As moms we know that taking care of family often takes center stage, leaving little time for self-care. It's essential, however, to remember that self-care is not a luxury but a necessity.
I recently visited Monica Hanley, a registered nurse, at Alchemy 43 in Manhattan to experience microneedling. My dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles have been making me feel less than fabulous, and I know that this treatment is one of the best all-natural treatments out there!
I also made sure to find out what products to use to extend the glow so you can look radiant for months.
Microneedling 101:
Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is a noninvasive cosmetic procedure.
“Microneedling works by causing micro-injuries to the face,” Monica tells me. “The needle penetrates the dermis to promote the healing response. The fibroblast creates collagen and elastin to repair the microchannels, which helps the overall appearance and texture of the skin.”
These controlled injuries stimulate the body's natural healing process, promoting the production of collagen and elastin, two essential proteins for skin health.
I don’t know about you, but for me, my main concerns since having kids and not being able to sleep are fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and uneven skin tone, all of which can be a source of frustration.
“Microneedling is great for patients looking to resolve fine lines, pigment, scarring, tightening, and overall texture,” Monica tells me.
One of the best things about microneedling is its minimal downtime. You can typically return to daily activities within a day or two, making it a convenient choice for those with busy schedules. I was red for about a day but otherwise totally fine!
Just one word of caution from Monica: “Most people are great candidates for microneedling — busy moms or not! The only people who are not is anyone with chronic active acne, active viral infections, immunosuppressed patients, psoriasis, a history of keloid scarring or eczema, or anyone who has gotten botox or fillers in the last two weeks.”
The Process:
This is very important! Start by consulting a licensed and experienced skin care professional who specializes in microneedling. The professional will assess your skin and discuss your specific concerns and goals.
During the microneedling session, a numbing cream is applied to minimize discomfort. (I’ll be honest, I barely felt anything. The numbing cream is legit!) The microneedling device is then gently passed over the skin, creating controlled micro-injuries. The procedure typically takes around 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the treatment area.
After the treatment, you may experience some redness and mild swelling, similar to a sunburn. These side effects usually subside within a few days.
Over the following weeks, you'll notice gradual improvements in your skin's texture and appearance as collagen production increases.
Also, in case you’re worried about looking “done,” microneedling provides subtle, natural-looking results, helping you look refreshed without the need for extensive surgery or downtime. With proper skincare maintenance, the effects of microneedling can last for several months, helping us tired moms maintain our youthful glow.
Here are the products we recommend:
Community Sixty-Six Hydrating Cream Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid
Skin can feel very dry, so apply moisturizer as needed after treatment but avoid strong actives like retinol.
With Community Sixty-Six's Hydrating Cream Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid, you get a gentle, moisturizing cleanser with added hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids for replenished, plumped, and smooth skin.
Post microneedling, you need to use gentle products on your skin without too many actives and supplement with hyaluronic acid. This is the key to extending your treatment, as this will aid in volumizing and plumping the skin barrier and providing much-needed hydration to help aid with the repair process and collagen production.
C Glow Serum
$170
from
Inside Beauty
I’ve been saying it to everyone I know, but Vitamin C is incredibly important, not just to take orally but also to add to your skin care routine to keep that supple glow.
Ziip Halo
$349
from
Ziip Beauty
One device that we swear by is the Ziip. If you’re into beauty tech, you’re going to love this to extend results and add more lift to your life.
The Ziip Halo and microneedling work amazingly together, but the Halo can be an alternative option to achieve the goal results of microneedling. The option of using the dual waveform technology of the Ziip Halo can help extend the results of microneedlings. When it comes to wrinkling, sagging muscles, poor lymphatic drainage, the Ziip is your best friend!
Dr. Diamond's Metacine InstaFacial® Plasma
$200
from
Moda Operandi
I also added this to my nightly routine after the microneedling for its healing benefits and to keep the collagen going.
The InstaFacial® Plasma from Dr. Diamond's Metacine was formulated with bioengineered human identical growth factors that activate the ability of platelet-rich plasma to support skin rejuvenation and regeneration for skin that looks smoother, firmer, tighter, and more youthful. This formula contains a custom curated cocktail of peptides and bioactives that activate cellular signaling and support the skin’s ability to produce collagen.
Ingredients like niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate fortify the skin barrier and assist with healing from treatments such as microneedling. Delivering immediate and long-term clinical results, it is a safe and effective formulation that can be introduced immediately after a microneedling treatment.
Perfection Mesocare Tox Ampoule
$148
from
Beyond Miracles
If you want to try getting the glow at home, you can opt for an at-home treatment. Of course it won’t be as intense, but for super busy moms, it’s a great alternative.
Beyond Miracle's Miracletox ampoules are formulated with patented Microspear® technology, when 10,000 liquid microneedles penetrate into the skin, stimulating the basal layer for up to 72 hours to activate blood circulation and to promote skin softening. As the skin rejuvenates with this mechanism, it improves skin moisture, helping with the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and skin texture to produce bouncy, healthy, and glowing skin.
This at-home "mesotherapy" treatment has comparable results to traditional in-clinic procedures but is intended to eliminate the pain, bleeding and irritation sometimes associated with cosmetic treatments and to remove potentially unsanitary tools from the treatment process.
COOLA Classic Face Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50- Fragrance Free
And finally, listen to your mom! Skin is sensitive after microneedling, so applying SPF sunscreen is a must (after microneedling but also in life).
This farm to face formula is sun protection and moisturizer in one, providing sheer broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection while hydrating skin. Formulated with antioxidant-rich plant protection complex, this fragrance-free sunscreen for face provides light-as-air protection that is amazing on its own or layers perfectly under makeup.
*Psst: if you choose to purchase an item from this post, CafeMom.com may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
