Collagen Induction Therapy
What is Microneedling - Collagen Induction Therapy?
Collagen Induction Therapy (or CIT), is more commonly known as microneedling.
It is a minimally invasive procedure that utilises a dedicated device to create tiny punctures to the skin, known as micro-injuries or microtrauma.
How does microneedling work for my skin?
The micro-injuries stimulate your skin’s natural healing response, resulting enhanced production of collagen and elastin: skin proteins which are vital for skin health, elasticity and strength. The end result is one of skin which is better textured, more even toned, more supple and plump.
For this reason, micro-needling treatments can help to improve a wide variety of skin conditions including fine lines and wrinkles, photoageing, uneven skin tone, mild laxity, pigmentation, acne scarring, post-surgical scarring, stretch-marks or poor hair growth.
Microneedling also has an imporant 2nd benefit: the tiny skin injuries create micro-channels to the deeper layers of the skin. This means that active skin-care ingredients (known as cosmeceuticals) can be more effectively absorbed. Therefore, depending on your skin care concerns, the micro-needling treatment can be further optimised by the application of targeted skin-care at the time of treatment to help further boost the results.
Micro-needling can also be combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma treatment for a double-impact treatment which draws upon the beneficial elements of both of these treatment modalities.
What skin concerns is microneedling useful for?
Uneven skin-tone
Pigmentation
Mild skin laxity
Fine lines and wrinkles
Acne scarring
Post-surgical scarring
Uneven texture
Stretch marks
Hair loss
Photoageing
Which areas can be treated by microneedling?
Face
Neck
Decolletage
Backs of hands
Scalp Thighs
Abdomen
Is microneedling safe?
By using specialised electronic microneedling pen to deliver multiple tiny controlled micro-punctures we are able to very accurately control and adjust the depth and speed of the treatment according to the area we want to treat and the skin condition we are aiming to address.
This makes it a far more precise and effective process compared to traditional micro-needling techniques using dermarollers.
The microneedling pens come with sterile, single use needles which increase safety.
Due to the precise nature of the microtrauma created by the microneedling devices, these treatments are generally considered a safer alternative to chemical peels and LASER or light therapies for individuals with darker skin tones. However there is always a risk of hyperpigmentation with any treatment that causes some degree of inflammation.
What happens before treatment?
Prior to treatment, patients must undergo a thorough assessment of their medical history, including going over any medications that might compromise the safety or results, for example blood thinning medication. Your doctor is then able to determine what your specific skin concerns are and to ensure that the treatment is suitable and beneficial for you.
It may be necessary to start you on a pre-treatment, at home skin care routine to better optimise your results, prior to commencing a course of microneedling.
The area is then thorougly cleaned and disinfected, before numbing cream is applied to the treatment are.
What happens during treatment?
Although there may be a slight discomfort experienced, there tends to not be any significant pain and the treatment is overall very tolerable. Due to the rapid, precise action of electronic microneedling devices, you will mainly be perceiving a vibrational sensation.
Depending on your skin concern, the treatment can be combined with the application of topical cosmeceutical serums to help augment the benefits 0f microneedling.
What happens after treatment?
It is normal to experience mild redness or swelling post treatment but this usually settles nicely after 24-48 hours. With deeper settings you may also experience some mild peeling, due to the increased turn-over of cells. This is just a consequence of old, stagnant cells being shed more efficiently and then new, healthy cells coming to the skin surface.
It is recommended that you avoid exercise or excessive straining for 24 hours post treatment, as well as avoiding excessive heat or rubbing and pressure to the area.
It is also advisable to avoid use of make-up until the following day as a minimum.
After your treatment it is vital to continue to protect yourself from the sun and use regular high factor SPF application. This is because your skin barrier will be disrupted and so there is the a greater vulnerability to sun-burn and hyper-pigmentation or sub-optimal results.
Ideally up to 3-5 treatments may be needed, around 2-4 weeks apart for optimal results and to maintain these results, maintenance treatments may be beneficial every 9-12 months.
Microneedling can be used in conjunction with other rejuvenating treatments such as anti-wrinkle, dermal fillers or skin booster injections however we would be discussing the timing and order of this regime during your consultation, to ensure you get the most benefit out of each method.
If you are ready to start your microneedling journey with us then book in here for your detailed consultation and bespoke treatment plan.