Microneedling: The Gold Standard Treatment For Skin Renewal

If you’ve ever wondered how Sarah’s A-list clients manage to look impossibly fresh, sculpted and glowing under the harshest red-carpet lighting, microneedling is often part of the answer. It’s one of those quietly powerful treatments that has long been offered at the Clinic because it consistently works to deliver beautiful skin results. By harnessing the body’s own healing powers, microneedling acts as a science-backed collagen reboot, enhancing overall skin health and longevity at the same time. Here’s everything you need to know about this rejuvenating treatment…

What exactly is microneedling?

At its simplest, microneedling (or dermarolling when done at home), is a way of waking up your skin. Using ultra-fine needles, the skin is punctured at a very high speed, creating tiny micro-channels across the surface of the skin (the epidermis). The middle layer of skin (the dermis) contains fibroblast cells which are responsible for producing collagen and elastin. When the epidermis is punctured, the micro-injuries trigger the skin’s natural repair response within the dermis, encouraging the fibroblasts to get to work and create more collagen. As collagen production increases, skin gradually becomes firmer, smoother and more resilient.

Why collagen is the real star of the show

Ever the beauty buzzword, collagen is the holy grail of great skin. It’s what gives skin its structure and keeps it looking plump, firm and lifted. Unfortunately, from our mid-twenties onwards, our natural collagen levels begin to decline. Over time, this shows up as fine lines, a loss of elasticity and skin that simply doesn’t bounce back the way it used to. 

While microneedling helps with restoring lost collagen it’s also used as a tool to prevent collagen loss. This approach is often referred to as collagen banking: using treatments like microneedling to build and maintain your skin’s collagen reserves before depletion sets in. Regular sessions can soften fine lines, improve texture and scarring, and support skin longevity. What’s more, starting earlier (in your 20s or 30s) helps to future-proof your skin by strengthening its foundations before deeper signs of ageing appear. Think of it as making ongoing deposits into your collagen reserves - an investment that will pay off now and for years to come.

What does microneedling feel like?

Despite how it sounds microneedling isn’t painful in the way you might expect. In a professional setting, the needles used are, most importantly, sterile, incredibly fine, precisely controlled, and designed to stimulate the skin rather than traumatise it.

Most people describe the sensation as a light, rapid buzzing or prickling across the skin,  a little like an electric toothbrush moving over your face or the feeling of brow threading, with more delicate areas like the forehead, jawline and around the eyes feeling slightly more intense. It’s not exactly comfortable, but it’s very manageable. That said, topical numbing cream can be applied before your treatment and makes a significant difference. 

Afterwards, your skin typically feels warm, tight and flushed, similar to a mild sunburn. This sensitivity usually settles within 24 to 48 hours as it begins its repair process. For most, any discomfort is fleeting and widely agreed to be worth it for the visible improvements in texture, firmness and glow that follow.

What can microneedling help with?

One of the reasons microneedling has stood the test of time is its versatility. Depending on how it’s performed, the needle depth used (in clinic we work between 0.25mm up to 1.5mm) and what it’s paired with,  it can help improve a myriad of skin concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles, a loss of firmness and elasticity, an uneven skin texture, enlarged pores, pigmentation, sun damage, dullness, dehydration and post-inflammatory scarring. It essentially focuses on improving overall skin quality and delivering a healthier, stronger and more resilient complexion with each treatment.

There’s another reason microneedling is one of our top treatments in the Clinic - it dramatically improves the absorption of active ingredients. When performed professionally, it allows targeted formulas to penetrate the skin more effectively, amplifying results while still respecting the delicate skin barrier.

Is microneedling right for everyone?

When done correctly, microneedling can be suitable for most skin types. It’s often used both as a preventative treatment (keeping skin strong, smooth and resilient) and as a corrective option for those seeing deeper signs of ageing or sun damage. That said, expertise matters. At our Clinic, treatments are always tailored, taking into account your skin condition and any sensitivities, too. 

What results can you expect?

Straight after treatment, your skin often looks brighter and more energised. Over the weeks that follow, as collagen levels build, improvements in firmness, smoothness and clarity become more noticeable. With regular treatments, your skin develops a stronger foundation that’s plumper, more refined, and better able to cope with environmental stress and hold its glow.

What treatments does microneedling work well with?

In the Clinic, microneedling is rarely a solo act. While it’s powerful in its own right, pairing it with complementary technologies can elevate results significantly. Radiofrequency, for example, works by gently heating the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen and improve firmness. When combined with microneedling that thermal energy is delivered alongside controlled micro-injury, helping to tighten, lift and plump the skin more effectively than either treatment alone. Our Iconic Facial combines radiofrequency, microneedling and LED therapy in one treatment, making it one of our most popular choices and an ideal option for pre-event skin when you want visible results with minimal downtime.

For those looking to push results even further, our Dermaroller Collagen Therapy treatment offers a more intensive approach to skin renewal. Performed at a deeper needle depth of up to 1.5mm (with topical numbing cream applied in advance for extra comfort), this targeted treatment is designed to treat more stubborn concerns such as acne scarring and deeper lines. For the best results, a course of three treatments is recommended, spaced four weeks apart. 

Bringing microneedling home

While in-clinic microneedling remains unrivalled, not everyone can pop in for a treatment whenever their skin needs a boost. That’s where our newest Skinesis innovation comes in.

Drawing on years of expertise in microstimulation and transdermal delivery, Sarah has reimagined the principles behind microneedling for home use with her new Spicule Collagen Infusion Mask. This next-generation, two-step treatment is inspired by in-clinic techniques, using microscopic spicules to create ultra-fine pathways across the skin’s surface. These pathways enhance the delivery of skin-regenerating actives without needles, offering a refined, sensorial alternative for at-home use.

At the heart of the system is the Spicule Collagen Concentrate, infused with thousands of naturally derived spicules and powered by six forms of collagen, adenosine and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) to help support skin regeneration, smoothness and resilience. Step two, the HydroPlump Collagen Mask, is a cooling bio-cellulose mask that fits like a second skin, sealing in hydration while calming, cushioning and amplifying the effects of the concentrate. Together, the two steps work to stimulate the skin, optimise absorption and deliver visibly firmer, smoother and more luminous-looking skin with results you can see after just one use and benefits that build over time.

How often should you use it?

Sarah designed the Spicule Collagen Infusion Mask to complement professional treatments, helping to maintain results between appointments while bringing clinic-inspired performance into your at-home routine.

For most skin types, it can be used once weekly as an intensive skin-refining treatment. It’s also ideal as a targeted pick-me-up whenever skin feels dull, dehydrated or in need of a visible boost, whether before an event, after travel or during times of increased stress.