Taking better care of my skin was one of my New Year’s resolutions for 2023. Despite the fact it’s taken me until almost 2024 to actually begin, I decided to try out microneedling.
I’d heard about the celebrity-approved facial treatment used by the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian, and wondered if it was really worth the hype. Considering the hashtag #microneedling has over 1.7 billion views on TikTok, I realised that there are likely many people who were as curious as I about the procedure. So I visited Regents Park Aesthetics clinic in Marylebone to see what the fuss was all about.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling is a cosmetic treatment that uses tiny sterile needles to "generate new collagen and skin tissue to smooth, firm, and tone skin," according to Healthline. It’s a quick process and is minimally invasive, therefore the recovery is usually quick and painless (more on my experience with this below).
Jennifer Aniston summed it up perfectly in Leyman's terms in an interview with People in 2019: “I do micro-needling! I just learned about it a couple months ago from a facialist in New York,” she said,“it allows the serums and whatever products you’re using to really soak in".
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How long does microneedling take?
The process took around 30 minutes overall, and the actual microneedling itself took around 10-15 minutes for my whole face. It's optional to have it alone, or it can be incorporated into a full facial experience.
I had the latter, opting for Regents Park’s new ‘The Seoul Glow’ facial, which aims to help achieve ‘glass skin’, therefore my treatment lasted around an hour and 15 minutes.
It’s important to note that the combination of treatments I had may also be responsible for the results I saw, not just microneedling alone.
The first steps
The aesthetician cleaned my face with a foam cleanser, then gave me a lymphatic draining massage with her hands.
This was followed by a HydraFacial, which uses a suction tool to penetrate deep into the skin and open pores for an intense cleanse and to extract impurities .
I then had a chemical peel, used to improve the skin's appearance from sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles and acne. The solution had a strong chlorine-like smell, but it wasn’t painful, just tingly.
The microneedling procedure
Then came the micro-needling. I was given the choice of whether to have anaesthetic cream applied to the face or not because it needs to be left on for 10/15 minutes before the process can begin, therefore can be sped up if in a hurry. I’d highly recommend the numbing cream for the first time.
The aesthetician then rolled the pen back and forth across my whole face. At the same time, the serum Jennifer Aniston was referring to was squirted onto the face, allowing full penetration of the vitamin cocktail via mesotherapy. I had Regent’s Park's new ‘Chanel Injection’ - a formula containing 55 ingredients to repair the skin.
It may be easier said than done as I don't have a needle phobia, but they really are microscopic, and are not visible to you when having the treatment done.
Afterwards, a sheet face mask is applied along with ice cold cryo rollers across the face which is incredibly soothing.
Is Microneedling painful?
I found it painless, but it depends on your pain threshold. With the anaesthetic, it just feels like little pricks on your skin. The practitioner left numbing cream off my chin to allow me to feel the difference, and personally, I’d have the cream on every time until my skin was used to it.
The Verdict
I admit, I was surprised to see how red my face was afterwards and it's impossible to avoid. (Top tip: learn from my mistake and do not have the treatment the same day as your friend's birthday supper). No makeup is allowed for at least 24 hours, and no skin peels/exfoliating for around five days. It's also imperative not to touch your face with unclean hands, as the pores are incredibly open allowing bacteria to build up easily.
I was just as surprised, however, to see the results of the process were immediate, and my skin looked more supple and hydrated than ever. The redness lasted around 24 hours and my skin was so clear. The pigmentation on my forehead was also significantly reduced. Personally, I think I noticed the effects of the microneedling more after one week, when my skin was still so radiant during my normal skincare routine.
Though it's a pricey routine to sustain (a single full-face session at Regents Park starts from £250 and the aesthetician recommended I had the treatment once a quarter), I'd absolutely recommend having the treatment even once, to give your face a glow from within.
