Skin needling (also known as needle dermabrasion or percutaneous collagen induction) began in 1997 as a simple, fast, relatively inexpensive method for safely treating wrinkles. Subsequently it was found that for some types of scarring and acne scars you can have some amount of improvement (Source: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, April 2008, pages 1421-1429).
This procedure involves using very small needles (less than 0.25 millimeter) to pierce skin at or near the dermis. This controlled wounding of skin is said to stimulate collagen production, which can have a plumping effect that is supposed to improve the appearance of acne scars; the enhanced collagen production is claimed to slightly raise depressed scars. As with most medical corrective procedures, including light-emitting devices (Intense Pulsed Light therapy) and lasers, multiple treatments are required for needling before results are seen.
Needling procedures involve a topical anesthetic applied to skin beforehand so the procedure should be minimally painful, but that is not always the case depending on your own sensitivities. Side effects include redness, minor bleeding, swelling, bruising, flaking, small scabs at the injection site that have a brownish appearance, and short-term hyperpigmentation. Those side effects aren’t much different from what can be expected after treatment with lasers or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL).
So is needling a good option? The research on this topic is at best sparse, so whether it is worth the investment is hard to tell at this point. What you need to be wary of, aside from the lack of published medical research proving skin needling is a viable option for improving collagen production and lessening the appearance of scars, is that the procedure can be performed by tattoo artists and aestheticians—meaning medical supervision isn’t required. That puts your skin at greater risk for complications, either from using nonsterilized or nondisposable needles, or from the lack of medical backup should complications (such as a skin infection) arise. Also, there are no standards for doing this procedure, unlike the guidelines involved with the use of various chemical peels, lasers, and light-emitting devices. How would a consumer know if the person doing the needling is going too deep, inserting needles haphazardly rather than in a precise manner, or has legitimate credentials?
What makes needling more tempting than other procedures is that it is less costly than, say, Fraxel or other laser treatments or chemical peels to improve scarring. However, the lack of standards and absence of research proving its efficacy should give anyone pause. Surprisingly, some companies sell needle-rolling devices consumers can purchase to use at home. Now that’s a scary thought! I’ve seen some of these devices and can only imagine the damage consumers could inflict if they use them improperly or too often. Once again, there’s no solid proof that this is a great way to stimulate collagen production to the extent that acne or other types of scarring is significantly or even minimally improved. And at – home use could also very well lead to bacterial infections and other nasty skin issues that, you guessed it, would assuredly require medical attention.
Some people have posted before-and-after pictures on the Internet after having skin needling done (over a period of several months) and the results, I’m sad to say, aren’t visually encouraging. The bottom line is that various laser devices, chemical peels, and light-emitting devices have a much better, substantiated track record of offering notable improvement for acne scars (among other skin issues). Until similar research comes to light on skin needling, it is not a practice I recommend, regardless of the facility you’re considering.