Microneedling

WIDLS performs microneedling using a motorised precision device delivering controlled micro-channels across the treatment area to stimulate the body's collagen and elastin repair response. The technique addresses wrinkles, atrophic acne scars, enlarged pores, stretch marks, and uneven skin tone across all skin types and body locations. Micro-channels also enhance penetration of topical serums applied during treatment. Sessions run approximately 75 minutes including numbing time, with pink-to-red post-treatment redness resolving in three to five days. A monthly course is recommended for progressive skin structure improvement.

Microneedling at the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery delivers controlled dermal micro-injury through a motorised pen device fitted with a sterile disposable needle cartridge, creating thousands of uniform micro-channels at precisely calibrated depths across the treatment zone. The depth of needle penetration is adjusted by anatomical region and clinical indication: 0.25–0.5 mm for periorbital areas and surface texture refinement, 1.0–1.5 mm for the cheeks and forehead to address rhytids and photoaging, and 1.5–2.0 mm for the cheeks and jaw in the treatment of atrophic acne scars of rolling and boxcar subtypes. Each micro-puncture initiates a localised wound-healing cascade: platelets release growth factors at the site within minutes, recruiting fibroblasts and keratinocytes to begin the proliferative repair phase. Over four to eight weeks, the remodelling phase deposits new collagen and elastin fibres in the papillary and upper reticular dermis, progressively improving skin texture, scar depth, pore appearance, and skin firmness. The transient increase in epidermal permeability during and immediately following needling also allows topical actives — such as hyaluronic acid for hydration, growth factor serums, or platelet-rich plasma — to penetrate several layers deeper than passive topical application, making adjunct serum infusion a routine part of the WIDLS protocol. Microneedling is effective for all Fitzpatrick skin types, including darker skin types where ablative lasers and chemical peels carry higher risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — a clinical advantage relevant to the diverse patient population of Washington DC. Contraindications include active acne or rosacea flare, isotretinoin use within six months, anticoagulant therapy, and keloid tendency. Topical numbing cream is applied prior to treatment and is included in the 75-minute appointment. The standard treatment course is three sessions four to six weeks apart, with visible improvement in scar texture and skin quality emerging progressively over three to four months. Maintenance treatments every six to twelve months support ongoing collagen homeostasis.