9419 Norton Commons Blvd.
Suite 101, Prospect, KY 40059

Microneedling 101

Before Exceed After Exceed Treatment face

Before and After Exceed Treatment

So what exactly is microneedling and which one is right for you?

The world of minimally invasive rejuvenative technology is constantly changing, and here at JBSMD, we do the research for you.  You’ve probably heard of the Collagen Pen or Skin Pen and know that via tiny abrasions or pricks of the skin’s surface these treatments can cause a remodeling of the skin’s surface that can brighten its appearance or help to reduce in a small way the appearance of imperfections, fine lines, large pores or acne scars.  When we add heat via radiofrequency to the tip of the needle, the results get even better.  Once heat is added however, there will be some amount of downtime redness to endure.  But not all microneedling is created equally.  Here at JBSMD, we have the best of the best and a microneedling technology that fits all budgets and recovery concerns.  We even have microneedling for vaginal wellness and control of urinary incontinence!

EXCEED is the most advanced microneedling treatment on the market without added heat energy.  Think of it as an automated very accurate skin pen…unlike a skin pen whose depth of penetration is controlled by the specifically selected by our nurses so that delicate skin areas such as the skin around the eyes can be treated at a different depth than areas of the cheeks, forehead or lips where we may want to be more aggressive with wrinkles or acne scars, and where the skin is thicker.  In fact, it is for this reason that Exceed is the only FDA dual-indicated microneedling treatment for both wrinkles and acne scars.  Downtime redness is 1-3 days, and a typical treatment package includes 4 treatments.

FRACTORA and FRACTORA V impart radiofrequency energy at the tip of the needles and can treat deeper wrinkles or acne scars, or can be used intra-vaginally to help with vaginal dryness and stress urinary incontinence.  There will be several days of healing for this slightly more aggressive therapy, and FRACTORA V is a typical add-on to a vaginal wellness package in menopausal patients suffering from GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause). 

Exion Fractional RF  is definitely the newest and coolest kid on the block using Artificial Intelligence to deliver the RF energy deep to the skin’s surface, even allowing the heat to be sent deeper than the needle actually penetrates.  The wonderful thing about this is the ability to treat darker skin colors more safely, as well as to cause much less discomfort for the patient, since the needles are tinier and don’t penetrate all the way down to where the pain receptors are located, even though the heat is also delivered to those deep tissues.  How cool is that?  The end result is the ability to smooth and tighten skin, work on hyperpigmentation issues and wrinkles but with half the downtime and discomfort of a Morpheus8 procedure.   For some of our planned treatments, we might not even need topical numbing cream!  Exion FRF is frequently combined with EMFACE for smoothing as well as lifting effects for face, neck and decolletage.   We typically recommend a series of 3 treatments per package.     

Morpheus8 Face and Body and Morpheus8 V is still a workhorse for any aesthetic medspa, and we have to have it for patients who are okay with a 3 – 5 day period of redness to get extra smoothing, tightening and reduction of fat in thicker skin or especially when dealing with crepey skin of the body – like that nasty crepey skin over the knees, of the upper inner arms or thighs, or as part of a cellulite treatment plan.   We do need topical numbing cream or ProNox for Morpheus8 treatment.  Morpheus8 V can be especially useful in a treatment plan (sometimes along with one of our vaginal devices or EMSELLA) for protracted vaginal atrophy and urinary incontinence.  A series of 3 treatments is a usual package for face or body, while a single Morheus8 V may be all that is needed for our Intimate Female Wellness patients as an add-on to the rest of their program.

PROFOUND is different than all the microneedling options above, because it is the only “long-pulsed” microneedling technology on the market.  All the rest are “short-pulsed”.  This means that the RF heat of the needle is in the skin for 3-4 seconds rather than just a fraction of a second.  We will numb the skin thoroughly in our awake patients for this treatment, but it is a single treatment rather than a series of 3 treatments as a result, and gives the MOST contouring and tightening results of any microneedling device on the market to date.  We can melt jowl and neck fat, we can tighten skin and somewhat improve tone and texture, all while also giving 5 times the amount of elastin and 2-3 times the amount of collagen in the skin in a single treatment.  This can also look like a filler without using a filler, and is one of our favorite alternatives to a surgical facelift.  Due to the increased than other microneedling options, but it’s a great option for the patient who doesn’t mind 4-5 days of swelling and mild bruising, and who does not want a series of treatments to see great results.  We frequently combine our CO2RE laser for added skin smoothing, since the heat of Profound is deeper, and can expect to see some pretty PROFOUND and has helped to pioneer today’s technique for other users .  She is a teacher and Key Opinion Leader for Candela, and our office is a Candela Center of Excellence as a result of this expertise (and the fact that we own 3 other Candela devices!)

Please visit other pages of our website as well as our microneedling page to gain more information on all of our microneedling options!  The month of June is Microneedling Month here at JBSMD, and all our packages are offered at 15% off PLUS a free PRP application!