Microneedling is a skin treatment that I have tried for my acne scars, and it is also recommended for anti-aging since it enhances collagen production. During this procedure, your skin is basically pricked with tiny needles to encourage your body's natural healing process. It sounds like torture, but thanks to numbing cream, I could barely even feel it. The goal is for the body to produce extra collagen which will plump up your skin, reducing the appearance of scars.

The first two times I tried this was at my dermatologist in December of 2018. I did 2 treatments 6 weeks apart. I definitely noticed a difference, but I was honestly pretty disappointed that my scars were still noticeable 6 months after my second treatment (it can take up to 6 months to see full results). I think at the dermatologist, the treatments were around $300, so I was not thrilled with my outcome when considering the cost.

In February 2022, I decided to give it another try. I took a little break from my skincare journey when I was pregnant and then nursing my second daughter. This time around, I was excited to try RF (Radiofrequency) Microneedling. This procedure also uses tiny needles for the skin pricks, but adds in the radiofrequency to further “damage” the skin, creating a more intense healing response. This results in the skin growing back thicker and smoother. You receive a numbing cream for this as well, so it is mostly painless, but was definitely more uncomfortable than the traditional microneedling.

I decided to punish myself even further by receiving a laser treatment (LaseMD) immediately following the RF microneedling. The combination of the two treatments is supposed to address all layers of the skin in one treatment, achieving more advanced results. This procedure was much more expensive, around $1200. I did not see any crazy results from this treatment either, so I don’t know that I would recommend it. I was told a second treatment would help, but at that cost, I didn’t want to take the chance of being underwhelmed a second time. Also, this was my first time receiving laser treatment, and the pain was much more intense than with microneedling. I’m sure this was at least partially due to receiving the treatments back to back, but I was not convinced doing a second round would be worth it, physically or financially.

I am planning to do another few rounds of basic microneedling with the doctor I am currently seeing for my skincare. I think I saw the most noticeable results from that procedure and combined with the retinol I am currently using, I think this could finally be what removes my scars once and for all. They also have other laser options like Moxi and BBL at my current medspa that I may try if needed since sunspots are another fun aging issue I am trying to address. (At the age of 38, I finally realized the sun really IS bad for your skin and began investing in big floppy hats and beach umbrellas). I have a skincare follow-up in March to go over my options for future treatments, and will definitely post an update of what I decide to do and then share my results.

I think if something makes you feel insecure, and you have the means to address it, then go for it! I realize that there are MUCH more important things in life than having perfect skin, but I feel like if it just involves a treatment here and there, then why not give it a try? Skincare has always been a process of trial and error for me (as are most things in life) but I feel like I’ve finally been making some progress with my new routine. I am a busy mom of two little kids and don’t have the time or energy to put on a full face of makeup every morning, so having good skin is something that is important to me and worth investing in. Are there any beauty treatments that you’ve tried and loved? I’d love to hear your suggestions!