Microneedling, Nanoneedling, and Cosmetic Needling: How to Choose the Right Treatment

Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is a highly effective solution for addressing various skin concerns, such as anti-aging, sun damage, and acne scars, and for enhancing overall skin tone and texture.

By boosting collagen production, microneedling revitalises the skin, making it a popular option for those seeking to improve their complexion.
With terms like skin needling, nano needling, medical needling, and cosmetic needling often used interchangeably, it’s easy to feel uncertain about what each treatment offers.

In this guide, we’ll clarify the concept of cosmetic needling and outline the key differences and similarities between microneedling, nano needling, and cosmetic needling, helping you choose the best treatment for your skin needs.

An Introduction to Cosmetic Needling

Cosmetic needling is a noninvasive treatment that uses extremely fine needles to create microchannels in the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermal layer.  

These microchannels stimulate the skin's natural healing process, boosting collagen and elastin production.

Unlike deeper needling techniques like medical microneedling, cosmetic needling targets the superficial layers of the skin, making it gentler while still providing noticeable benefits.

This treatment is particularly effective for improving hyperpigmentation, softening the appearance of scarring, and enhancing the skin's overall brightness and firmness.  

Cosmetic needling also aids in better absorption of skincare products, allowing ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid serum to penetrate more effectively, amplifying their benefits. 

As a result, cosmetic needling is a popular choice for those seeking a more radiant, even-toned complexion without the downtime associated with more invasive procedures.

It's safe for regular use and suits various skin types, making it an accessible option for improving the skin's texture and appearance.

What's the Difference Between Cosmetic Needling, Microneedling, and Nanoneedling?

Cosmetic Needling

The key difference between cosmetic needling and microneedling is needle depth. It’s all about how your skin responds to the different needle depth as well as how frequently you can perform the treatments.

Cosmetic needling involves needles penetrating the epidermis with a needle depth between 0.2 to 0.3mm.

Cosmetic needling triggers the release of growth factors, which are the proteins that promote cell rejuvenation and renewal. These growth factors work their magic on your skin and can produce some pretty impressive results.

Creating microchannels in the epidermis causes the cells in your skin to talk to each other about growth and healing. But the critical reaction is that the resident fibroblasts (collagen factories) in your skin cells produce collagen.

Microneedling

Microneedling, otherwise referred to as collagen induction therapy or medical needling, involves penetrating the epidermis and the dermis, a deeper layer within the skin. Microneedling depths range from 0.5mm up to 3mm.

Medical needling creates more significant microchannels thanks to the deeper needle penetration. This causes your body to release myofibroblasts (little skin cell ambulances) to heal the ‘wounds’. This wound healing response also causes growth factors to be released, collagen production to be induced, and the cells to communicate to tackle healing and growth.

Because of the deeper needle penetration, the healing process is longer. You should only microneedle every four to six weeks for best results.

Nano needling

Nano needling confusingly doesn’t involve any needles. The nano cartridge is made up of microscopic silicone tipped cones. These cones create tiny channels in the very top layer of the skin, the stratum corneum.

The tiny channels are entirely invisible to the naked eye, but they allow your products to penetrate deeper into the skin.

When nano needling, you can take advantage of this and use serums (even active serums such as Vitamin C, Peptides, or Turmeric Serum!) to address skin concerns that occur at the top levels of the skin, such as pigmentation, dehydration and dullness.

Who Can do Cosmetic Needling?

Cosmetic needling can be done in a salon or the comfort of your own home if you have the right cosmetic needling instrument.

To cosmetically needle, you need a microneedling pen capable of going 0.2mm to 0.3mm deep. Or, you can use a derma roller.

A derma roller is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a good entry level product.

A microneedling pen is a great device to purchase as you can use it for micro, cosmetic and nano needling. This multi-use device is perfect for those who can afford it and are serious about skin needling!

Does Cosmetic Needling Work?

Whether nano, cosmetic or microneedling “works” depends on the skin concerns you wish to target, how your skin heals and what needling treatments you’re undertaking.

It can take anywhere from 2 to 10 microneedling sessions for people to see results, as everyone’s version of results varies. And everyone's skin heals differently.

Cosmetic needling will improve the appearance of scars and wrinkles whilst improving your skin’s strength. Acne, pigmentation and UV damage can take more treatments to see results and if you have deep stretch marks or hair loss, you’re likely to see better results with microneedling.

How Often Should You Do Cosmetic Needling?

Since cosmetic needling doesn’t go as deep as microneedling, the recovery time is quicker. You can perform cosmetic needling every two weeks, making it easy to incorporate into your existing nano or medical needling schedule.

Medical needling should be done every 4 to 6 weeks, so cosmetic needling fits perfectly between microneedling sessions. With its ultra-shallow penetration, nano needling can be done weekly due to its rapid skin healing.

Is Microneedling Better Than Cosmetic Needling?

You’ll see results from any skin needling treatment when the needle depth is tailored to your specific skin concern.

For example, acne scarring affects deeper layers of the skin, so microneedling will improve the scars’ appearance. But if you’re tackling hyperpigmentation, which occurs at a shallower level of the skin, cosmetic needling will help you see fantastic results.

Dr. Lance Setterfield, one of the top microneedling experts globally, argues that the collagen produced by the fibroblasts (induced in cosmetic needling) is of a higher quality than the collagen produced by the myofibroblasts (induced in microneedling).

However, the myofibroblasts released in microneedling produce far more collagen than the fibroblasts released from cosmetic needling.

Your skincare concerns should dictate which treatment you choose and not which treatment has more or better collagen.

And if you aren’t sure which to do, it’s safe to do both providing you pay careful attention to the recommended frequency of each treatment.

What Serums Can I Use During Cosmetic Needling?

Because cosmetic needling creates microchannels for products to enter, it’s best to avoid active ingredients.

If a serum enters the microchannels and your body thinks its a foreign body, it may cause an adverse reaction and make your skincare concerns worse.

To play it safe, use serums with ingredients that our body already produces, such as simple Hyaluronic Acid. You’ll hydrate the skin without risking any adverse reactions.

You can also use epidermal growth factor serums, as this is another ingredient your body produces naturally. Growth factor serums tell your cells that they need to grow, heal, produce more collagen, manufacture more elastin or increase blood flow.

Final Tips About Cosmetic Needling

With each type of skin needling, the goal is for healthy skin. Skin needling, either cosmetic or microneedling, can produce profound results with such consistent and simple actions.

Cosmetic needling isn’t superior or inferior to microneedling. Treating skin care concerns should be focused around the needle depth you need to see results, not which treatment or needle depth is “better”.

Initially investing in skin needling tools like a derma roller kit or microneedling pen, and learning some of the fundamentals around cosmetic needling, nano needling and microneedling, can have a huge payoff.

Skin needling, either micro, cosmetic or nano, is a proven way to help with the anti-ageing, a brighter complexion, minimise the appearance of pores, firming, tightening and more - just to name a few benefits!

If you’re interested in cosmetic needling with a microneedling pen, shop our microneedling pen collection. Compare our microneedling pens to find the right device for your cosmetic needling needs.

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