Can 36 point needle for microneedling heal acne scars?

Question

After using 36 needle for microneedling, I noticed very little downtime and effectiveness despite using at 1.5mm. It feels like a waste and I was considering going back over with a 12 point needle cartridge. Is the 36 needle effective for getting rid of acne scars like the 12 needle counterpart?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Acne scar treatments require precision and attention to detail. There are several types of acne scars, including atrophic, hypertrophic, PIH hyperpigmented, and hypopigmented scars. Depending on the types of scars you have, our office can recommend a Hidef treatment protocol that can recontour existing scars and reduce complexion irregularities. The results are simply life-changing.
 
As a general rule, we recommend fillers, subcision, acne surgery, RF ablation, and laser ablation to help with atrophic scars. Hypertrophic and keloid acne scars require pulsed dye laser and IIT SC. PIH scars require chemical peels, Melarase creams (AM and PM) and laser.
If you have ice-pick scars, we recommend RF ablation and TCA Cross.
Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Phillip Chang, MD · Answer

Hi Genuine202789

Microneedling has shown to help improve a number of skin issues. A 2009 study showed that over 80% of patients who used this procedure to treat acne scarring had assessed their treatment as ‘excellent and felt that their acne scars were visibly reduced. For more information about this procedure, please visit our website.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

microneelding does very little for scars despite the number of needles. lasers with microneedling and peels with dermarolling at home alternating help most. you can do microneedling between to help build more collagen.

at home peels like cosmelan, enlighten and aerify along with dermarolling (Emerageskin roller with anteage MD AERIFY ampules weekly) should be started now (see link to emeragecosmetics).

if you have post inflammatory hyperpigmentation/melasma/discoloration that needs cosmelan or enlighten peels at home which we can do virtually and send to your home along with aerify peels regularly, vivatia foam, restorsea 10x, faith essence serum, and cosmelan 2 cream.

Acne scar treatment needs a combination approach for improvement.  For the best results, one should target the acne scar type.  As everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring, the best solution is a tailored one.  Typically you need fillers like bellafill and sculptra for atrophic indented type scars with or without subcision.  Subcision for depressed tethered scars.  Vascular lasers like yellow laser, aerolase, excel V or IPL for redness or thick scars. And lasers such as fraxel, halo, maxi, pro fractional laser/erbium, co2 or fractional radiofrequency like venus viva, skinfinity, intensif or fractora microneedling RF for textural issues and superficial scarring.  Deep ice pick scars and narrow box car scars are best treated with TCA CROSS and punch excision.  All lasers are combined with microneedling and PRP to get even better results and improve healing times.   The majority of patients will have a collection of different scar types, and hence a tailored treatment plan is needed by an expert physician.  It is never about the laser or product that gives the results, its about the expert behind the equipment that gets you the outcome.  Scars cannot be cured and will need life-long treatments to maintain and build on the results.  For those at high risk for hyperpigmentation (darker skin types or asian or hispanic or mixed ethnicities) we already pre-treat the skin with cosmelan or enlighten lightening peels to prevent complications from energy-based or chemical-based treatments.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Can 36 point needle for microneedling heal acne scars?

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