How Soon Will You See Results From Microneedling?

Ever been in the midst of your 12-step skincare routine and wondered when it will give you the results you truly want? By which you obviously mean, "When will I look ageless and poreless like those (heavily edited) magazine models?" Many of us have been there — and as unrealistic as those advertised standards may be, a lot of us have stubborn everyday skin issues we can't seem to budge no matter what we try.

There are multiple manifestations of that common frustration. Some of the more persistent skincare woes faced by a typical patient include sun spots, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, or wrinkles and fine lines (via Jefferson Facial Plastics). These pesky, seemingly impossible-to-get-rid-of complaints are definitely a nuisance, especially once you've gone through just about every popular, overhyped skincare product and fancy facial treatment you can find.

The struggle can get discouraging and overwhelming, but not to worry: Microneedling exists for this very reason, and it could help answer a surprising number of your skin-related prayers. Plus, depending on your goals, you might not even have to wait that long to see results.

According to Cleveland Clinic, microneedling is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that utilizes thin needles to treat many common skin concerns. During the procedure, a healthcare provider uses a specialized device with countless tiny needles that pierce the upper layer of the skin to create an imperceptible wound (via Jefferson Facial Plastics). This microscopic damage triggers the production of collagen and elastin to provoke — and enhance — the natural healing process of the skin. The amped-up healing response helps to minimize the appearance of a patient's particular complaint.

The procedure is most commonly used on the face to treat skin concerns like sun spots, acne, and wrinkles, but it is also available for the rest of your body, like your legs and back, Cleveland Clinic notes. So, if you suffer from body acne, large stretch marks, or hyperpigmentation in other areas of the body and haven't had luck with other treatments, this procedure might be an option.

While deeper issues could require a more significant number of microneedling sessions, some of the results you can hope to see after just a few visits are a minimized appearance of pores, scars, and wrinkles, a more even complexion and tighter skin texture, and reduced appearance of stretch marks, says Skin Pharm – quite the catalog for frustrated or eager customers.

Results and the number of sessions needed vary from person to person with this procedure. Everyone's skin — and healing process — looks different. With microneedling, many people begin seeing at least a few initial results as soon as one week after treatment, with optimal results appearing after four to six weeks (via Skin Pharm) and persisting months after the final treatment, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. Meanwhile, more prominent scarring and lines might take a number of sessions to start yielding satisfactory results.

You can book your microneedling sessions four to six weeks apart for a safe healing period in between sessions and to allow the collagen to completely develop in the affected area (via Jefferson Facial Plastics). If your goal is simply to increase collagen for smaller pores and more even skin tone, as few as three sessions might do the trick. For more notable concerns, up to six treatments — so, between five and nine months total, give or take — might be necessary.

If you get this or any other abrasive procedure done to your face or body, it's best to take precautions to protect the reparation process, ensuring proper healing and good results. Remember to apply sunscreen regularly, wear clothing to cover the treated areas, and be proactive about booking your follow-up sessions (via Bentley Skincare).