Skin & Medical Treatments
Microneedling
Microneedling passes a handheld device of very fine needles across the skin, making thousands of tiny, controlled punctures. The skin treats them as an injury and repairs them, and part of that repair is new collagen. Over the following months the surface becomes firmer and smoother, and shallow scarring softens.
It is slow. Nothing much happens in the first week, one session on its own does very little, and the honest time to judge it is three months after your last session, not three days.
What it helps, and what it will not
It helps with:
- shallow, rolling acne scars
- uneven texture
- pores that look enlarged
- fine lines
- and skin that has lost some of its firmness.
It will not:
- remove deep, narrow ice-pick scars
- lift skin that has started to sag
- treat active acne, which needling would spread
- or fade brown marks from sun damage, which respond better to laser treatment for pigmentation.
Sessions are recommended four to six weeks apart, and booked one at a time, as and when you want them. There is no course to commit to.
What happens on the day
Skin check
We confirm nothing has changed since your consultation, then cleanse the skin thoroughly.
Numbing
A numbing cream is applied and left to work before treatment starts.
Treatment
The device passes over each area in overlapping passes, set deeper over scarring and shallower where the skin is thin. Pinpoint bleeding is normal where it goes deeper.
Afterwards
SPF 50 goes on before you leave, and you take written aftercare home. The appointment takes 45 minutes in all.
What it costs
£80 per session. It can be combined with dermaplaning in the same appointment.
Common questions
How many microneedling sessions will I need?
There is no fixed course. Sessions are recommended four to six weeks apart, and you book them one at a time. Collagen builds over weeks, so the improvement builds across several sessions rather than one, and scarring usually needs more than general texture. You will have an honest estimate after your consultation.
Is there any downtime?
A day or two of redness, like moderate sunburn, then a few days of dry, tight skin. Most people are back at work the next day. If you have an event coming up, leave at least a week.
Can microneedling treat acne scars?
Shallow, rolling scars respond best, and a course can soften them noticeably. Deep, narrow ice-pick scars respond poorly. No course erases scarring completely. We will look at which kind you have before recommending anything, including whether something else would do more.
Can I have microneedling if I still get spots?
Not while the acne is active. Needling through active spots can spread the infection and leave more scarring, not less. Get the acne under control first — your GP is the place to start — and come back when your skin has settled.
Microneedling, dermaplaning or a carbon laser facial?
They do different jobs. Dermaplaning and the carbon laser facial both work on the surface, brighten the skin and need no downtime. Microneedling works deeper and more slowly on texture and scarring, with a day or two of redness. If you are not sure which suits your skin, that is what the consultation is for.
Does microneedling hurt?
A numbing cream goes on first and is left to work before treatment starts. You will still feel it, more where the needles go deeper over scarring, and pinpoint bleeding is normal there. You can ask for a break at any point.
Is a home roller the same thing?
No. Home rollers are made not to break the skin, so they do much less. In clinic the needles go deeper, under numbing cream, and are set for each area of your face.
Can I have microneedling before an event?
Have your last session at least a week before. If the event is sooner than that, dermaplaning or the carbon laser facial show the same day, with no redness to recover from.
Can I have microneedling and dermaplaning together?
Yes. Both can be done in the same 45-minute appointment, and the price for the two together is confirmed when you book.