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Microneedling may be the best treatment for acne scars
One of my longtime friends is absolutely gorgeous but never thought so herself.
That’s because, despite all of her natural beauty, she had acne scarring from the time she was in her teens. And, every single time she looked in a mirror, those scars were all she could see.
Over the years she considered laser treatments and chemical peels but was concerned about the time commitment, the pain of the procedures, and the anticipated downtime.
Related: What does adult acne and chronic disease have in common?
Fast forward a few years… and now she’s discovered what may be the easiest, most well-tolerated and now-proven, best answer to those acne scars…
What is microneedling?
If you haven’t heard the term before, microneedling is a process where a roller with small needles is used to make tiny injuries in your skin.
The whole idea is that the microinjuries and punctures caused by the needles will stimulate your skin to send collagen and elastin to the sites to repair them. And, in the process, it’s supposed to help skin look smoother, softer, and yes – younger.
Usually, it takes anywhere between four to six sessions to get the results your looking for and they’re usually spaced about a month apart. Of course, the number of sessions needed can change based on the extent of your issues. Each time, slightly deeper needles will be used in order to increase the power of the treatment.
And, while you can get the dermarollers used in microneedling for use at home, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated concerns about safety and recommended only medical grade microneedling devices. This means that if you want to try microneedling, you’re best off going to a licensed esthetician, dermatologist, or medical spa.
Does it work for acne scars?
Of course, the big question is whether or not it works and is worth your time and money.
Luckily, a new study from researchers at Boston University School of Medicine has the answer…
The researchers reviewed all the scientific studies done on microneedling for the treatment of acne scars from 2009 to 2018. In all, the team analyzed 33 studies studying both the efficacy of treating acne scarring with microneedling, microneedling in combination with other topical treatments, and overall patient satisfaction.
And, they found that every one of the 33 articles analyzed reported improvement of acne scar appearance as well as increased patient satisfaction when microneedling was used in combination with another therapy.
And, to top it off, they discovered the benefits of microneedling included:
- A decrease in inflammatory markers released by cells
- An overall increase in collagen
- An increase in skin rejuvenating cell markers to help heal scarring
As study author Neelam Vashi, MD, associate professor of dermatology at BUSM and director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Center at Boston Medical Center, explained, “With this systematic way of looking at all the data over the past decade, it is clear that microneedling works and helps reduce the appearance of acne scars for patients.”
So, if you’re one of the 50 million Americans with acne scarring and you’re ready to rid yourself of those signs for good, microneedling could be the answer.
And, there’s more good news…
Although microneedling may sound scary (after all, who wants needles stuck into the delicate skin of their face) most people, including my friend say that it’s easily tolerated. In fact, most providers will apply a numbing cream prior to treatment.
Another benefit over treatments that include chemical peels and lasers, there’s not really any downtime. You can leave your dermatologist’s office and go back to work with little redness.
Now that the verdict is in and we know that microneedling works, the choice to go for it or not is up to you.
Sources:
- Microneedling improves appearance of acne scars — EurekAlert!