Your skin looks great, my best friend says to me on FaceTime. Of course, we all know FaceTime doesn’t make skin look its best, especially without great lighting. So the compliment was well received since I’d wrapped a microneedling appointment a week earlier. There are tons of skincare treatments on the market. This treatment is, in my opinion, worth every penny.
Like many Black women, I have a recurring skin condition: hyperpigmentation. I know there’s no such thing as perfect skin. But looking at a new dark spot after every breakup is frustrating. So after some research and watching tons of YouTube videos, I was ready to take the plunge with the same pro I trusted to inject Botox into my forehead and crow’s feet for the first time.
So here’s how my appointment went.
What is microneedling?
“Microneedling is a procedure where a device with sterile needles is used to make precise microchannels in the skin, which stimulates collagen,” Allie McAllister, NP-C, DCNP, founder of The Atlanta Injectors at Lemmon Avenue Atlanta, tells xoNecole. Unlike the at-home microneedling options, in-office needles range from 0.5–2.5 mm and penetrate deeper into the skin, creating tiny wounds that will eventually help yield firmer skin and a reduction in fine wrinkles, enlarged pores, pigmentation, and scarring.
You may be wondering if this treatment is safe for dark skin. The answer is yes. Because microneedling only punctures (they’re microscopic, btw) the surface layer of the skin, this treatment won’t create scarring.
Skin numbing pre-microneedling session
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
So, what should you expect at a microneedling appointment?
Before your first appointment, you may have some pre-microneedling jitters. Don’t worry. The process is pretty painless because the first step is face numbing. After the skin is cleansed and the cream is rubbed on, it takes about 20 minutes for your face to numb. It’s a strange feeling that will last a few hours post-appointment.
Next, your practitioner will apply a serum that can be hyaluronic acid, a topical vitamin C, and your own plasma-rich protein from your own blood (think: the vampire facial). I just went with hyaluronic serum. Once my skin was numb, the needling began. I mainly felt nothing except in the areas around my nose and outside of my face. But it wasn’t more than a little pinch.
As the needling happens, the most alarming part is the pinpoint bleeding. It’s not normal to have a pen gliding across your face that can produce tiny points of blood on your face. Don’t be alarmed. It’s actually a good thing. “Pinpoint bleeding is a great sign that the microchannels are deep enough to stimulate collagen,” McAllister tells us.
Skin during the microneedling process
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
How do I take care of my skin after my microneedling appointment?
After treatment, your skin will need to be taken care of very gently. That means gentle cleansers and no activities. “We ask our patients to use gentle skincare and avoid acids, exfoliants, or retinoids of any kind for a minimum of five days post-procedure,” McAllister shares. And if you’re tempted to skip sunscreen: don’t. This step is essential to your skin healing because the skin is more susceptible to hyperpigmentation from sun exposure. And that would defeat the purpose of your treatment.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
You may experience some dryness or peeling. I did, especially on days one and two. But that’s normal. “Peeling and dryness are very common after microneedling procedures,” McAllister explains. She recommends Revision’s Hydrating Serum or CeraVe Healing Ointment after a gentle cleanser to give the skin a dose of hydration. I used the Shani Darden Cleansing Serum, SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator, and Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream Treatment.
How many microneedling treatments do you need to see results?
The number of treatments needed will vary from person to person, but at minimum, four sessions are recommended four to six weeks apart for the best results with yearly maintenance three to four times a year.
What’s the cost of microneedling?
The cost will vary depending on location, but it can range from $350 to $900 a session on average. However, this also depends on the area size you’ll be receiving the treatment.
Skin a week post-microneedling appointment
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
My Takeaway
Microneedling isn't a skincare overnight fix. But the results, even after one treatment, are stellar. My skin was plumper, the texture smoother, and I could see a slight difference in my dark spots that live along my cheeks and jawline. I’m looking forward to more sessions to get even better results!
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This delicate area has a way of being tipped off by our irregular sleep patterns, stress, and the straining that comes from our computers and phone screens. From puffiness to dark circles, it can be irksome to find the right products to soothe our under-eye concerns. Thankfully, there’s one solution that delivers a brighter and more awakened look over time, and that’s under-eye masks and eye patches.
Eye patches are giving our under-eye bags an eviction notice because they can’t hang our glowing faces rent-free. The beauty of these patches is that they are designed to bring your eyes targeted results through concentrated doses of active ingredients directly to the skin under the eyes. Typically made of thin, gel-like material and infused with ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and even green teas, these small but mighty patches depuff your puffiness, brighten your dark circles, or tighten fine lines.
While every under-eye differs in its needs, every eye can benefit from an under-eye mask or patch that suits its concerns. And to help, we’ve put together the best under-eye patches to hydrate, soothe, and brighten your eyes.
KNC Beauty All Natural Retinol Infused Eye Mask, 5-Pack
The KNC Beauty All Natural Retinol Infused Eye Mask, 5-Pack, is a retinol-infused, all-natural product designed to rejuvenate your eyes. It promises to provide hydration, smoothness, reduced puffiness, and brightness without the use of chemicals. With ingredients like retinol to refine skin texture and stimulate blood flow and aloe to soothe and reduce redness, it's like getting 8 hours of beauty sleep for your eyes.
Topicals Faded Under Eye Brightening Eye Masks
These cooling hydrogel under-eye masks from Topicals promise to fade the appearance of dark circles and discoloration in just 15 minutes. The set includes six masks and offers benefits that brighten, hydrate, depuff, and cool your under-eye area.
Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Brightening Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
Grab these eye contour gel patches to brighten the eye area and combat signs of aging using a powerful form of vitamin C called THD Ascorbate, which is 50 times more potent than traditional vitamin C.
BeautyBio Bright Eyes Depuffing and Brightening Eye Gels
BeautyBio's Bright Eyes consists of 15 colloidal silver-infused eye gel patches designed to provide instant depuffing, brightening, and revitalization to the delicate eye area within 10 minutes. They also contain natural collagen to help diminish the appearance of fine lines, which we love.
COSRX Advanced Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch
COSRX
These viral hydrogel masks offer moisture and nourishment to rejuvenate tired-looking skin. Their Snail Secretion Filtrate contains "Mucin," an effective moisturizing ingredient that soothes damaged skin and delivers deep hydration, making it suitable for dehydrated and damaged skin types. Your under-eyes will thank you.
Peace Out Puffy Under-Eye Patches
Amazon
Try these caffeine-infused patches to reduce puffiness in the under-eye area. The product features clean, vegan ingredients such as caffeine, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for deep hydration and moisture delivery.
Dieux Skin Forever Eye Mask Reusable Silicone Gel Eye Pads
The Forever Eye Mask is designed to be the “last eye mask you'll ever need.” This thin, lightweight, and reusable eye patch can hold gels, serums, and creams close to the skin for better absorption, helping your skincare products work more effectively.
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