Not all skin needling is created equal.
Let’s talk Microchanneling
You might remember the dermal rollers (shown on the right in the below pic) that had spikes on the end of them and became popular several years ago. The idea was to roll the needles across your skin to make micro-punctures for the absorption of product. Turns out, while it was a good idea in theory, they were incredibly unsanitary and the punctures had the ability to cause more harm than good.
It became a big NO NO in the beauty field, as many aestheticians will share with you. In the picture below you can see the difference between a microchanneling puncture and that created with the dermal rollers. EEK! Poor banana on the right!
While it was a skip on dermal rolling, I knew that Modrn wanted to be a results-oriented spa. We needed to have supporting technology that could help clients get the results they wanted.
ENTER Microneedling.
I didn’t happen upon Microneedling in a fun way.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with a large squamous cell carcinoma tumor on my nose that had to be removed, resulting in a quarter sized hole on the top of my nose. To close this, the plastic surgeon had to do a flap that came down from the center of my forehead and be stitched into place leaving the tip of my nose turned up and a huge scar from the center of my forehead to the middle of my nose. It wasn’t pretty, but it was necessary.
The healing processes was going to take a year for the nose tip to settle, and several months before I would be allowed to work on the red skin color and scar. When I was able to work on my scar, the first thing that my plastic surgeon friend in NYC recommended I do was Microneedling.
I DO NOT REGRET IT! After one session the scar improved immensely.
Errr….what is Microneedling?
Microneedling and microchanneling, or skin needling, is a cosmetic procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny, sterile needles. It’s considered a collagen induction therapy.
Collagen Induction Therapy:
is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that aims to address a variety of skin concerns such as fine lines. Using a small handheld device with sterile needles, tiny perforations are made in the skin to induce a wound healing response. The damage helps stimulate your skin's healing process, so it produces more collagen and elastin. These proteins keep your skin firm and smooth.
But you don’t have Microneedling at Modrn Sanctuary, you have MicroCHANNELING.
That’s correct. Microchanneling is similar to microneedling, but since we are not a medspa we do not penetrate the skin as deeply with the needles as they would in a medical office. The good news is that we don’t have to to get great results!
In fact, the benefits of not going as deep are:
Less pain. Actually, A LOT less pain.
Quicker recovery time.
No downtime.
It can be more cost effective even though it may be a few more sessions!
With Microchannel we are also able to select different needling heads to help with different skincare goals as shown below:
The Results? Oh…let me show you!!!!!
Benefits of Microchanneling include:
Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Softening the appearance of enlarged pores
Reducing hyperpigmentation
Healing acne scarring and other scarring
Smoothing over stretch marks
Restoring hydration to the skin
Restoring tonal/textural irregularities
The Process
Despite hearing the term “needling” I can assure you that the discomfort you will feel during the treatment is minimal and highly tolerable. In fact, there are a few ways in which we can minimize the potential pain, which include:
Setting the speed on the needles to be faster
Change the depth the needles go at first
Utilize a mild numbing cream, which we almost never use due to it being very tolerable of a treatment
The process for Microchanneling is as follows:
Step 1: Cleanse the Face
Step 2: Application of custom serum or hyaluronic acid
Step 3: Microchanneling is conducted utilizing specific protocols for each area on the face and/or the neck and décolletage, when elected.
Step 4: Specialty cooling and hydrating mask is applied. OR clients can elect to upgrade to a HydroJelly mask.
Step 5: Ice globes are used to cool the skin during the mask application
Step 6: Finishing products are applied
It’s quick. It’s easy. And the results are incredible. And look how pretty these custom serums are you can upgrade to!
How many sessions & Post Care
Number of Sessions:
As with most things, the results are cumulative and banking collagen is no different. Modrn Sanctuary recommends a series of 4-6 treatments done 2-4 weeks apart.
Post Microchanneling Care:
Post session clients will feel a little bit of heat and redness, which are typically minimized with the use of the cooling mask and ice globes. Post care is very important to follow and is noted as follows:
24 Hours After Microchanneling:
You can wash your face with a gentle cleanser and use a nourishing moisturizer. Avoid products that contain fragrance, active ingredients (vitamin C, vitamin a, retinol), acids (AHA, BHA, lactic), physical scrubs, and toners that may irritate the skin. At this stage, you may experience some mild swelling, peeling, bruising, and flaking. To minimize these effects, keep the skin moisturized. Moisturizing will also reduce shedding and alleviate the feeling of tightness. Avoid exercising, excessively sweating, swimming, or applying makeup for 24 hours. You must use a high protection sunscreen when going outdoors and avoid prolonged sun exposure.48 Hours After Microchanneling:
Optional: If you have dry and flaking skin, you can gently exfoliate to speed up recovery. Do not use a chemical or harsh physical exfoliant; opt for a washcloth. And if your skin feels sensitive, do not exfoliate yet; it will subside soon. Continue to hydrate the skin twice per day.3-5 Days After Microchanneling:
Apply high protection sunscreen daily, avoid direct and extended sunlight. Focus on hydrating and moisturizing products and avoiding active ingredients, scrubs, acids, and toners.7+ Day After Microneedling:
Return to your regular skincare routine!