Nano needling: The secret to glowing skin?
What is nano needling?
Nano needling is a non-invasive skin treatment that heralds a multitude of benefits - improved tone and texture, reduced appearance of enlarged pores, improvement to fine lines and reduced pigmentation.
Nano needling is performed using a microneedling pen - however unlike microneedling, the usual needle cartridge is swapped out for a nano needling cartridge.
Nano needling cartridges are silicone tipped and are gentler on the skin. This is because nano needling only penetrates the skin to a 0.25mm depth and is designed to exfoliate the skin and stimulate cell turnover, rather than to penetrate deep into the dermis as microneedling does.
When the silicone tipped pins gently touch the skin, they create thousands of nano channels, which allow your skincare products to penetrate deeper and have a greater effect on the skin. Within 15 minutes after nano needling, the nano channels close themselves.
Nano needling is gentle and safe, but very effective.
What’s the difference between microneedling and nano needling?
Nano needling and microneedling both treat similar skincare concerns and both use a skin needling pen to create microchannels in the skin. This then triggers the skin’s natural healing process - the skin produces more collagen and elastin to ‘heal’ the micro injuries, which results in improved skin health and a reduction to the visible signs of ageing. The primary difference between microneedling and nano needling is that microneedling penetrates the skin deeper into the dermis, whereas nano needling only punctures the epidermis (the first layers of the skin). This means that nano needling is a gentler process than microneedling.
Nano needle cartridges are also silicone-tipped, which allows them to gently exfoliate the skin. Nano needling can be used by itself, or as a complimentary addition to facials, peels and microdermabrasion treatments.
What are the benefits of nano needling?
Although nano needling only penetrates the upper layer of the dermis, the benefits for anti-ageing are still substantial, particularly when it comes to product penetration. Nano needling significantly increases your skin’s ability to absorb serum. Nano needling is also great for treating fine lines and wrinkles, firming up loose skin and reducing swelling.
After treating your skin to some nano needling, you can expect increased smoothness and hydration of the skin, and a thicker and firmer feeling overall to the skin. Your skin will also have better microcirculation and will benefit from the increased nutrients (depending on what serum you choose to use).
Nano needling is very effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines, especially around the eyes and lips, and improving the tone/texture of the skin. Many people also find that nano needling is effective at reducing the appearance of enlarged pores.
What serum should I use when nano needling?
An anti-ageing serum with high-quality ingredients is ideal to use when nano needling to really nourish your skin from within.
We recommend:
Hyaluronic Acid: HA is great for curing dry, flaky skin and giving a healthy plump glow to the skin. This is because HA molecules hold up to 1000x their weight in water, so it literally hydrates and plumps your skin from the inside out.
Vitamin C: For those looking to brighten the complexion and fade pigmentation and dark spots, a high quality Vitamin C serum will enrich the dermis with antioxidants that neutralise harmful free-radicals in the atmosphere that can bring about premature ageing. Vitamin C is considered to be an ‘active’ ingredient so if you have sensitive skin, as with anything, do a patch test of your Vitamin C serum before applying to the whole face.
You might also like to use an EGF serum. EGF (epidermal growth factor) is a protein that increases your skin cells' rate of producing collagen and elastin, which gives the skin a healthy and plump appearance.
Does nano needling hurt?
Nano needling does not hurt.
Nano needling is safe to perform on all skin types and colors and so long as care is taken to protect the skin after nano needling, there is no risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (hyperpigmentation that occurs as a result of inflammation or trauma).
This is because nano needling does not penetrate deep into the skin where melanocytes (protein fibers composed of melanin, which produce pigment) lie, so no melanocytes are disrupted or inflamed during the needling process.
Nano needling can be used on all areas of the face, neck and body - even on the delicate skin around the eyes and lips.There is no downtime or pain associated with nano needling, and it does not need to be performed with numbing cream.
How often can you do nano needling?
As nano needling is gentler than microneedling, this means that it can be performed every one to two weeks. Microneedling, on the other hand, can only be performed once every four to six weeks.
This is because this is how long it takes your skin cells to perform a full turnover cycle, and a full cycle must be taken to protect the integrity of the skin’s moisture barrier and to see full results from the microneedling.
Nano needling is also safe to perform between microneedling treatments, as it's so gentle. This makes it perfect for extending that plump, hydrated glow!
Can you wear makeup after nano needling?
Yes, you can wear makeup after nano needling! To be extra gentle on your skin, we recommend using a mineral-based foundation or concealer. This will ensure that your skin can breathe.Once you see how beautifully your skin glows after nano needling, you might not want to cover it with foundation at all! In that case, it’s absolutely fine not to wear makeup over your freshly needled skin - a good hydrating serum like Hyaluronic Acid and of course, a high-protection sunscreen is all you need.
Can you use your normal skincare after nano needling?
The great thing about nano needling is that it’s incredibly gentle and requires no downtime, meaning your routine need not change.
You can return to using your usual skincare products after nano needling however to be extra safe, we do recommend taking a few minor precautions to give your skin the best chance possible to recover and give you the youthful, bouncy glow that you’re searching for!
If your skincare products contain high concentrations of enzymes, acids or high doses of retinoids, we recommend setting them aside for 3-4 days before and after nano needling.
This minor precaution will ensure that your skin is not irritated.
What can you expect after nano needling?
Within a few days to a week after nano needling, you can expect your skin to look a little brighter and more hydrated. This is normal and nothing to worry about, just ensure to keep your skin hydrated with a good Hyaluronic Acid serum! Your skin will look plumper and more radiant.
After a few treatments, you might begin to see a diminished appearance of enlarged pores, reduction of fine lines or a softening of pigmentation spots.
Is there anyone who can’t do nano needling?
Like all medical and aesthetic/cosmetic procedures, there are certain contraindications that apply. Nano needling is not recommended for the following circumstances:
- Individuals with scleroderma
- Individuals with undiagnosed lesions, rashes or skin infections
- Individuals who have had a recent herpes episode
- Individuals with severe acne or rosacea
- Individuals with diabetes or other auto-immune disorders
- Individuals undergoing cancer treatment
How to do nano needling:
The nano needling process is much the same as the microneedling process - just using a silicone tipped cartridge head. The microscopic silicon tips are cone shaped and separate the cells within the epidermis, allowing products to be pushed into the skin. You can read our needling instruction guide here for more info.
Want to get started with nano needling?
It’s easy - just switch out your cartridge from a microneedling cartridge to a nano needling cartridge. You can purchase nano needling cartridges to fit your Dr. Pen microneedling pen!
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