If you’re looking to improve the tone and texture of your skin, you can’t go past microneedling as an amazing preventative anti-ageing treatment.
Today we look at how to combine microneedling with hyaluronic acid for the ultimate in skin hydration.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling, a.k.a. Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) uses the skin’s own ability to heal itself. It applies tiny punctures to the dermis of the skin with a microscopic needle and this triggers the production of new collagen.
How does microneedling stimulate younger-looking skin?
Microneedling is a non-invasive treatment that involves using a microneedling pen to create microscopic holes in the skin’s surface, followed by applying a topical hydrating product directly onto the surface of the skin. The microchannels created by microneedling then allow the skincare product to penetrate deeply into the skin, hydrating it from within.
This, combined with the trauma healing response in the skin that microneedling stimulates, allows your skin to produce more collagen and elastin whilst staying hydrated, giving your complexion a revitalised, refreshed look and slowing the visible signs of ageing.
Should you use a serum when microneedling?
Yes, absolutely! Microneedling with a serum is sometimes referred to as ‘wet needling’. We recommend only ever microneedling when using a serum, as the lubrication of the serum is going to help your microneedling pen glide effortlessly over the skin, preventing drag.
If you were to drag the pen along your skin without a serum in place, your skin would be far more prone to irritation and damage from the pen pushing too hard into your skin unevenly.
But with serum, the pen can glide easily.
You’ll find that you’re easily able to maneuver your pen across your face with an even pressure to ensure you are preserving the integrity of your skin.
What serum should you use with microneedling?
We recommend using hyaluronic acid when microneedling. When microneedling is paired with hyaluronic acid (which is a humectant and attracts moisture to the skin), it provides the added benefit of plumping the skin and providing deep moisturisation.
This helps to prevent the visible signs of ageing.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar found in your body. It’s a humectant, which means that it binds to and absorbs water molecules – wherever hyaluronic acid is found, moisture is also present!
As the hyaluronic acid molecules absorb water, the volume is created, similar to how a sponge soaks up water and becomes full. When you apply this effect to your skin, your skin becomes full and plump and evens out the fine lines and crevices.
This applies wherever we apply hyaluronic acid topically – so when you use a hyaluronic acid serum on your skin, your skin is then flooded with hydration.
As we get older, our bodies naturally start to decline in their production of hyaluronic acid, so adding it topically to our skincare routines helps our skin to stay moisturised.
The degenerative effect of slowed hyaluronic acid production as we age reduces volume from the face, which causes wrinkles and folds to become more pronounced.
Hydrated skin is effective at retaining its elasticity, which means that it’s less prone to wrinkling.
The more hydrated you can keep your skin, the better your skin is able to keep up its production of collagen and elastin so you stay looking fresh and youthful.
Why should you use hyaluronic acid with microneedling?
Microneedling is proven to be highly effective at anti-ageing on its own but when paired with hyaluronic acid, the results are even more profound in terms of plumpness and hydration.
Microneedling with hyaluronic acid also helps to soothe and calm the skin post-procedure and limits the downtime of the needling process.
When hyaluronic acid is absorbed effectively into the skin during microneedling, the cellular repair process of your skin’s cells begins almost immediately – this results in a softened appearance of wrinkles and scars, as well as a thicker dermis that is more resistant to new wrinkles.
What are the best areas to treat with microneedling and hyaluronic acid?
You can use microneedling and hyaluronic acid in a range of places that you’d like to restore vitality to, but some of the most common areas are:
- Face
- Neck
- Arms
- Decolletage (bust/lower neckline)
- Tops of the hands
How many treatments will I need?
The number of microneedling treatments with hyaluronic acid you’ll need will depend on the skin conditions that you’re hoping to improve, your skin’s history and your lifestyle factors.
Some people will find that they need only one treatment to see significant results; other people may require more treatments to achieve the results that they’re seeking.
You can safely perform microneedling every 4-6 weeks. This is because this is roughly how long it takes for your skin cells to turn over a full cycle, and thus when you’ll see the maximum benefit of a microneedling session take effect.
Once you’ve achieved the results that you’re after, continue microneedling every 4-6 weeks to maintain those results.
Which hyaluronic acid should I microneedle with?
As the microchannels created during microneedling allow for deep product penetration, you’ll want to ensure that you’re using a high-grade hyaluronic acid serum that is pure and effective.
Some people opt for a pure hyaluronic acid serum. Hyaluronic acid can also be combined with other anti-ageing ingredients that have a synergistic effect, amplifying hyaluronic acid’s hydrating benefits.
How do I use serum when microneedling?
When microneedling, apply a serum directly to the areas of the skin that you’re going to microneedle.
TIP: Apply serum in small sections at a time, directly before each area that you’re going to microneedle. This way, you’ll prevent the serum from drying out on your skin.
Need help getting started on your microneedling journey?
Whether it’s choosing the right microneedling pen for your needs, or understanding how to get the most from your hyaluronic acid serum, we’re here to help!
