Tips for Preparing for Your Microneedling Appointment

For scars, wrinkles, or an uneven skin tone, microneedling treats a wide range of beauty concerns, which may be why it’s such a popular cosmetic treatment. 

And, when performed by professionals, like our medical aesthetic expert Dr. Kelly Destefano, and team of aestheticians at Montclair Rejuvenation Center, microneedling is one of safest skin treatments, too. 

Here, we want to share with you some tips for preparing for your microneedling appointment so you get the results you expect. 

Sharing all your concerns

You may feel 100% certain that microneedling is the treatment for you, but we first conduct a thorough assessment before making any specific treatment recommendations. We ask detailed questions about your skin concerns and the other treatments you’ve tried. We also ask about your usual skin care routine and recurring skin problems. 

We also want to know your ultimate beauty goals. Though microneedling rejuvenates your look by stimulating collagen production, we may want to include other treatments — platelet-rich plasma (PRP), exosome, or PepFactor — with your microneedling, so we can better meet your goals. 

Your pre-microneedling consultation is one of the key steps for preparing for your microneedling session. We also provide specific recommendations for how to prepare your skin for your treatment based on your personal skin care routine, needs, and goals.

Taking care of your skin 

When performing microneedling, we use a special tool that creates tiny tears in the top layer of your skin. Though your skin closes these tears almost as quickly as we make them, it's this action that induces collagen production. Those tiny tears activate your skin’s natural healing process.

We need your skin in tip-top shape before your microneedling session, so your skin only has to focus on “healing” those tiny tears. To get your skin healthy for your microneedling, we recommend avoiding things that may irritate your skin, such as:

• Direct sun exposure 24 hours before your session (unless protected with sunscreen)
• Tanning lotions 48 hours before your session
• Acid-based skin care products
• Retinol-containing skin care products
• Anti-inflammatory medication for at least three days prior to your session

Though we discourage sun exposure the day before your microneedling, you should take care of your skin to prevent sunburn in the days and weeks leading up to your microneedling. 

Prepping before your microneedling

We provide specific instructions on how to prepare for your microneedling before you come in for your session. In general, we want you to wash your skin with a gentle skin cleanser and remove all makeup and dirt. We also request you not use any lotions or creams on your skin.

Though we may apply a numbing agent to your skin before your microneedling treatment, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever — acetaminophen — before you come to the office may preemptively ease pain when the numbing cream wears off. We recommend, however, avoiding nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin for pre-microneedling pain relief. 

Shaving increases skin sensitivity, so we ask that you not shave your skin on the day of your microneedling. 

Microneedling increases your skin’s sensitivity and your skin may be red and swollen for a few days following your session. Like your pre-microneedling skin care routine, we recommend continuing to protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen or clothing (large sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat following facial microneedling). 

Preparing for your microneedling appointment ensures you get the results you expect. Schedule your consultation with our expert aestheticians by calling our office in Verona, New Jersey, or using the book online tool today.