Microneedling
What is this scary-sounding but apparently wonder anti-ageing treatment?
Kourtney Kardashian is the latest celebrity to reveal she uses microneedling as part of her beauty regime.
Jamie O’Banion, co-founder of Beauty Bioscience, which launched its GloPro Micro-Stimulation Facial Tool in the UK, compares the treatment to a gardener aerating a lawn.
“By rolling a roller covered in hundreds of tiny needles (they’re 0.3cm long) over the skin, it creates thousands of micro-injuries that trigger a healing response. Then, the new skin that evolves is gorgeous – it doesn’t have spots, it doesn’t have wrinkles, it’s firm.”
Does it hurt?
No. It just feels like rolling a natural bristle hairbrush over your skin. “The Micro Tips [needles] are so densely packed, it’s totally painless,” says Jamie.
What are the benefits of microneedling?
Clinical trials show that using the GloPro alone, which also comes with a red light to stimulate collagen production, leads to an improvement in firmness and skin tone, with lines reduced and skin looking younger in 30 days.
“Plus, if you apply a serum or cream, they’re able to be absorbed into and sealed in as the skin forms over it,” Jamie explains, adding that it works on acne too. “If you use a serum that’s particularly targeted for spots, your results are much faster if you microneedle that area first.”
It could even give cellulite the elbow: “Cellulite is pockets of fat and the shadows that are created are because it’s not flush with the skin.
“Microneedling evens out that upper layer of the skin.”
How do you use the microneedling tool at home?
Three times a week for four minutes is recommended.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, then wipe over with a prep pad, which gets off any extra residue and sterilises your face. Divide the face into four quadrants and roll the tool for 60 seconds per quadrant, horizontally and vertically, then concentrate on any areas you’re worried about, like laughter lines. Then put your skincare products on and you’ll feel a tingle or tightness as the skin drinks them in.
Can anyone do it?
If you have severe acne or open wounds, you shouldn’t microneedle. And older customers should expect results in 60 days rather than 30.
How much does it cost?
Clinics charge around £200 for one facial treatment and usually six sessions are recommended. The vibrating GloPro is priced £199 for the tool and £35 for the heads, which need replaced about every four months. You can buy cheaper versions for using at home on Amazon from around £13.95 – but use gently, especially to begin with.