understanding your skin

Needling: FAQs

Needling is one of our most popular advanced treatments in the clinic and for good reason! It's brilliant for addressing dullness, uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and even acne scarring and now is the perfect time to book in before the sun gets too strong and the risk of sun damage increases.⁠
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If it's your first ever needling treatment, understandably, you may have a few questions! We've rounded up the FAQs below so keeping reading to find out all about this incredible treatment.

How does needling work?

Our skin is designed as a barrier to keep things out so micro-needling creates microscopic channels in the deep layers of the epidermis and top layers of the dermis establishing a pathway to optimise the delivery of the chosen actives you apply during the treatment. Needling also stimulates circulation, bringing nutrients and hydration to the skin, as well as encouraging collagen and elastin production. Altogether this allows for a treatment that delivers optimal infusion and gentle collagen stimulation resulting in skin that is brightened, tightened and rejuvenated without the use of surgery or cosmetic injectables.

Who is microneedling best for?

If your skin is:

Feeling a little lacklustre

In need of a nutrient boost

Dehydrated

Or you’re looking to seriously target skin texture, fine lines, or scarring

this is the treatment for you!

Needling is not suitable or recommended for:

Pregnant clients

Teens

Highly sensitive skins

Active acne or rosacea

Why should I book with Pfeffer Sal?

We use an advanced medical device, SkinPen, in all our needling treatments. We chose this to use this device for the following reasons:

Safety

This pen has a 100% sealed cartridge and a single lock out feature to remove any possibility of cross-contamination throughout the whole process for optimum safety. It is the only FDA approved needling device on the market and the only one that can make this claim.

Results

The SkinPen not only surpasses in terms of safety, it’s 14-tip needling head introduces 98,000 channels into the skin per minute far surpassing traditional rollers and other devices available on the market.

Does it hurt?

Surprisingly, no! We apply a topical numbing cream before the needling phase of the treatment so you should only feel a slight buzzing feeling and maybe a little scratchiness but that’s all. Our therapist is there to check on how you’re feeling throughout the whole treatment so if it is uncomfortable, then let them know. Post-treatment you might feel a little warm (like a sunburn) and sensitive but this usually subsides within a few days. 

What is the downtime like?

The downtime depends on how your skin responds and how deep we’ve gone but you’re likely to experience:

Some redness and tenderness - this is your skin’s natural response to controlled trauma and it means that the healing is getting started

Dryness and tightness - as beautiful new skin is produced, your skin will start to feel tight and dry and occasionally flakey. Don’t panic, just keep slathering on a hydrating cream and treating it gently. Don’t try to peel or scratch any flakey skin off as this can lead to scarring

Heat - we have got the circulation going in this treatment so you’re gonna feel quite warm post-treatment. You can apply a cool compress or hydrating sheet mask from the fridge to help comfort this.

How do I care for my skin after needling?

Cleanse morning and evening very gently!

A topical serum used morning and night will boost treatment results and support long-term improvement in your skin health. Our Essential Serum is the perfect post-needling skin food.

Apply a barrier cream such as Synergie Skin Occlusiderm throughout the day to aid healing and protect the skin.

For the first 48 hours post-treatment, try to avoid wearing non-mineral make up or doing exercise. Steaming, saunas and hot showers or baths should also be avoided for 48 hours.

As the top layer of skin is replaced by fresher skin, make sure to protect it by wearing an SPF every day for at least 14 days after your treatment.

Any alcohol-based toners, AHA/BHA exfoliators, vitamin A products, retinol, skin lightening cream, hydrogen peroxide, vitamin C products or harsh scrubs should be avoided for one week after the procedure.

What's the difference between medical needling and microneedling?

MICRONEEDLING = a shallower depth of needle penetration and focuses on product penetration.

Best for :

  • firming / lifting
  • plumping/rehydration
  • minimising lines
  • mild acne scarring softening

MEDICAL NEEDLING = a deeper length of needle penetration. This creates controlled trauma which triggers significant collagen and elastin production. 

Best for those wanting to treat:

  • Scarring
  • Pore size reduction
  • Lines and wrinkles
  • Skin laxity
  • Large pores 
  • Provides a strong rejuvenation

How many treatments do I need to have?

Needling works by stimulating collagen and elastin production and this has an accumulative effect so the more often you are coming in for needling, the better the results will be. We generally recommend a course of 4-6 treatments spaced 4 weeks apart for best results. Speak with your therapist for more information on your treatment plan.

  1. Skin Roller 3 in 1
    Swiss Clinic
    Skin Roller 3 in 1
    £59.00

Can I not just use a home roller and get the same results?

Home devices work at a much more superficial level so whilst they are handy at advancing your serums, to affect real change to the skin, a professional hand is required. You should never look to home rollers for collagen and elastin stimulation. A needle length of 0.2mm is ideal for product penetration - any deeper and it’s time to book in!

At home rollers can also cause microtears when used incorrectly, so if you’re rolling regularly at home make sure you’re not applying too much pressure and make sure that you’re keeping your device sterile and clean to prevent infection and irritation. At Pfeffer Sal, we recommend the Swiss Clinic Roller. It’s a swiss-engineered, silver-plated, Japanese Steel needling roller and when you purchase it with us, you’ll also be booked in for a complimentary 1:1 session with a therapist to guide you through your first home session covering technique, safety, hygiene and product suggestions.

How do I book?

The Ultra Synergy treatment is £300 and exclusive to Pfeffer Sal 

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