Professional Skin Care
Are you thinking about offering microneedling at your spa? If your clients struggle with acne scars, wrinkles, or stretch marks, adding this treatment could make them very happy. Microneedling, also called collagen induction therapy, boosts collagen production to smooth fine lines and give skin a more youthful glow. When done by a trained professional, it’s a safe, effective procedure with relatively short downtime.
We spoke with Hooman Khorasani, MD, a quadruple board-certified dermatologic and skin cancer surgeon in New York City, about the benefits of microneedling and how to bring it into your spa.
Microneedling Sounds Scary — How Does It Work?
Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment for issues like acne scarring, skin tightening, and pore size reduction. It creates tiny, controlled micro-incisions in the epidermis and upper dermis, which triggers collagen production and the skin’s natural healing. By creating many microchannels in the treated area, microneedling helps skin look smoother and more even over three to six months.
What Results Should Clients Expect From Microneedling?
Results from microneedling alone are often subtle, and most people need several sessions for the best outcome. Many practitioners combine microneedling with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to boost results. PRP adds extra growth factors from the patient’s own plasma.
Microneedling does not treat hyperpigmentation, so you may need to combine it with a laser treatment or chemical peel for pigmentation concerns.
Can You Combine Other Add-Ons With Microneedling?
Microneedling is often combined with radiofrequency (RF) energy—called RF microneedling—which is more effective than microneedling alone. The needles work the same way, but the added heat in the dermis gives extra fibroblast stimulation. This treatment is usually done in a series every four to six weeks and is often paired with chemical peels and PRP.
Add-ons like chemical peels and PRP can maximize microneedling’s results when used correctly. Microneedling can be done on different parts of the body, so you can tailor treatments to each client. The best outcomes are usually from multiple, consistent sessions.
What Pre-Microneedling Advice Should We Give Clients?
Tell clients to avoid blood-thinning agents for seven days before treatment—these include aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, fish oil, garlic, and ginger—to reduce bleeding and bruising. Clients who get cold sores should take antiviral medication like Valtrex beforehand.
What Aftercare Tips Should Be Provided?
Explain that right after microneedling, skin may look red for a few hours, similar to a moderate sunburn, and there may be tiny pinpoint bleeding. How the skin looks depends on needle depth and how many passes were done.
Six hours after treatment, clients can gently cleanse the area with lukewarm water and a cotton round to remove any leftover serum or plasma. Recommend non-comedogenic products, such as Eminence Organics Firm Skin Acai Cleanser and Blueberry Soy Night Recovery Cream.
The skin may feel dry or tight, so advise keeping it hydrated with a hyaluronic acid serum like Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum. Recommend cleansing twice daily, applying moisturizer morning and night, and using a mineral sunscreen every day—reapplying every two to four hours if they’re in direct sun or it’s hot.
Advise clients to avoid makeup until the skin is fully healed—usually seven to 10 days. If needed, a tinted mineral sunscreen can be used instead of makeup.
Product Picks
– Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum — Replenishing and hydrating serum — $55.00 (139)
– Firm Skin Acai Cleanser — Anti-aging cleanser — $48.00 (111)
How Do You Best Train & Prepare Microneedling Practitioners?
Focus on staff and patient education—this is essential for safe, effective microneedling. New practitioners should be cautious with deeper settings (over 1.5 mm) and should be more conservative when working over bone, like on the forehead. Use an FDA-approved microneedling pen to ensure proper sterility; some devices have been linked to viral transmission.
Note: This article is meant for licensed and certified spa professionals only. Before offering these services, spa professionals must ensure they are trained and certified, prioritize client safety, and follow the rules of their licensing and certification boards.
Have you added microneedling to your spa? Share your experience in the comments and join the conversation on social media. You can also learn how to become an Eminence Organics Spa Partner here.