During a SkinPen treatment, small, controlled punctures are made into the skin with a sterile tip containing 12 pinpoint needles. A wound-healing response is induced by the small wounds, which sometimes cause pinpricks of blood to rise to the surface. Microneedling relies on this principle. Collagen and elastin are produced by your body to repair the injury, giving your skin more strength and resilience. As collagen production is stimulated over several treatments, patients will see reduced fine lines and wrinkles, improved skin tone and texture, and even smaller pores and acne scarring. Crepe skin, stretch marks and other skin surface irregularities can be treated with this product. We lose collagen as we age (1% per year to be precise) and this, coupled with genetic changes and sun exposure, leads to wrinkles. By stimulating collagen production, we can prevent wrinkles, keep our skin firm, plump, and elastic, and look youthful. As an in-office procedure, microneedling is relatively quick and painless. First, we numb the area being treated with numbing cream, then let it sit for 15 minutes before doing microneedling. Once the patient's skin is numb, we thoroughly cleanse the area and apply a hyaluronic acid-based gel to make the device glide more smoothly over the skin. Moreover, the gel absorbs into the skin and contributes to faster wound healing and plumper skin. Approximately 20 minutes are required for a full-face procedure. SkinPen microneedling involves three passes over the skin surface, first horizontally, then vertically, and finally in a circular motion. During the procedure, there may be some pinpoint bleeding, but it is usually minimal and resolves quickly. Over the next 24 hours, the patient will continue to apply hyaluronic acid-based gel over the entire face. The skin will remain moist as a result. Immediately following the procedure, the patient will notice redness and a slight "sunburn" appearance. The redness and peeling are mostly gone by the second day, so makeup can be worn again (with sunscreen, of course).