Microneedling has become one of the most popular aesthetic treatments on the market. While the number of professional treatments has boomed over the last few years, many people have turned to the different DIY packages on the market in the hopes of achieving similar results for a fraction of the price.
But are these home treatments worth it? What can they achieve, and are you able to achieve your cosmetic goals through them?
Unfortunately, the answer is a little more complicated than yes or no. The truth is that there are many different levels of microneedling, ranging from simple home-apparatuses to highly technical medical devices.
Budget Home Microneedling Applicators
A quick search for “home microneedling rollers” will bring up countless results for simple manual devices that are as cheap as $10 or $15. These rollers tout a lot of the same benefits as professional treatments: glowing skin, smoothing acne scars, boosting hair growth, etc. Unfortunately, these devices do not correct these concerns to the same degree a professional treatment would.
Is it right for you? The bottom line here is that these devices might be suitable for someone who just wants to take some preemptive measures or even help their skin glow a bit more, but for anyone looking to make big improvements, these products are likely going to fall short. We would not recommend
High-End Home Microneedling Applicators
The at-home variety doesn’t stop at the $15 range. There are a lot of highly reviewed mechanized microneedling devices on the market priced between $150 and $200. This is a pretty sizable investment for most people when it comes to skincare. Still, with more versatility and different settings, these devices claim to achieve as much as the manual devices plus perform better in the anti-aging department against wrinkles and fine lines.
Is it right for you? We are hesitant to recommend these devices either because the safest and most effective route is usually to have a medical professional overseeing the treatment, but if you are dead-set on doing microneedling at home, these more expensive options are definitely going to give you more bang for your buck in the long run. Just don’t expect the same results you are likely to see on social media — typically, those are professionally done.
Professional Microneedling
Professional microneedling can help improve the appearance of acne scars, neck wrinkles, large pores, skin tone and texture. It works by using small needles to penetrate the skin, creating small wounds and allowing the body to repair those wounds with new collagen and elastin.
Is it right for you? If you are looking to improve one of the many aspects of your facial appearance that microneedling can address, professional treatment is usually a great place to start with virtually no risk factors for most people. If you are looking to give the treatment a shot, this is where we would recommend that most patients begin.
Professional Microneedling with PRP
Taking it one step further than the basic treatment, microneedling with PRP uses a compound derived from your own blood to flush more growth and healing factors into the tiny open “wounds” in your skin during the session. This has been shown to improve the results of your microneedling session greatly.
Is it right for you? If you don’t mind having a simple, easy blood draw performed prior to your microneedling treatment, then microneedling with PRP is a good option for most patients. It can significantly improve most textural and tonal concerns. At our practice, we consider this the golden standard for this category of cosmetic therapy.
Professional Microneedling with RF Energy
In some cases, practices will offer devices that include the use of radiofrequency energy. This technology uses a specific wave energy frequency to penetrate deeper into the skin layers than microneedling can, creating results on a much deeper level and an appearance that looks more cohesive.
Is it right for you? While RF energy effectively improves the structure of underlying skin layers, we have found that similar or superior results can be achieved through different treatments like an
IPL photofacial, which uses another type of wave energy to achieve the same result.
Bottom Line: DI-WHY?
Microneedling is a relatively affordable cosmetic treatment, even if you want to have a routine in place to maintain optimal results year-round. We recommend skipping the at-home, sometimes gimmicky treatments and instead investing your money in professional care. It is safer, more reliable and provides results of a much higher caliber than what at-home packages can offer. DIYs are great for building shelves or crafts but less exciting when it has to do with your appearance.
Professional Microneedling in Sacramento, CA
If you are ready to learn more about how microneedling can help you, or if you would like more clarification on which combination of microneedling you might need, give out office a call at (916) 333-4906. You can also
fill out our online contact form to have a team member reach out to you during a more convenient time to set up a complimentary consultation.
