Microneedling, cellulite reduction and skin tightening: the facts

Can microneedling get rid of cellulite and loose skin?

Microneedling is a popular treatment for skin rejuvenation, with mixed efficacy. It is safe and affective for epidermal rejuvenation (superficial skin issues, such as acne), but not so much for deep dermal rejuvenation (skin tightening).

And it does not work at all for hypodermal applications (skin tightening, cellulite).

Microneedling uses multiple ultra-fine needles to temporarily create tiny holes in the skin.

The holes, comprising an injury to the skin, stimulate the skin’s own repair processes, and this leads to higher tissue protein synthesis: keratin for superficial microneedling and collagen/elastin for deep microneedling.

Superficial vs deep vs very deep microneedling

There are two types of microneedling, according to needle length:

• Superficial microneedling, i.e. 0.25-1.5mm, affects mainly the epidermis

• Deep microneedling, 1.5-3mm, affects both the epidermis and the dermis

• Very deep microneedling, 3mm+, affects the epidermis, dermis and the hypodermis

Superficial microneedling is quite safe, as long as it is performed hygienically and professionally, although it can sometimes lead to irritation, inflammation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

This cannot be said for deep microneedling, which causes a lot more irritation, with inflammation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation being quite common.

Anything above 3mm depth, i.e. very deep microneedling, is very bloody (literally) and just too prone to adverse reactions to be considered either a safe or a sustainable treatment.

The more often you puncture the skin at 3mm+ depth, the more you significantly increase the chances of a severe reaction.

Deep microneedling vs deep tissue radiofrequency: barbaric vs gentle treatment

So I would say that while superficial microneedling is generally safe and makes a lot of sense for epidermal applications, deep microneedling is a needlessly barbaric and medieval method to stimulate deep collagen production.

This is especially true when other deep-acting collagen-stimulating methods, such as deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, can target the cellulite tissues with accuracy, both in terms of focus and in terms of power, without ever puncturing the skin - and are far more effective.

As deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency has an excellent safety profile when provided by a knowledgeable and professional practitioner (99.5%+ safety rate at our clinic), it is also sustainable, as it can be performed dozens of times, with 2-3 day breaks inbetween, without any irritation.

On the other hand applying dozens of times very deep microneedling carries probably a 100% rate of a severe adverse reaction.

Given that for skin tightening and cellulite it is impossible to provide long-lasting results with just one session, sustainable treatments that can safely be provided multiple times are essential.

Cellulite (3-30mm depth) is just too deep for microneedling (0.25-3mm depth)

So microneedling is inefficient in regard to collagen / elastin stimulation (i.e. skin tightening) compared to deep tissue radiofrequency and also needlessly painful and unsafe.

When it comes to cellulite, however, the main reason that microneedling CANNOT get rid of cellulite is not even its safety profile / sustainability.

It is the fact that cellulite lies 5-30mm deep into the skin. This means that deep microneedling, at 3mm maximum depth, barely scratches the surface of cellulite - literally.

RF microneedling for cellulite?

Lately, radiofrequency microneedling at depths of up to 7mm is being proposed for cellulite reduction.

Microneedling RF combines:

• the injury from very deep 7mm punctures

• with the injury from extremely high intensity radiofrequency that aims to literally cause deep skin burns (euphemistically called “coagulation”, when in reality they are just burns)

The idea behind this barbaric method is to stimulate collagen production and/or damaging cellulite adipose tissue.

RF microneedling at 3-7mm is neither effective nor safe, because:

• You cannot have it more than a couple of times without risking adverse reactions

• Damaging adipose tissue is not the same as eliminating it - it can easily regenerate itself

• Creating collagen scar tissue, i.e. skin hardening, is not the same as creating functional collagen tissue, i.e. skin tightening

• Despite the extreme depth, in terms of puncturing the skin and the dangers that come with it, 7mm is still not deep enough for cellulite, which lies 5-30mm deep

All in all, those miraculous, one-session, painful, very expensive “miracle” 😂 treatments just don’t work, are still way too superficial for cellulite and are not safe either.

Microneedling for skin tightening or cellulite removal? Just not good enough

So no, microneedling, either on its own or combined with extremely high intensity RF (i.e. RF microneedling) will not get rid either of your cellulite or your skin looseness:

• If it is too superficial is a waste of time for cellulite and skin tightening

• If it is deep it is simply unsafe and still not that effective, especially in relation to deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency

• If it is deep and combined with radiofrequency is even more unsafe and still not that effective, especially in relation to deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency

---

How to reduce cellulite and tighten up your skin

For the fastest possible results, have an intensive course of 6-12 treatments combining…

…deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency with high-power, deep-acting ultrasound cavitation, the most effective SAFE anti-cellulite / skin tightening technologies available today. Deep, strong RF/cavitation treatments work very well for lipolysis, collagen/elastin synthesis and circulation enhancement (much more than creams).

For the best value for money and to maximise the results of your exercise, diet and treatment…

…apply a real cellulite cream, i.e. one with multiple, high-purity anti-cellulite actives in high concentrations (caffeine, forskolin, centella asiatica triterpenes are indispensable as anti-cellulite active ingredients - plus more, if possible), for 6-12 weeks. Concentrated cellulite creams act less fast but they offer far better value for money than treatments. Concentrated cellulite creams act on aspects of cellulite that treatments can’t: free radical damage, fibrosis, glycation and inflammation. They also do work for circulation enhancement, lipolysis and collagen/elastin synthesis, but to a lesser extent than treatments.

For maintenance, prevention and to reduce cellulite at home at no cost, albeit more slowly…

…than with treatments and creams, check out our epic guide with 100+ expert tips. Healthy nutrition and exercise are absolutely essential for both cellulite prevention and reduction and to make the most of your treatments and creams.

Do not fall for misleading claims about ONE-OFF, forever results (😂)…

…with 1-4 very unsafe, very expensive, very painful, “miracle” skin tightening / cellulite treatments, which are based on deliberately first burning the skin at 65-85º C now in order to heal it later. Not surprisingly, this quite often results in permanent damage (the latest such fad is microneedling radiofrequency). The reality is that even with the best technology in the world, your skin needs 5, 10, 15 regular (i.e. weekly), strong, deep-acting, never painful treatments, for good, long-term results, produced naturally by stimulating the connective and adipose tissues, rather than burning them.