Microneedling in Boise: What to Expect Before, During & After Your Treatment

If you’re curious about microneedling but aren’t quite sure what actually happens during a treatment, you’re not alone. Estimates of around 1000 folks are searching for Microneedling in Boise every month, and there’s a good reason why.

Maybe you’ve noticed changes in your skin that weren’t there a few years ago—fine lines, uneven texture, acne scars, sun damage, or a little less firmness. Perhaps you had your first child and noticed they sucked the life out of you (thats when i started noticing my skin). Maybe you’re more interested in supporting your skin naturally rather than jumping straight to injectables like everyone else.

Microneedling can be a beautiful option for supporting healthy-looking, radiant skin, especially when it is approached as part of a whole-person skincare practice.

At my Boise practice, I combine microneedling with Acupuncture to work with both the skin and the whole person underneath it, because of course, your skin is a reflection of whats happening on a deeper level.

Here’s what you can expect in our sessions together.

What is microneedling?

Microneedling, aka collagen induction therapy, uses a device with very fine needles to create controlled micro-punctures in the skin with the addition of hyaluronic acid (a hyper hydrophobic molecular structure that is found in all the interstitium, joint spaces and in healthy fascia throughout our bodies).

These tiny channels stimulate the skin’s natural repair process and can encourage the production of collagen and other structural components of the skin. The collagen production cycle is approximately 28 days, so we recommend monthly treatments. The research suggest greatest results with 4-6 treatments.

Over time, this can help improve the appearance of:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Uneven skin texture
• Acne scars
• Certain types of pigmentation and sun damage
• Mild loss of firmness
• Overall skin smoothness and radiance- this is something your friends will notice right away!

Microneedling isn’t about creating instant perfection, bc wtf is that? It’s about supporting your skin’s own ability to remodel and renew itself. Microneedling is not going to take away all your wrinkles and make you look like someone you’re not- which is great, because I love those lines of expression, they make you who you are.

Why combine microneedling with Acupuncture?

This is where my approach is a little different.

I don’t see your skin as separate from the rest of you.

Your skin is living tissue, and your overall state—stress, sleep, circulation, nutrition, hormones, and nervous-system regulation—can all be relevant to how you feel and how you care for yourself and ultimately how you love yourself and the skin you’re in.

During a treatment, I combine microneedling with acupuncture based on your individual needs. We may add points to help your liver metabolize hormones better, or kidney points to support your adrenal exhaustion.

The goal isn’t to overwhelm your body with more interventions. It’s to create a treatment that supports both your skin and your whole-person vitality and wellness.

For some patients, acupuncture also creates an opportunity to slow down, breathe, and settle into a more restorative state while receiving their skincare treatment.

What happens during a microneedling appointment?

We’ll begin by talking about your skin, your goals, your health history, and any concerns you have about the treatment.

It takes 20 minutes to numb your skin for the proceedure, so we will get started by putting a 5% lidocane cream on your neck, face and de’collatage, so please bring a clean face. While your skin is numbing I will look at your tongue and take your pulse which will help me to determine where to place the body points.

During the microneedling portion, a sterile microneedling device is passed over the skin in a controlled manner. You may feel vibration, warmth, or a prickling sensation. The metaphor here is like aerating your lawn, if you make perforations, then the grass grows greener.

Afterward, your skin will generally look pink or flushed, similar to a mild sunburn. Some people experience temporary tightness, dryness, or sensitivity. This lasts 1 (commonly) to 3 days (rarely, and usually only in cases where we are treating acne scars).

Your skin is beginning its repair process, so the days following treatment are an important part of the experience.

What should I expect after microneedling?

Immediately afterward, your skin may appear red and feel warm or tight.

Over the next few days, you may experience some dryness, flaking, or increased sensitivity as your skin goes through its normal recovery process.

Your aftercare instructions will depend on your skin and the treatment you received, but generally you’ll want to:

• Keep your skin clean and protected
• Avoid picking or exfoliating while your skin is healing
• Protect your skin from sun exposure for 3 days
• Follow the specific skincare and product instructions I provide
• Give your skin time to recover before adding more intensive treatments- no acid cleansers, retinols, fruit enzymes or antiaging skin care afterwards- a simple jojoba oil based moisturizer is best for a few days.

Your skin may look refreshed relatively quickly, but the deeper remodeling process takes longer.

That’s why microneedling is usually approached (and the research backs this up) as a series of treatments rather than a one-time fix.

How many treatments will I need?

There isn’t one perfect number for everyone.

Your recommended treatment schedule depends on your skin, your goals, your history, and how your skin responds.

For many people, microneedling is performed as a series of treatments spaced several weeks apart, allowing the skin adequate time to recover between sessions.

We’ll create a plan based on your skin—not a generic treatment package.

Is microneedling for everyone?

No.

Although microneedling can be appropriate for many people, there are situations where treatment should be postponed or avoided.

Active skin infections, open wounds, certain inflammatory skin conditions, and some medications or medical conditions may affect whether microneedling is appropriate.

If you’re pregnant, taking medications that affect bleeding or healing, or have a specific skin condition, we’ll discuss your situation before treatment and determine whether microneedling is appropriate for you.

Your safety comes first, obviously.

Natural skin care doesn’t mean doing nothing

I believe there’s a middle ground between ignoring the changes that come with aging and trying to stop your body from changing.

You don’t have to choose between natural beauty and effective treatment.

You can care for your skin.

You can support collagen and healthy skin renewal. Every first treatment comes with a guide for how to eat to support collagen production and I will always give personalized lifestyle, herbal and diet reccomendations to support your greatest health.

You can enjoy looking radiant with microneedling and you can do all of that while respecting the fact that your face—and your body—are living, changing parts of you.

That’s the philosophy behind combining microneedling and acupuncture in my practice.

Radiance isn’t about looking younger. It’s about looking radiantly alive.

Ready to explore microneedling in Boise?

I offer microneedling with Acupuncture in Boise for women (and men!) who want a natural, whole-person approach to skin health and facial rejuvenation.

in radiance,

Lauren Howell LAc

Learn more about microneedling here