Microneedling or Laser Skin Resurfacing: Which Is Better?
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There’s a big difference between laser resurfacing and microneedling and it all comes down to how the two treatments work. By design, lasers use light as energy. This allows lasers to have a specific target to treat in the skin, such as broken red veins or brown spots, without damaging surrounding unaffected tissue. It’s a very selective treatment.
Microneedling is the mechanical method of creating thousands of tiny channels of injury all over a treatment area that force the skin to heal. The results are not selective to a specific problem, but you can see improvement in many issues by nature of causing collagen regeneration and skin turnover. Both treatments are used to heal certain types of concerns, such as acne scarring and rejuvenation.
Dr. Sabharwal has answered common questions that patients ask about microneedling and laser skin resurfacing at Beautiful Orlando Medical Spa & Cosmetic in Kissimmee, FL
Pros and cons of microneedling treatments?
Pros of microneedling include a relatively quick recovery time (about a day or two of a light sunburn appearance) and less potential side effects. It’s also safe to use on all skin types.
The cons of microneedling are that the results are often subtle. It can take numerous microneedling treatment sessions to achieve the results you desire, and still, some conditions are best treated with a laser.
Pros and cons of laser resurfacing?
Laser treatments can often provide quicker, more dramatic and long lasting results than microneedling treatments.
Because lasers deliver heat to the skin we see more side effects (such as temporary darkening or bruising) and longer downtime due to post-treatment swelling and redness. Lasers can also flare certain medical conditions so it’s important to have a thorough consultation with Dr. Sabharwal before diving in.
Do you suggest trying one before the other?
If you’re looking to be more proactive about taking care of your skin, microneedling is a quick and easy way to do so without much risk. On the other hand, if you have a specific problem you would like to address, it may be the case that you are better suited for a laser treatment to meet your goals.
Can they be used effectively together?
Absolutely! We can target specific issues with our Laser by Sciton and then perform microneedling for all over skin rejuvenation on the same day. Or, you can alternate treatments on a monthly basis or so. It all depends on what you are trying to address.
Who is an ideal candidate to try it?
Am ideal candidate will prepare for the procedure and commit to doing their part during recovery. More generally, patients need to be free of active infections, rashes, or acne in the treatment areas. We advise our Kissimmee and Orlando patients to avoid sun exposure pre and post procedure as this increases side effects.
Anything else we should know?
Microneedling is often combined with PRP (platelet rich plasma), which helps to boost results and healing time. PRP is full of platelets and growth factors. The plasma portion is applied to the skin during microneedling, or injected directly into the treatment area and it can help boost collagen. Our HALO Laser Resurfacing will also help stimulate collagen.
If you are still unsure about which treatment may be right for you, schedule a consultation with our Board Certified physician Dr. Anita Sabharwal today at Beautiful Orlando in Kissimmee, FL. For more information please call (407)766-6080!