Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is one of the most popular aesthetic services in the world. Since it encourages your skin to produce more collagen and promotes neovascularization, it is the most versatile, prestigious skincare treatment offered at SKC Dermatology in Paramus, NJ. Today, our experts reveal everything you need to know about this incredible treatment.
Microneedling Recovery Time
Healing from microneedling usually takes a mere 24 hours. However, it may take up to two to three days depending on the extent of the treatment. You can are free to return to work or school immediately after treatment and wear makeup 24 hours after your treatment. However, you must wait four to six weeks before you receive a follow-up treatment.
Follow-Up Treatment Schedule
Depending on the results you’re looking for, you may need a follow-up microneedling session or two after your initial session. Most people need two or three sessions to achieve flawless skin when they’re trying to smooth wrinkles and other texture issues and improve the tone of their skin.
When tackling more extensive issues, such as stretch marks, keloid scars, burn scars, trauma scars, or surgical scars, you may need between six and eight treatment sessions. Since each session must be spaced between four and six weeks apart, it can take six months or more to see the “final” results of your treatment. However, results can even improve for six to 12 months after this.
Collagen Induction Therapy Aftercare
While it only takes around a day for your skin to heal from collagen induction therapy, the aftercare process lasts several weeks. Strict adherence to aftercare instructions ensures that your collagen grows as quickly as possible and you get the best results from each treatment. To care for your skin after treatment, do everything possible to promote collagen health.
Wear a Broad-Spectrum SPF 55+ Sunblock
The most important thing you should do in the weeks after your treatment is to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen. All sunscreens protect your skin from UVA rays. Some sunscreens protect your skin from UVB rays. However, only broad-spectrum sunscreens will protect your skin and collagen from UVC rays which cause collagen damage and melanoma.
When you’re picking out your sunblock, we strongly recommend that you choose a broad-spectrum sunblock with a sun protection factor of at least 55. You can get away with a lower sun protection factor if you have more melanin in your skin. However, the stronger the sunscreen the younger and healthier your skin will look.
Avoid Tanning Beds
An often overlooked source of UV ray exposure is tanning beds. If you believe that tanning beds are safer than sunbathing with suntan oil, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, tanning beds are just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than lying on your roof and soaking up the sun every day.
If you need that beloved bronze look to feel self-confident, get a spray tan. If you’re worried that you won’t look natural, ask your friends, relatives, or coworkers for a recommendation. There are safe alternatives to tanning that will help you look and feel your best without aging you prematurely and increasing your risk of skin cancer.
Stay Hydrated
The second most important thing you can do for the health of your collagen is to stay hydrated. With the temperate climate in Paramus, you shouldn’t need to drink over half a gallon of water daily. Nevertheless, you may need to drink more if you have an underlying medical condition or you lead a particularly active lifestyle.
Unfortunately, feeling thirsty is a strongly lagging indicator of hydration. In other words, you will feel thirsty far after you are already dehydrated. Moreover, you may mistake your thirst for hunger and crave salty foods. If you check your urine and it is dark or cloudy, you need to drink more water. Here are some tips for staying hydrated if you have trouble:
- Eat soup, veggies, and fruits
- Infuse your water with lime
- Drink plain tea
- Drink plain coffee
- Download an app to remind you to drink
- Keep a water bottle on your desk at work
Eat Protein
The third most important thing you can do to support the collagen production process is to eat plenty of bioavailable protein. Such sources of protein include poultry, tuna, tilapia, eggs, and grass-fed beef or bison. Eating enough protein for your body weight and lifestyle is crucial because collagen is a type of protein.
Don’t Smoke
It’s important to not smoke during the six weeks following your collagen induction therapy session. Dozens of chemical compounds in tobacco products destroy your existing collagen and slow your skin’s production rate of new, healthy collagen. This means that you won’t get the best results possible from your treatments.
Furthermore, consuming tobacco products elevates your blood pressure which extends your recovery time. Tobacco products elevate your blood pressure by constricting blood vessels. This means that human growth hormones, other growth factors, and nutrients can’t get to your skin and keep it young and healthy.
Don’t Drink Alcohol
Alcohol isn’t just bad for your pancreas, liver, heart, kidneys, and gut. It’s also terrible for your complexion. As a diuretic, alcohol flushes out an excessive amount of water, leaving you dehydrated. When all that water is flushed out, your body also flushes out a lot of nutrients that are essential to both your overall health and skin health.
All of this ignores the poor diet choices people often make while drinking alcohol. If it’s not realistic to stop drinking completely, make sure you’re following the recommendations outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). Men should drink no more than two units daily and women are limited to one.
Eat a Variety of Fruits and Veggies
You probably know that unprotected sun exposure and alcohol and tobacco consumption can age you prematurely. What you may not know is that a poor diet will prematurely age you just as quickly as smoking, drinking, and using tanning beds. To keep your skin looking as tight, smooth, and healthy as possible, eat fruits and veggies with every meal.
Incorporating both fruits and vegetables into each meal is a recipe for success when your goal is to meet your RDA (recommended daily allowance) for all vitamins and minerals every day. The color of the produce you eat is a solid indicator of the nutrients it provides. Therefore, you should try to eat produce of all colors every day.
Minimize Your Consumption of Processed Food
Eating processed foods, including protein bars, cereals, and fast food meals, stresses your body out significantly. This stress results in premature aging of the skin, negating some of the benefits of treatment.
This aftercare tip is the most important if you’re seeking treatment to address stretch marks or scars. The stretch marks may return if significant weight fluctuations occur in the future. However, the scars are smoothed and faded forever. Since it takes several treatments to see the results, you don’t need to slow the process by eating burgers and fries.
Good Candidates for Collagen Induction Therapy
One of the coolest things about collagen induction therapy is how accessible it is. During your initial evaluation, Dr. Chun will review your medical history and aesthetic goals to ensure that you’re a good candidate for treatment. However, there are very few people who make poor candidates.
The best candidate for collagen induction therapy is an individual who is neither pregnant nor lactating and wishes to improve the tone, texture, or elasticity of his or her skin. He or she has not been told by his or her physician that he or she cannot stop taking blood-thinning medications or supplements, such as fish oil, baby aspirin, or an MAOI.
Other Aesthetic Services to Enhance Your Look
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is another aesthetic service popular with both men and women. It works by beaming extremely concentrated rays of laser light into the hair follicles on your skin. The follicles convert the energy from these rays into heat that destroys the hair follicles. The effected hair follicles cannot grow hair.
At SKC Dermatology in Paramus, NJ, there’s no need to worry about the laser burning your skin. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes before your session, Dr. Chun will apply a topical numbing cream to the treatment area. Once the treatment area is numbed, the laser is calibrated based on the thickness of your hair, as well as your skin tone and texture.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels may be used as an alternative to collagen induction therapy. However, it is usually used as a complement to the treatment. The three types of chemical peels we offer are light (superficial), medium, and deep chemical peels. The right peel strength for you depends on the condition you’re trying to improve and your skin tone, among other factors.
While light peels may need to be repeated several times, you can only receive a deep peel once in your life. The time it takes for your skin to peel after treatment depends on such factors as the types of acids used, the strength of the acids, and how closely you adhere to recommended aftercare guidelines.
Chemical Peel Aftercare
After your chemical peel, it is absolutely crucial that you let your skin peel naturally. This means that you shouldn’t moisturize your skin more than once daily if you have oily skin or twice daily if you have normal or dry skin. Opt for a gentle moisturizer, like Aquaphor or Vaseline, rather than a heavier moisturizer that can clog your pores.
To eliminate the risk of post-treatment infection, avoid touching your face. Your fingers contain oil glands that can cause acne breakouts and may transfer dirt, pollen, and other irritants that can be detrimental to your skin health. If you usually brush strands of hair out of your face, keep it in a tight bun until your skin peels.
Learn More About Improving Your Skin Health and Aesthetic Today
Are you ready to look years younger and feel more confident than you have in decades? If so, microneedling, laser hair removal, and chemical peels can benefit you. The best thing about these treatments is there is no downtime and little you need to do for aftercare. You just have to make healthy choices that should already be incorporated into your life.
To learn more about these or any of our other aesthetic services, please call our experts at SKC Dermatology in Paramus, NJ at (201) 672-8100 to book an appointment today.