Microneedling (SkinPen)

The Oaks Plastic Surgery Houston med spa offers SkinPen microneedling — an FDA-cleared collagen induction therapy — to address acne scars, enlarged pores, fine lines, skin texture irregularities, and uneven tone. The SkinPen creates thousands of controlled micro-channels in the skin that stimulate the body's natural healing response, producing new collagen and elastin over four to eight weeks. A topical serum is infused during treatment to support hydration and recovery. A series of three sessions spaced four to six weeks apart is recommended for optimal results. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) may be added to amplify the growth-factor stimulus.

Microneedling at The Oaks Plastic Surgery Houston is performed with the SkinPen — the first FDA-cleared microneedling device — ensuring a standardised, clinically validated platform for collagen induction therapy. The SkinPen operates with a sterile, single-use needle cartridge containing 14 micro-needles that oscillate at a controlled speed and depth, creating thousands of precise micro-perforations across the treatment surface with each pass. These controlled micro-injuries trigger a localised wound-healing cascade: in the immediate inflammatory phase, platelets at each injury site degranulate, releasing growth factors including PDGF, TGF-β1, and VEGF that recruit fibroblasts to the treated zone. During the proliferative phase over the subsequent two to four weeks, fibroblasts synthesise new collagen (predominantly type I and type III) and elastin within the papillary and upper reticular dermis, progressively improving skin density and structural integrity. The remodelling phase over eight to twelve weeks produces the final improvement in skin texture, firmness, and surface quality as collagen fibre organisation matures. The depth of needle penetration is calibrated by the treating clinician on a zone-by-zone basis: shallower settings (0.25–0.5 mm) for delicate periorbital areas and general surface smoothing; deeper settings (1.0–2.0 mm) for cheeks and jaw where atrophic acne scar remodelling requires dermal-depth stimulus. Microneedling at TOPS is used to address rolling and boxcar acne scars, visibly enlarged follicular openings, fine lines and early rhytids, rough or irregular surface texture, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The micro-channels created during treatment also transiently increase transepidermal permeability, dramatically increasing the absorption of topically applied active serums relative to intact skin. Hyaluronic acid serum is infused during each session to support immediate hydration and barrier recovery. The vampire facial upgrade incorporates platelet-rich plasma prepared from the patient's own blood — applied topically or micro-injected through the open channels — delivering a concentrated growth factor stimulus that may augment and extend the collagen-induction response. Topical anaesthetic cream is applied prior to the session and is included in the appointment time.