Is Microneedling Better Than Botox?

Although on paper both microneedling and Botox are solutions to the ever-present concern of wrinkles and loss of collagen, they are night and day different.

Microneedling, often referred to as collagen induction therapy, is a treatment to manually stimulate collagen production within the dermis of your skin. Along with stimulating collagen production, microneedling also helps build the elasticity which gives your skin the youthful bounce everyone wants. 

Botox is a neurotoxin that paralyzes the muscle, essentially preventing you from causing the wrinkles you despise in the first place.  As Botox kicks in, it will relax those tense facial muscles, therefore, smoothing out the overall appearance of your skin. 

To anyone wondering which treatment they should get, my question is: why do you have to choose? Who says you can’t use the combination of both treatments for a youthful appearance and an easy way to stave off the aging process?  You can!  In fact, both treatments complement one another beautifully. While Botox is preventing your muscles from forming wrinkles, microneedling is building up the collagen to fill in those fine lines we don’t like.

Now, you should always consider any downtime you may have after any procedure.

With Botox, which is administered by a tiny needle, you may leave your appointment with little red bumps at the injection site.  Those bumps are generally gone within thirty minutes. On occasion, you may get a little bruise if the needle happens to hit a vessel.  You can’t lay down for a couple of hours after your injections and should avoid exercise for the rest of the day and any skincare treatments or procedures for the next two weeks.  It goes without saying that you should always go to a reputable injector who knows what they are doing.  With any injectable, you are not paying for what is in the needle, but for the skill of the hand, the needle is in.    

The downtime with microneedling is a bit longer. You’ll leave your appointment looking a little pink. You could stay a little pink for 1-3 days, but each day gets a little better. You can’t apply any products to your face for 24 hours after your microneedling session.  You also shouldn’t be working out or performing any strenuous activity that would cause you to work up a sweat.  And always make sure you are being treated by a trained professional who is using a medical-grade device.  At INH, we use SkinPen, which is the only FDA-approved microneedling device. 

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When it comes to your health, wellness, and appearance, know that you have options available for help!  At the Institute of Natural Health, our skincare experts will work with you to create a plan that suits your needs and that you feel comfortable with.  We’ve developed MedSpa services to deliver positive skincare outcomes for our clients and we would love to work with you too!  Contact us here to learn more or to schedule an appointment.