Medical Microneedling — Collagen Induction Therapy

Medical microneedling at Esthé Laser Clinic uses a motorised needle device to create thousands of controlled microchannels in the dermis, triggering the skin's natural wound-healing response and driving a sustained collagen and elastin synthesis that improves skin texture, pore appearance, fine lines, and superficial acne scarring. Unlike cosmetic rollers used in home settings, the clinic's medical device achieves controlled depths of 0.5–2.5 mm with consistent needle entry angle and speed — critical factors for predictable results and safety. Topical anaesthetic is applied before the procedure to ensure comfort. Sessions take 45–60 minutes. The skin's healing cascade peaks at 4–6 weeks post-treatment, meaning visible improvements continue well after the session itself. A course of 3–6 treatments spaced 4–6 weeks apart delivers compounding collagen remodelling across multiple healing cycles.

Collagen induction therapy (CIT), commonly called microneedling, works through a carefully calibrated controlled injury to the dermis. When a needle penetrates the dermis, it creates a micro-wound that does not break the epidermis if performed within the papillary dermis (0.5–1.5 mm) — or does produce a controlled superficial breach at reticular dermis depth (1.5–2.5 mm) when deeper collagen remodelling is the target. Either way, the local tissue response is a classical wound-healing cascade: vascular response (vasodilation and increased permeability), inflammatory phase (neutrophil and macrophage recruitment), proliferative phase (fibroblast activation and collagen synthesis), and remodelling phase (collagen crosslinking and matrix organisation). At Esthé Laser Clinic, the medical microneedling device creates needle entries at a controlled depth using a motorised stamping mechanism rather than a manual roller. This matters clinically: a roller draws the needle through the skin at an oblique angle, creating a tear-drag path rather than a true vertical puncture, which is less predictable in depth and more traumatic to the tissue. A motorised vertical stamping device punches each needle entry perpendicular to the skin surface at a calibrated speed, producing more consistent channel depth and a cleaner healing response. The needle depth is adjusted by the treating clinician based on the treatment area (the periorbital zone requires shallower settings than the cheeks or forehead) and the indication being treated. Before the session begins, topical anaesthetic cream (typically EMLA or equivalent) is applied to the full treatment area and left under occlusion for 45–60 minutes. Once adequately numb, the treatment area is cleaned and the device is passed across the entire face (or targeted area) in multiple directions — typically horizontal, vertical, and diagonal — to ensure uniform channel density across the region. The full pass typically takes 20–30 minutes. Immediately after the procedure, a repair serum or growth factor concentrate is applied to the microchannels while they are open, maximising transdermal delivery of the active ingredients before the channels close over the following hours. Post-treatment skin is typically red, similar in appearance to mild sunburn, for 24–48 hours. Flaking may occur on days 3–5. Full skin normalisation and the emergence of the early collagen-building effect takes approximately 4 weeks. Indicators for microneedling include: fine lines and mild-to-moderate skin laxity; enlarged pores (the collagen remodelling tightens the follicular orifice architecture); superficial and rolling acne scars (dermal collagen induction is one of the most evidence-supported non-ablative treatments for Grades I–II acne scarring); pigmentation irregularities and melasma (when combined with appropriate topicals, microneedling enhances penetration of depigmenting agents); and stretch marks (limited efficacy but reported improvement in texture for the atrophic dermal scarring of striae). For acne scar remodelling specifically, the needle depth is increased to 1.5–2.5 mm to reach the fibrotic anchors in the reticular dermis that cause the saucer-shaped depression typical of rolling scars. At this depth, the fibrotic tissue is disrupted and the subsequent healing process deposits new, normally organised collagen that gradually raises the scar floor toward the surrounding skin level. Multiple sessions are needed: most patients see measurable scar improvement from session 3 onward, with the full course of 4–6 sessions delivering the most significant improvement. Preparation: stop topical retinoids 7 days before the session (retinoids accelerate skin turnover and may increase sensitivity). Avoid significant sun exposure 4 weeks prior. Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin. Disclose any recent dermal filler procedures (wait 2 weeks) or Botox injections (wait 2 weeks). Contraindications: active inflammatory acne in the treatment area, active eczema or psoriasis in the area, rosacea (inflamed subtype), blood clotting disorders, keloid scar tendency (may stimulate raised scarring), pregnancy, active viral infection (herpes labialis — antiviral prophylaxis advisable for patients with a herpes history).