You’ll want to plan ahead of microneedling to ensure your skin will be as resilient and comfortable as possible going into your treatment. Avoid sun exposure and waxing the week of your treatment, and stop using retinoids, physical and chemical exfoliants, and actives like benzoyl peroxide within three days of the treatment. You’ll also want to wait for any breakouts, wounds, or rashes to clear up. “Microneedling punctures your skin, leaving tiny open wounds that can be susceptible to infection and irritation,” explains Dr. Azizzadeh. “Do not start a microneedling or dermarolling treatment if you have any wounds or active acne in the area.”
Good hygiene is essential when DIYing a microneedling treatment: Always start by properly disinfecting your tool before use. At minimum, you can do this by soaking it in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes, but ideally you’ll use Barbicide or boiling water for thorough sanitizing, ensuring the needles are not just sterile, but intact, Chevalier explains.
Your skin should be thoroughly cleansed, too. Dr. Azizzadeh recommends using a gentle cleanser; avoid anything with potent actives like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to further minimize risk of irritation. While microneedling can certainly support the deeper penetration of topical products, your skin should be bare ahead of treatment. “You should not needle over skin-care products,” says Chevalier, who recommends prepping your skin right before you begin with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol to lower bacterial count.
Now, start passing the tool over your skin using light pressure; according to Chevalier, it should never drag. Move in straight, controlled lines using vertical, horizontal, and finally diagonal movements to get full, even coverage—avoiding the area around the eyes. “You want to lift the device completely between each pass to avoid scratching or tearing the skin,” Chevalier adds. The whole treatment should be quick and gentle; if you see any pinpricks of blood at all, your device is going too deeply and you should be using a tool with shallower needles. Once you’re done microneedling, you can rinse your skin with water—your tool with alcohol—and use ultra-gentle skincare products. Superficial treatments can safely be followed with simple formulas containing ingredients that support skin barrier health, recovery, and collagen production like snow mushroom, cica, peptides, and PDRN. With deeper treatment, you’ll want to use products that are specifically proven safe to be used immediately after ablative procedures, like Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar. If redness, tenderness, and skin sensitivities subside, you can proceed with your usual skin-care routine 72 hours post-microneedling.
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