Microneedling with Dr Huang

Dr Huang told me that the Chinese have been using acupuncture needles to beautify the skin for thousands of years and that the practice is called美 (mei) 容 (rong). Apparently, it translates to Beautiful Appearance.

How does Microneedling work?

Microneedling has been proven effective in stimulating collagen and elastin production using a device to create minuscule wounds in the skin. Your body’s natural response is to rush into healing mode and build new collagen-rich tissue. A qualified acupuncturist can do microneedling using specialized equipment that penetrates deeper than your average beauty salon offering microneedling. The benefit of using a skilled acupuncturist is that you will get faster and longer-lasting results.

Can facial rejuvenation acupuncture be combined with Microneedling?

I was planning to have some facial rejuvenation acupuncture with her to firm, lift, and tighten my face. “Is it too much to do the microneedling simultaneously?” I asked. Dr Huang mentioned that the two therapies actually complement each other very well and she suggests you incorporate microneedling on your third week of facial acupuncture.

Your skin reflects your state of health

As Dr Huang explained, the skin reflects what is going on with your internal organs, so the TCM practitioner will treat your skin with needles to stimulate the flow of Qi or energy, unblock various meridians, and kick-start the natural healing processes.

Traditionally, Chinese acupuncturists used the plum blossom needles, encouraging the body to send wound-healing fibroblast cell types to transform into collagen and help bolster existing collagen in the treated area. This created a firmer look, plumped up fine lines and stimulated the growth of new skin cells.

What about the redness after treatment?

I was worried about the downtime. How long before could I appear in public with my fresh new look? Dr Huang assured me that the redness lasts only 8 to 10 hours for many people. Perfect! I decided to schedule the treatment after lunch, go home, and have a quiet evening. However, she advised me to refrain from my usual skincare routine, exercising and putting on makeup for 24 hours to give the skin time to heal.

Is microneedling painful?

My next question related to pain. How much was this going to hurt? Dr Huang was reassuring and mentioned a couple of studies that had been done on micro-needling. One was The Effect of Microneedle Design on Pain in Human Volunteers, conducted with HS Gill as the lead researcher at the Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. Decreased microneedle length and a reduced number of microneedles significantly reduced pain. I was assured I would feel a scratching sensation but wouldn’t experience any significant discomfort.

What skin issues does microneedling address?

Dr Huang mentioned that microneedling could help reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, open pores, and even acne, among other skin concerns. Now, I was really paying attention, mentally ticking off on my fingers all the issues I could have addressed with this treatment.