promote healing.

Before Therapy

To prepare for treatment, we recommend you take a few steps:

• Do not shave the day of treatment
• Stop using retinoid products at least two days prior
• Don’t wax or use depilatory creams on the treatment area at least a week prior
• Stop blood-thinning agents at least one week prior
• Avoid unprotected sun exposure at least two weeks prior

After Treatment

Collagen induction therapy requires little downtime. The night of treatment, we recommend using tepid water and a gentle cleanser to wash your face. Use your hands or a light towel to pat skin dry so you don’t rub and cause irritation. With this in mind, always remember to clean your hands before touching your face.

It’s important that you avoid ibuprofen for at least a week after treatment. The healing process depends on natural inflammatory reactions that stimulate new cell growth. Medications like ibuprofen suppress these responses and may delay your recovery and/or negatively impact your results.

Peeling Is Normal

Around three to five days after treatment, you will begin to notice peeling. This is not only normal but also a critical part of your body’s healing process. The peeling reflects cell turnover; as old skin cells die, they’re naturally sloughed off so new ones can surface and become visible.

Once peeling begins, it’s crucial that you not scratch or pick your face. Instead, let the body push away dead skin cells on its own. Use a thick, nourishing moisturizer to reduce itching and keep emerging skin cells healthy. If you need help in choosing a face cream, please let our staff know.

Extra Precautions

So your skin can breathe, we suggest going bare-faced for 24 to 72 hours. This means no makeup, and especially no makeup brushes. Before you do start using cosmetics again, we recommend washing or replacing all of your current brushes to avoid bacteria transfer. Also, steer clear of products that can clog your pores. We recommend mineral makeup once your three days have passed.

After treatment, you’ll need to stay out of the sun for at least two weeks. When you are outside, wear a hat and use sunblock. Avoid activities that cause sweating for 48 hours, and keep your head elevated when sleeping to further promote healing.

Reasons to Have Microneedling

Rosacea

This skin condition is characterized by skin thickening and a ruddy complexion. It is caused by a rapid collagen breakdown, meaning it can be improved with microneedling. After treatment, your skin will appear less irritated and less inflamed.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

These are the concerns patients most commonly address with microneedling. Several treatment sessions can visibly reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, deep horizontal wrinkles in the forehead, and fine lines around the mouth.

Because this therapy works with the body’s natural healing techniques, results are very natural. You’ll look considerably younger, but others won’t be able to tell you’ve undergone therapy.

Skincare

Immediately after treatment, the micro-holes in your skin are primed to receive skincare products and deliver them deeper below the skin’s surface. This can dramatically improve their efficacy, especially when speaking of anti-aging and anti-acne serums. Sticking to a regular regimen can further improve your skin’s appearance.

Pores

As collagen production revs, your skin naturally becomes plumper. This helps give you a more lifted and healthier appearance, but it also helps shrink pores. Even the largest and most visible of pores can seemingly disappear as surrounding tissues gain volume. This is an unexpected boon for patients who want to refine their complexions.

Skin Tone

Speaking of complexions, your skin is constantly being battered by UV rays, toxins in the air, and unhealthy ingredients in processed foods. You may not even realize it, but over time, you begin to lose a youthful glow and instead acquire a dull skin tone. But thanks to renewed collagen growth, you’ll see an improvement in clarity that brings with it a natural radiance.

These effects extend to reversing the signs of sun damage and hyperpigmentation. Again, this comes as a result of higher collagen levels.

Microneedling vs Other Treatments

While the effects of this therapy are comparable to laser treatments and chemical peels, microneedling comes with fewer side effects. Essentially, this boils down to less downtime and a decreased risk for developing hyperpigmentation.

With microneedling, you can start to see results in just three days; laser requires up to 10 days, and peels can take between two and three weeks. Full results also show more quickly with microneedling, and for treating acne scars, it was determined to be more effective and better tolerated than laser by the Dermatologic Surgery journal.

Home Remedies

According to Harvard Health Online, patients experience between 45 and 55 percent improvement in the appearance of their skin after a treatment. This is a highly specialized therapy that requires clinical delivery to ensure results. Some patients ask if it’s possible to acquire the same results from home microneedling as that provided by our office. The answer is an emphatic no.

Attempting to microneedle at home is not only ineffective, but it can also make you susceptible to bacterial infections caused by dirty equipment. By coming into our office, you receive:

• Professional treatment
• Comfortable processes
• Safe and effective delivery

Important Considerations

Patients tend to ask if microneedling is safe for sensitive skin. We want to reassure you that it is. This therapy is in fact safe for most patients, excepting those with open wounds and/or cystic acne on their faces. When you come into our office for your consultation appointment, we can discuss this in further detail.

Another common concern is the safety of using microneedling near the eyes. This therapy can be used across the face, lending it another advantage over many other therapies. Finally, when patients ask how many treatments they will need, we explain it depends on your treatment area and goals. A helpful guideline is this: the most effective results show after two or three treatments, with maintenance sessions scheduled regularly thereafter.

Look Your Best

Collagen induction therapy helps you look your best by safely and effectively reducing wrinkles, scars, discoloration, and pores. It’s well-tolerated by most patients and gentle enough for all skin types and tones. Call Beautiful Eyes Customized Eyelid Surgery & Skin Enhancements in Wichita, KS, today to learn more and schedule your appointment.