Microneedling at 2.5mm gauge for thin skin?

Question

I have extremely thin, delicate, fair skin that is prone to broken capillaries. I consulted with a dermatologist about micro needling with prp to help with tone, texture, laxity and epidermal thickening. She told me that at her practice she only uses 2.5mm gauge needles as nothing less than that is proven effective long term. I am TERRIFIED of ruining my skin but at the same time don't trust lasers. Is this gauge too much for me?

Ramandeep Sidhu, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. The needle depth of 2.5mm is the deepest Microneedling can penetrate. You do not have to go that deep to see a therapeutic result. Most 2.5mm treatments are for scarring such as acne or for older skin more wrinkled skin.  You may want to discuss the treatment options again before purchasing the treatment to be sure you are on the same page regarding treatment plan.

W. John Bull, MD · Answer

When microneedling, we use different depths depending on the skin type, and the part of the face we are treating. For example, the skin on your forehead is much thinner than the skin on your cheeks---thus we would start at about .5 mm and maybe go as deep as 2.5 mm over the cheeks or deep scars. There is no therapeutic benefit to going deeper than needed.

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

2.5 mm is very deep for microneedling which I use for scars or areas of thick skin such as the chest or back. For sensitive skin, delicate areas, or thin skin, I usually start with 0.5mm and then go up by 0.5mm increments depending on how the skin reacts.You may not want to go to a place which only uses one setting as all skin is different and will do best with different depth needling. Hope this helps!
Johnson C. Lee, MD 
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

MICRONEEDLING PROVIDERS NEAR YOU

Microneedling at 2.5mm gauge for thin skin?

Answers (3)

MICRONEEDLING PROVIDERS NEAR YOU