In the world of skincare and beauty, there are endless products, facials, and treatments that all claim to do the same thing: refine your pores, cleanse your skin, free your skin of blemishes, and eliminate lines and wrinkles. Unfortunately, if it was that easy, we would all have flawless skin, and dermatologists and cosmetic practitioners would be out of jobs.
The skin is a complex and complicated organ that demonstrates on the outside, what may be going on on the inside of your body. Whether it be hormonal, genetic, lifestyle-based, or medical, everyone’s skin is a little bit different and requires a lot more than one wonder serum to keep it healthy. There are a ton of medical professionals out there who offer treatments that are custom designed for different skin types and conditions. One of the most popular treatments is micro needling, a treatment that comes in many forms.
In addition, laser treatments, such as Fraxel laser, have become increasingly popular in the world of skincare due to their incredible results and minimal downtime. Because of the many options presented to us by the world of skincare, it can get confusing and difficult to decide which treatment will suit us best. Fortunately, there are professionals like Dr. Schwarzburg, M.D. at Skinly Aesthetics medical spa located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, who offer such treatments, and are able to share professional input on the topic of skincare and whether a micro-needling or laser treatment will suit your needs.
Microneedling
There are a variety of forms of micro-needling that can be used for skincare and rejuvenation, all of which have different intensities, needle depths, and purposes. Depending on your ultimate goal in terms of results, one of these treatments may suit you. Regular microneedling can be used on nearly anyone and is more mild, meaning that the depth of the needles is quite shallow.
Microneedling works through the use of a small handheld mechanical tool with several tiny needles attached to the end of it. The needles puncture through your skin and cause controlled damage to the skin which stimulates collagen and elastin production as your skin repairs itself. That is why microneedling is also called collagen induction therapy. This can be used to smooth out the skin, minimize the size of your pores, and bring an overall freshness to the face.
A regular more superficial micro-needling treatment can be administered once a week for maintenance and general skin care on teenagers as well as more mature skin. More advanced microneedling treatments, such as Secret RF microneedling, which involves radiofrequency energy directed to deeper layers of the skin, will cause more damage, and in turn, more advanced results. Because Secret RF microneedling involves heat, it is not suggested on people who have active acne, as the heat may cause the acne to spread, rather than improve.
Lasers
Laser treatments target more superficial layers of the skin and just like microneedling, come in various forms and intensities. More mild lasers, such as the Nd-Yag laser may be used twice a week and are very gentle on the skin. More advanced lasers that reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and scarring, and eliminate pigmentation, such as Fraxel can only be administered once a month as the skin takes more time to recover.
Laser treatments are ideal for people who want to address more superficial layers of the skin, but should only be administered on someone who doesn’t have active acne. You can learn more about treatments such as Fraxel and other laser options, from doctors and find out which laser would be best for you by following this link.
So what’s better, lasers or micro-needling?
There is no single treatment that is better or worse than the other when it comes to skincare. The real question is who it is better for. In some cases, the two treatments can even be combined, for example, to treat acne scars. The general consensus is that the lighter treatments, such as regular micro needling or a Nd-Yag laser are great for someone who doesn’t have any severe skin conditions and just wants a treatment to add to their regular skincare regimen.
This can include micro needling or laser treatments, though microneedling is better for someone who has a tendency to break out or active acne. When it comes to the more intense versions of micro-needling and lasers, microneedling treatments such as Secret RF are ideal for those who want to tighten and smooth out their skin, reduce the size of their pores, and treat fine lines, wrinkles, and scarring.
Laser treatments such as Fraxel are ideal for someone who wants to treat all of the above, along with pigmentation, sun spots, sun damage, freckles, and all the irregularities that are visible on the surface layer of the skin.
This is only a very general description of the two and what they are typically used for, however, it is extremely important to consult with a medical professional with extensive experience in both treatments to determine the treatment that actually suits your needs. Treatment options can be based on your lifestyle, medications that you take, genetics, and skin conditions, in addition to various other factors that only a medical professional would know about. Be sure to consult with a reputable physician if you are interested in any of these treatments.
