A controlled pattern of fine punctures promotes the skin’s own repair and collagen remodelling.
It works on skin quality — smoother texture, softer selected fine lines and the appearance of atrophic acne scars — not volume or lift. Results build over months and vary between people.
The first question is not how deeply to needle, but whether the change you can see is actually a microneedling problem.
A motorised pen with a new sterile, single-use cartridge makes a controlled pattern of fine punctures. The skin answers with an organised repair response, remodelling collagen over the following weeks and months.[18] Its clearest role — the one supported by randomised trials — is improving the appearance of atrophic, indented acne scars.[2][3] It may also soften selected uneven texture and early fine lines.[5]
What a good result looks like is a surface that catches the light more evenly and feels smoother, and indentations that read as shallower — not skin that has been resurfaced or lifted. No percentage of improvement can honestly be promised for an individual face.
What it treats
The structure and quality of skin: atrophic acne scars first, then selected uneven texture and early fine lines. It has also been studied for stretch marks[6]
What it cannot do
Add volume, lift or reposition tissue, or permanently close pores
Appointment
About 75 minutes in clinic, including assessment, skin preparation, topical anaesthetic where appropriate and a post-procedure mask
Comfort
Generally tolerable with topical anaesthetic: a scratching sensation with warmth and tightness, more noticeable over bone and at more intensive settings
Course
A usual starting course is three sessions, four to six weeks apart, followed by review[13]
When it is judged
Over months, with photographs, once remodelling has had time to develop — not from the first few days[2]
Fee
£225 per session. What is included and how a course is planned are set out in the fee section, and the plan is confirmed after assessment
Age
Adults 18 and over only
The distinction that decides everything
An indentation, a brown mark and a visible pore are not the same problem.
An atrophic scar is a change in the structure of the skin. Post-inflammatory pigmentation is a change in colour. A visible pore is neither. A rolling scar may also be tethered beneath the surface, while a narrow ice-pick scar can extend deeper than conventional needling reliably reaches — which is why scar type, depth and tethering decide whether needling works alone or belongs in a staged plan.[20][21]
They may all be described as “uneven skin”, but treating them as interchangeable is how the wrong procedure gets chosen.
What treatment asks of you
On the dayRedness, warmth, tightness or tenderness; mild swelling, and pinpoint bleeding after a more intensive session[7]
Practical limitsMakeup is left off until the skin has settled — usually at least the following day, and longer after a more intensive session. Heavy sweat, saunas, steam rooms, pools and hot tubs are avoided for 72 hours, as is sun exposure; your written aftercare confirms the detail[16]
Treatment is postponed with active infection, significant inflammation, a cold-sore outbreak or active acne in the area, and during pregnancy. All medicines are disclosed at assessment, including isotretinoin, where the timing of procedures matters.[1][11] Common after-effects — transient redness, swelling, dryness and light flaking over a few days — are the expected profile in a systematic safety review; less common and rare risks are set out in the full clinical guide.[7][8]
Microneedling is used across skin tones. Because inflammation can make pigment more visible in richer skin tones, intensity, aftercare and sun protection are planned with that in mind, and any history of post-inflammatory pigmentation is discussed before treatment.
When another approach may be more direct
Microneedling works on skin quality and selected acne scars. Where your main concern is something else, a different route is often more direct:
Volume, contour or saggingA structural treatment, assessed on its own terms.
Pigmentation or melasmaA diagnosis-led, usually topical plan; needling is at most adjunctive.[9]
Surface dullness, tone or congestionSkincare or a chemical peel may act more directly on the surface.
Deep ice-pick or tethered scarsA focal technique such as TCA CROSS or subcision, sometimes staged alongside needling.[21]
Active acne or inflammationSettled first — before repeatedly treating the scars it is still producing.
None of this rules microneedling out. It decides whether it is the right tool — or the right first tool.
The decision
Whether microneedling belongs in your plan is the first thing we decide — not how deeply to needle.
Assessment establishes four things: whether what you can see is a change in structure, in colour, or neither; whether a scar is tethered, and so whether needling can reach it at all; whether inflammation is still active, in which case it is settled first; and how much recovery is genuinely workable in your life.
If a focal technique, a diagnosis-led pigment plan, another route or simply more time would serve you better, I will say so — including when the honest answer is not to treat yet. Post-acne scarring in particular is worth approaching without pressure: it took time to form, the change is gradual, and being clear-eyed about that from the start is what makes the result satisfying rather than disappointing.
A course is reviewed rather than repeated on a calendar. If the change after a course is less than we hoped, the next step is to reassess — to look again at the cause, the scar type and whether a different or staged approach is the better route — not simply to book more of the same.
For patients who want to understand the treatment in more detail: how it works, where the evidence is strongest, what changes the plan, and what the risks and alternatives are.
01How it works
Much of procedural dermatology works with one principle: a carefully controlled degree of injury can prompt the skin to repair and remodel itself. Microneedling applies it mechanically — the aim is the right amount of controlled repair, not maximum injury. It is not ablative resurfacing, and it is not a lift.
Controlled microchannels
Sterile needles create a precise pattern of microchannels through the epidermis to the planned treatment depth, leaving much of the surface between them intact. The barrier is briefly disrupted — the trigger, not the benefit.
Repair from within
The micro-injury initiates an organised wound-healing response. Fibroblasts help lay down and reorganise the extracellular matrix, including new collagen. Greater redness or downtime does not mean a better result.
Gradual remodelling
Over the following weeks and months, early repair collagen is remodelled into a more mature supporting structure. Microneedling is a biological stimulus, not a filler: it adds no volume, and the result is gradual and individual. The surface may look smoother and more refined and selected fine lines may soften — it does not shed skin, pull it upward or restore volume.
Smoother, more refined texturethe change most consistent with a remodelling response.
Softer selected fine linesgradually, and not on every line.
More even light reflectionless obvious surface irregularity.
Improvement in selected atrophic acne scarsthe indication where direct clinical evidence is strongest.
A possible gradual improvement in firmness and elasticityexplicitly not a lift, and not a replacement for lost volume.
The evidence is substantial, but it is not equally strong or equally standardised for every indication.
Strongest direct evidence
Atrophic acne scars.
Positive, less standardised
Facial texture, selected fine lines, photoaged appearance and laxity or elasticity.
Indication-specific · adjunctive
Stretch marks and melasma — discussed in their own sections.
Visible pores may look less prominent when the surrounding texture improves, but pores are normal structures and are not permanently “closed”. Brightening, glow and pigment removal are not the aim of this treatment.
No single percentage improvement applies to everyone.
02“Uneven skin” can mean several different things
Patients often use “uneven” to describe skin that feels rougher, looks less refined, shows early fine lines or reflects light less evenly than it once did. Visible pores, discolouration, post-inflammatory marks, melasma and indented scars can all contribute — but they are not the same problem, and they do not respond in the same way.
Surface & texture
Where microneedling fits most directly
Roughness, a surface that catches the light unevenly, visible pores and selected early fine lines. This is the territory where a controlled repair-and-remodelling response is most reasonable — gradually, and without promising pore “closure”.
Colour
Assessed separately
Discolouration, post-inflammatory marks and melasma are changes in colour, not structure. Microneedling may contribute to improvement in selected pigment concerns, particularly melasma when used alongside an appropriate topical treatment.[22][23] It is not a universal standalone pigment treatment, and because inflammation can sometimes make pigment more visible, the diagnosis, skin tone, treatment intensity and aftercare matter.
Scar architecture
A structural change
Indented scars — rolling, boxcar or ice-pick — are changes in the structure of the skin. A tethered or narrow deep scar may need release or a focal technique. See the acne-scar section below.
Structural change
Where needling the surface is not the answer
Some concerns that look like “uneven skin” come from reduced facial support, laxity or a deeper contour change rather than the skin surface itself. Microneedling may refine selected surface texture, but it does not replace volume or reposition tissue. Indented scars are assessed separately because their depth and tethering can change the plan.
Assessment is what separates a reasonable indication from a treatment that happens to be available.
03Acne scars: where the evidence is clearestTap to open +
Systematic reviews and randomised trials support conventional microneedling as an option for improving atrophic acne scars. “Improving” is the important word. Studies do not support a promise that scars will disappear, and the literature includes different devices, depths, treatment schedules and scar-grading methods.
Atrophic acne scars are commonly described as:
Rolling scars
Broad depressions with sloping edges. Some are held down by fibrous attachments. Microneedling may improve the surface and remodelling around a rolling scar, but a clearly tethered scar may first need release with subcision.
Boxcar scars
Round or oval depressions with more defined edges. Shallower boxcar scars may respond to a remodelling treatment; deeper scars can require a combined plan.
Ice-pick scars
Narrow openings that extend deeply into the skin. Conventional microneedling alone is often an incomplete tool for these scars. A focal technique such as TCA CROSS may be considered instead, where suitable.
Scar architecture · rolling / boxcar / ice-pick
Simplified schematic · not to scale · classification adapted from Jacob et al.
Scar architecture matters. One person may have more than one scar type, and the visible opening does not always show what is happening beneath the surface.
A rolling scar is a broad, shallow depression, sometimes tethered below; a boxcar has defined, near-vertical edges; an ice-pick is a narrow, deep tract. Each behaves differently, which is why assessment — not the surface opening alone — guides the plan.
Some tethered or deeper scars may require a different or combined approach. Where that applies, I will explain why and how the treatment should be staged.
Many faces contain more than one scar type, plus redness or pigmentation left by acne. Those marks are not the same as indentations and may need a different part of the plan. Ongoing inflammatory acne is also addressed before repeatedly treating the scars it is still producing.
04Texture, fine lines and visible pores
Research on facial rejuvenation includes wrinkles, texture, photoageing and, less often, laxity. Patient satisfaction is often high, but the studies use inconsistent outcome measures and varied schedules. I therefore use narrower language: microneedling may soften selected fine textural change and fine lines, but it is not presented as a lifting procedure or a way to reverse facial ageing.
Some facial-rejuvenation studies report that visible pores appeared smaller after a course of microneedling. This should be understood as a reduction in their visible appearance, not permanent pore “closure”.
As the surrounding texture becomes smoother and more even, pores may catch the light less strongly and look less pronounced. The evidence is not standardised enough to promise the same degree of change for every patient. Foppiani et al., 2025.
Where the main problem is epidermal roughness, congestion or superficial discolouration, skincare or a chemical peel may be more direct. Where the apparent texture is caused by volume loss or laxity, needling the surface does not correct the underlying cause.
+Practical orientation · through the decadesTap to open
Microneedling through the decades
What changes is the reason for treatment — not simply the number. Choose your decade:
In your 20sMicroneedling may be considered for post-acne texture, selected indented scars, visible surface irregularities and skin that no longer looks as smooth or even as you would like. At this stage, treatment is usually directed at a specific concern rather than presented as universal “preventative ageing”.
In your 30sAs early fine lines and changes in texture become more noticeable, microneedling can support gradual collagen remodelling and help the skin look smoother, more refined and more even in the way it reflects light.
In your 40sMicroneedling can support gradual improvement in fine lines, texture, elasticity and overall skin quality. It is particularly useful when the priority is to refine the surface of the skin while keeping the face recognisably unchanged.
In your 50s and beyondMicroneedling remains a valuable option for improving texture, softening selected fine lines and supporting skin that looks smoother, stronger and more even. Where several age-related changes coexist, it can become the skin-quality component of a broader, carefully planned approach — preserving facial character while improving the condition of the skin itself.
Your decade provides context. The condition of your skin, the change you want to address and its underlying cause matter more.
Practical orientation, not age-stratified trial evidence.
+Aesthetics for menTap to open
Microneedling for men
Men often ask about acne scarring, coarse or uneven texture, visible pores and early lines — particularly when they want to improve skin quality without changing the shape or character of the face.
Treatment through beard-bearing areas requires considered planning, especially where shaving irritation, folliculitis or recurrent ingrown hairs are present. This is not a separate “male version” of microneedling; the depth, intensity and recovery plan are adapted to the skin in front of me.
In the 2025 systematic review, women comprised 72% of participants, so separate male outcome percentages are not established.
05Stretch marks and other scars
Softening, not erasure.
Stretch marks are dermal scars. Recent systematic reviews provide initial support for microneedling, but the studies mix devices, technologies, protocols and comparators. The realistic aim is softening texture and contrast — not erasure.
Surgical or traumatic scars require individual assessment. Scar age, width, colour, thickness, symptoms and tendency to hypertrophy or form keloids all matter. A raised, active or symptomatic scar is not approached in the same way as a mature, flat scar.
06Pigmentation
Colour is assessed separately from texture.
Melasma, post-inflammatory pigmentation, solar lentigines and the uneven appearance associated with photoageing do not share one cause. They should not be treated as though they are interchangeable.
Melasma
Microneedling has mainly been studied as an adjunct to targeted topical treatment, partly because the microchannels can increase transdermal delivery. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysispooled 12 studies and 459 patients and found that adding microneedling to a topical agent improved melasma severity more than the topical alone — a moderate added effect by about 8 weeks and a large one (a standardised mean difference above 0.8) by 12–16 weeks. The topical regimens differed between studies — tranexamic acid, vitamin C, platelet-rich plasma and hydroquinone-based and non-hydroquinone depigmenting serums — so the review could not say which topical is best. A standardised mean difference is a pooled measure of effect size, not a percentage of lightening or a guarantee for an individual: it supports microneedling as an adjunct, not a standalone melasma treatment.
Post-inflammatory pigmentation
Inflammation can contribute to pigmentation, particularly in skin that is prone to post-inflammatory colour change. The cause, activity and individual risk need to be assessed before deciding whether microneedling is appropriate. In some cases, provoking further inflammation may make pigmentation more visible rather than improve it.
Photoageing and sun-damaged appearance
Microneedling may improve selected texture and fine lines associated with photoageing through gradual tissue remodelling. It does not remove ultraviolet damage, replace sun protection or treat every brown mark. A new, changing or clinically uncertain pigmented lesion requires appropriate medical assessment rather than cosmetic needling.
07Planning the treatment
During assessment I look at the concern in normal and directional light and, where useful, how it changes when the skin is moved. For scars, I assess type, depth, edge, tethering, distribution and any active acne. For texture or pigment, I consider whether the problem is epidermal, dermal, inflammatory or structural.
We then decide:
—whether microneedling is appropriate;
—which areas should be treated;
—what intensity is reasonable for each area;
—whether the treatment should stand alone or sit within a staged plan;
—how much recovery is acceptable;
—when progress should be reviewed.
Why intensity is a judgement, not a maximum
The aim is enough controlled repair — not the greatest possible inflammation. Depth and intensity can reasonably vary across the same face, and the endpoint is an appropriate, even tissue response rather than maximum bleeding. Too gentle may not create a worthwhile remodelling response; unnecessary inflammation adds recovery and risk without a better result. Published protocols themselves vary widely in needle depth, passes and intervals, which is part of why results are individual.[14][5]
Standardised photographs are used because the daily mirror, changing light and short-term post-treatment swelling are unreliable ways to judge gradual remodelling.
08The appointment
01
Review
We check for changes in your skin, health, medicines, recent sun exposure and previous procedures.
02
Photography & prep
Baseline or progress photographs are taken and the skin is cleansed.
03
Anaesthetic
Topical numbing where appropriate. Tell me about any previous reaction to local anaesthetic or topical products.
04
Treatment
A motorised pen makes controlled passes over the planned area; depth and intensity can vary across the same face.
05
Post-procedure mask
Finished with a mask selected on the day — an alginate mask removed in clinic, or a cream mask that stays on as you leave. You leave with written aftercare and a route to contact the clinic.
09Before treatment
What you tell me beforehand changes the plan.
Your individual instructions take priority, but the general principles are:
arrive with clean skin where possible;
tell me about cold sores, new rashes, active acne, infection, recent illness or delayed healing;
disclose all medicines, including isotretinoin, anticoagulants, antiplatelets, steroids and immunosuppressants;
do not stop prescribed medication without the responsible prescriber;
avoid deliberate tanning and tell me about recent significant sun exposure;
pause irritating active skincare only as advised, rather than guessing;
tell me about recent peels, lasers, injectables, waxing or other procedures in the area.
Treatment may be rescheduled if the skin is not in a condition to heal predictably.
10Aftercare & recovery
The barrier recovers first; the result is judged later.
The skin is temporarily more reactive and permeable after treatment. The priority is to let the barrier recover without adding unnecessary irritation.
—Keep the skin clean and use only the products advised.
—Do not pick, scrub or exfoliate flaking skin.
—Avoid retinoids, exfoliating acids and other strong actives until the skin has recovered and you have been advised to restart them.
—Avoid deliberate sun exposure and follow the sun-protection advice provided.
—Do not wear makeup for at least 24 hours — often 48 hours or longer after a more intensive treatment, and until the skin has fully settled.
—Avoid sweaty exercise, sauna, steam rooms, swimming pools and hot tubs for 72 hours — wait longer if the skin barrier has not fully recovered.
—Contact the clinic if pain, swelling, heat or redness is worsening rather than settling, or if you develop blistering, discharge, spreading redness, fever or another unexpected reaction.
A practical recovery timeline
On the day
The skin commonly looks red and may feel warm, tight or tender. Mild swelling can occur, and pinpoint bleeding may be visible immediately after a more intensive treatment. The extent of the response depends on the area, treatment intensity and individual skin response.
Days 1–3
Redness usually begins to settle during the first few days, although it may remain visible for longer after a more intensive session. The skin can feel dry, rough or unusually sensitive, and mild swelling may persist for a short time. Some patients have a much quieter response.
Days 3–7
Light flaking or residual dryness may continue as the surface barrier recovers. The skin can temporarily feel less smooth before it begins to feel more even. Symptoms that are pronounced, worsening or persistent should be discussed with the clinic rather than simply treated as expected downtime.
Following weeks and months
Early changes in smoothness and texture may become noticeable, but collagen remodelling develops more slowly. Improvement continues gradually and is influenced by the indication, the treatment course and the individual response. The final outcome should not be judged from the first few days.
This is a guide, not a promise. Intensity, body area, skin response and individual healing change the timeline.
These effects do not occur to the same degree in everyone. The amount of visible inflammation is influenced by treatment intensity, the area treated and the individual skin response. If limiting downtime is important to you, this should be discussed when the treatment is planned. A more conservative approach may be appropriate for some concerns, although reducing the intensity can also affect what is realistically achievable.
11Sessions
There is no single research-backed schedule that fits every indication. In acne-scar reviews the typical course was around three treatments at four-week intervals, with the wider literature ranging from three to eight sessions at two-to-four-week intervals. Across these studies microneedling was reported to improve atrophic acne-scar grade — but the grading scales, devices and protocols differ so much that they cannot honestly be pooled into one figure for how much a given course improves. A median of three treatments describes what was studied; it is not proof that three sessions are enough for every patient, nor a guaranteed result.
At odNOVA, a usual starting course is three sessions, four to six weeks apart, followed by review. Some acne-scar plans may require four to six sessions, a longer interval or a different procedure. The course is set after assessment rather than sold as a fixed package. If you would rather not commit to a full course straight away, a single session is a reasonable place to start — the change will be smaller, but it lets you see how your skin responds before planning anything further. The skin must recover between sessions, and there is little value in escalating treatment before the response can be judged.
Early freshness is not the same as a completed result. Scar and collagen remodelling is assessed over months, using photographs and the way the area behaves in consistent light. Further treatment is based on the response achieved, not on completing a pre-sold number of sessions.
12Risks
What has actually been reported — and what cannot be quantified.
This section describes what the published literature has actually reported. The day-by-day recovery above covers the normal, expected settling of the skin; the points below concern reported adverse effects.
Expected · usually temporary
Redness, discomfort, swelling and skin irritation — expected responses that usually settle quickly.
Less common
Infection, cold-sore reactivation and pigment change have been reported. Across 85 publications, microneedling was considered relatively safe overall.
Rare but important
Persistent pigment change, tram-track scarring and granulomatous reactions. Incomplete reporting means an exact one-in-X risk cannot be calculated.
In short: mild, short-lived effects such as redness, tightness and itching are common; more serious problems are uncommon. Studies report them so inconsistently that no precise “one-in-X” risk figure can honestly be given — which is why suitability and risk are always discussed with you individually before treatment.
Microneedling may be unsuitable, modified or postponed when there is:
—active infection, a cold-sore outbreak, an active rash, open skin or significant inflammation in the area;
—a history of keloid or problematic hypertrophic scarring;
—immune suppression or a condition affecting healing;
—uncontrolled diabetes;
—active or unstable inflammatory skin disease;
—known allergy to relevant metals, topical anaesthetic or products used with treatment;
—suspicious lesions, warts or moles in the intended treatment field;
—recent tanning or unavoidable significant sun exposure during recovery;
—pregnancy, when elective treatment is postponed at odNOVA;
—another medical or treatment factor that makes healing less predictable.
This list is a screening guide, not a remote diagnosis. Some factors rule treatment out; others change timing, depth, preparation or aftercare.
Isotretinoin
If you are currently taking isotretinoin, or have recently completed a course, please tell us before treatment.[11][19] This does not always rule out microneedling, but your skin and the timing and intensity of treatment need to be assessed individually.
Cold sores
Microneedling can reactivate herpes simplex. Tell me if you have ever had a cold sore, even if outbreaks are infrequent. Preventive antiviral treatment may be appropriate for some patients.
Pregnancy
There are no good direct studies establishing the safety of cosmetic microneedling during pregnancy.[15] Some microneedling-device instructions also list pregnancy as a contraindication. Because this is an elective procedure, I postpone it until after pregnancy rather than claim that absence of evidence means proof of safety.
In combination — and where it differs
14With PRP
Not an automatic upgrade.
Some studies report better acne-scar outcomes when PRP is added[4], but an overview of systematic reviews rated the certainty low or very low[10] — the studies overlapped, used different protocols and had methodological limits.
I can combine microneedling and PRP, but I do so selectively and only when each treatment has a clear purpose. The PRP & PRF page explains what it involves and when it may add value.
15With a chemical peel
Not a routine add-on.
Both can sit within one acne-scar plan, sequentially or alternating.[17] But not every peel suits freshly needled skin — agent, concentration, scar pattern, skin tone, existing irritation and total inflammatory load all matter.
Microneedling and chemical peeling may form part of the same treatment plan, but I generally do not perform them during the same appointment. I prefer to stage them separately so that the purpose, recovery and pigment risk of each treatment can be assessed more clearly. The chemical-peel page explains when a peel may be the more appropriate focus.
16RF microneedling
A different procedure.
This page describes conventional mechanical microneedling. RF microneedling adds radiofrequency heating — different devices, benefits, risks and consent. In October 2025 the US FDA issued a safety communication after reports of serious complications with certain aesthetic uses of RF microneedling.[12]
RF microneedling is not offered at odNOVA.
17FAQ
What can microneedling realistically improve?
It works mainly on skin quality: smoother, more refined texture, softer selected early fine lines and more even light reflection — and it has the clearest evidence for improving the appearance of atrophic acne scars. Change is gradual and varies between people; it does not lift or add volume. Pigmentation and melasma need their own diagnosis and plan — microneedling is not a routine standalone pigment treatment, though evidence supports adjunctive use in selected melasma protocols.
Does it hurt?
Microneedling can be uncomfortable and, in some areas, painful. Topical anaesthetic is applied beforehand to reduce sensation, although it does not always remove it completely. How the treatment feels is highly individual and depends on the area treated, the intensity required and how each person responds to the anaesthetic.
I will check in with you throughout the treatment. You can ask for a pause at any time, and we continue only while you are happy to do so.
If I need to minimise visible downtime, can the treatment be gentler?
Often, yes. Intensity and depth are set to suit your skin and circumstances, so a more conservative treatment can be planned when visible recovery needs to be shorter. The trade-off is honest: a gentler session is generally aimed at a more modest change, and the course may need adjusting — it is not a guaranteed proportional result. Tell me at planning if an event or work commitment limits the downtime you can accept.
Why is one depth not used across the whole face?
Skin thickness, scar depth, anatomy and treatment purpose change from one area to another. Depth is a clinical setting, not a performance score: unnecessary intensity adds inflammation and recovery without guaranteeing a better result.
What is normal afterwards, and when should I contact the clinic?
Expect redness, warmth, tightness and possibly mild swelling on the day, then dryness or light flaking over a few days as the surface settles; pinpoint bleeding can occur with more intensive treatment, but it is not the aim or a measure of success. That settling is normal and eases steadily. Contact the clinic if redness worsens rather than improves, or you develop increasing pain, spreading swelling, blistering, pus, a fever or a cold-sore outbreak.
What does a session involve, how long, and what does it cost?
A session is £225 and you should allow about 75 minutes. That covers assessment and planning on the day, cleansing and preparation, topical anaesthetic where appropriate, the microneedling itself, and a post-procedure mask chosen for your skin, with written aftercare to take home. The active treatment is only part of the visit; preparation and settling time are built in so nothing is rushed.
Why three sessions, and is that a fixed package?
Three sessions, four to six weeks apart, is a usual starting course, not a guaranteed package. The interval lets the skin recover and respond before the next treatment, and the plan is reviewed against the result rather than sold in advance. Some concerns settle sooner; others — deeper acne scarring in particular — may need more sessions, a longer interval or a different approach.
How long should I allow before an important event?
Do not plan from the shortest possible recovery. Redness may settle quickly, but dryness, flaking, bruising or an individual reaction can remain visible for longer. For an important event, allow at least one week; more intensive scar treatment may justify a wider margin.
I have a deeper skin tone — is microneedling suitable?
It can be, after individual assessment. Because mechanical microneedling works through controlled micro-injury rather than heat or light, it is often considered across a range of skin tones. Any treatment that causes inflammation carries some possibility of temporary pigment change, so tone, history and aftercare are weighed and the intensity set accordingly. This is a planning consideration rather than a reason for alarm.
How is microneedling scheduled around other treatments?
Tell me about recent or planned peels, lasers, injectables, waxing and prescription skin treatment. The interval depends on what was performed, how the skin has recovered and what is planned next; it should not be guessed from a generic calendar.
When is microneedling not the right treatment?
When the concern is not mainly a skin-quality one. Loss of facial volume or support is a different problem. Deep, narrow “ice-pick” scars may need a focal technique, and tethered rolling scars may first need release with subcision — sometimes alongside microneedling rather than instead of it. Colour-led concerns such as melasma need their own plan, where microneedling is usually adjunctive rather than the default. Conventional microneedling is also postponed around active infection or unsettled skin; radiofrequency microneedling is a separate procedure and is not offered at odNOVA.
18Fee
£225 per session
Includes treatment planning on the day, skin preparation, topical anaesthetic where appropriate, conventional mechanical microneedling, a post-procedure mask selected for your skin, and written aftercare.
Course planning is individual and confirmed after assessment. View all fees →
19The studies
The sources below support the clinical, safety and aftercare statements used on this page. They are not interchangeable: evidence for acne scars does not automatically establish an outcome for pigmentation, stretch marks or facial ageing.
What the research shows
Grouped by how strong and how standardised the evidence is for each aim, with the original reviews linked beside each. Evidence for one indication does not transfer automatically to another — though in medicine some careful extrapolation between closely related indications is a normal part of clinical judgement.
Each study is shown on its own terms. Endpoint types (clinician scar scales, patient-reported satisfaction, instrument readings) and modalities (conventional mechanical needling, radiofrequency, and adjuncts such as PRP) are kept separate and never pooled into one number.
Across randomised trials, microneedling improved the appearance of atrophic acne scars, with non-radiofrequency and fractional-RF analyses reported separately. Follow-up was generally short. No single pooled effect size is quoted here — the abstract’s summary figure is malformed and not verified against the full text.
Done well
Randomised-trials-only synthesis, and modality subgrouping (mechanical vs radiofrequency).
Weak or unclear
Heterogeneous devices, depths, comparators and scar scales; short follow-up.
Measurement judgement
Clinician scar scales / categorical improvement — not scar removal.
Can infer
Conventional mechanical microneedling is a reasonable option for selected atrophic acne scars.
Cannot infer
A universal improvement percentage, complete scar removal, an ideal session count, or that radiofrequency and mechanical needling are equivalent.
Supportive, less standardised · facial rejuvenation
Facial rejuvenation — Foppiani 2025
21 articles · 723 patients · Level IV · 90% used multiple, varied-schedule sessions · PMID 40542236
Result & follow-up
83% pooled patient-reported satisfaction (95% CI 76–88%). This is a satisfaction measure — not an 83% skin-improvement rate.
Done well
Pooled the rejuvenation literature with patient-reported outcomes.
Weak or unclear
Modality- and protocol-mixed (conventional microneedling, RF and adjunctive approaches); no standardised aesthetic outcome measures; varied schedules.
Measurement judgement
Patient-reported satisfaction — subjective, not a clinician-rated or instrument outcome.
Can infer
Participants commonly reported satisfaction across the mixed literature.
Cannot infer
An effect size for odNOVA conventional mechanical monotherapy, any lifting, or a universal protocol.
The significant pooled result (standardised mean difference about 0.57) was in the microneedle-radiofrequency subgroup; mechanical microneedling was compared against laser and non-laser therapies.
Done well
Controlled-study synthesis with subgrouping.
Weak or unclear
Mixed technologies, comparators and outcome definitions.
Measurement judgement
Clinical improvement / patient satisfaction, with mixed definitions.
Can infer
Initial evidence that needling-based approaches may help selected striae.
Cannot infer
That the radiofrequency pooled result belongs to conventional mechanical microneedling, a universal magnitude, or superiority.
Some studies report better clinical scores or satisfaction, and shorter erythema/crusting, when PRP is combined with needling. GRADE certainty was low or very low, and the reviews were often of low methodological quality.
Done well
Mapped the overlap across many reviews; explicit GRADE assessment.
Weak or unclear
Heavy report overlap; low / very-low certainty; low review quality.
Measurement judgement
Mixed clinical scores, satisfaction and downtime measures.
Can infer
PRP may add value in selected combination plans.
Cannot infer
A clear routine decision to add PRP — and PRP evidence must never upgrade mechanical monotherapy. Considered only in the combination section.
Reported adverse events include transient erythema and oedema, pain, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, dry skin/exfoliation and irritant dermatitis; persistent or serious reports include post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, tram-track scarring and granulomatous reactions. Granuloma cases were often pen needling combined with topical vitamin C or other products.
Done well
Broad capture of reported event types and their context.
Weak or unclear
Mixed modalities and protocols, and case reports — not denominator-based incidence for one protocol.
Measurement judgement
Reported adverse-event types, not a calculated frequency.
Can infer
Recognised event types and risk modifiers (for example, products applied to freshly needled skin).
Cannot infer
The frequency for odNOVA’s conventional treatment, or that case reports prove a common risk.
The evidence is substantial, but it is not equally strong or equally standardised for every indication.
Studies vary in device, depth, protocol and grading scale; totals from overlapping reviews cannot be added together; single small, uncontrolled or manufacturer-linked studies are not treated as proof; and results remain individual, developing over weeks to months.
20References
Evidence varies by indication, device and protocol. This page provides general information and is not a diagnosis, individual treatment recommendation or guarantee of outcome. Suitability is established in consultation.
View 23 sources
Device description, recognised risks and suitability: US Food and Drug Administration. Microneedling Devices. Updated 15 October 2025. Used as an authoritative safety source, not as a statement of UK authorisation.
Conservative aftercare and treatment-spacing benchmark: Crown Aesthetics. SkinPen Precision patient labelling. The document advises avoiding sweaty exercise and sun exposure for 72 hours and describes clinical-study sessions spaced four weeks apart. It is used as a conservative benchmark, not as a claim that odNOVA uses that brand.
Made it to the end? Well done. You now have what I would consider the essential grounding before treatment: what microneedling can and cannot improve, its limits, the likely course and timing of any change, recovery, the risks, and where another approach may serve you better. The aim of this page is a clear, unhurried decision — not a booking.
The next step
Start with the problem, not the procedure.
Bring the texture, fine lines, visible pores or scarring that is bothering you. I will assess what is causing it, explain what microneedling can realistically change, and — if another approach would serve you better — say so.
