Do you want to look and feel younger and healthier? Rejuvenate your skin without painful surgery or the injection of synthetic substances. Cosmetic acupuncture and micro-needling can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and tighten and lift the skin.

What is Micro-Needling?

Micro-needling is the insertion of fine needles into the skin with an oscillating, sterile pen tip made of surgical stainless steel. This device clinically treats wrinkles and scars, while also:

• Enhancing skin quality
• Reducing discoloration
• Regenerating new skin cells

The micro-channels created during micro-needling stimulate the skin’s own repair response to produce collagen and elastin, thereby making the skin thicker, firmer, and smoother.

Micro-needling treatments are most effective in a series of 4-6 sessions, received one month apart. With proper skin care, results may last up to 5 years.

What is Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Cosmetic acupuncture is the insertion of tiny, hair-thin needles along lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin to produce a strong lifting effect. Cosmetic acupuncture enhances the results of micro-needling when done between sessions starting at the two-week mark.

During a cosmetic acupuncture treatment, body points are needled to bring blood, qi, and nourishment to the skin and tissue. Cosmetic acupuncture sessions are finished with facial cupping and/or jade stone gua sha.

Want to learn more about how micro-needling and cosmetic acupuncture work together to help you look and feel younger and healthier? Check out this infographic to learn more!

My esthetician advertises micro-needling…is it the same thing?

While there are certainly some estheticians who use micro-needling pens, it’s more likely that your esthetician is actually using a nano-needle. Micro-needling requires a special license in North Carolina to use since it permeates deeper into the skin than a nano-needle and is considered a medical aesthetics treatment.

The deeper penetration of micro-needling, combined with applying a hyaluronic acid serum, offers faster, longer-lasting, and more noticeable results than a nano-needle pen. It’s a safe, effective alternative to invasive procedures such as Botox, filler, or plastic surgery. Furthermore, it’s been shown that after a micro-needling treatment, anti-aging serum absorption is increased by 3,000%!

What are some contraindications to micro-needling?

While micro-needling is safe and effective for most people, there are some reasons you may not be able to receive micro-needling. If you have any of the following conditions, talk to your doctor or acupuncturist to determine whether it’s safe for you to receive microneedling:

• Pregnancy
• Local infections such as warts or herpes zoster
• Moderate to severe chronic skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis
• Blood dyscrasias or anticoagulant therapy
• Extreme keloidal tendency
• Receiving chemotherapy or radiation

Who will provide my micro-needling treatment?

At Cape Fear Community Acupuncture, facial rejuvenation services – including micro-needling and cosmetic acupuncture – are provided by dual-licensed acupuncturist and esthetician Jessica Holleman, MSOM. Having provided thousands of hours of skin care services, learning and offering cosmetic acupuncture, micro-needling, facial gua sha, and facial cupping have been the perfect blend of Jessica’s professional expertise.

How much does micro-needling and cosmetic acupuncture cost?

Micro-Needling Prices

$150/1 hour

Includes:

• Numbing cream
• Whole body acupuncture
• Micro-needling pen treatment with anti-aging serum
• Gem stone application

Add on micro-needling for small area (chest, hands): $30/15 minutes

6 session package: 10% off = $810 (9 month expiration)

Cosmetic Acupuncture Prices

$100/1 hour

Includes:

• Facial needling
• Whole body acupuncture
• Facial cupping and/or gua sha

6 session package: 10% off = $540 (9 month expiration)

Celluma Light Therapy Add-On

Add Celluma Light Therapy treatment to your cosmetic acupuncture or micro-needling session for only $10. Learn more about Celluma Light Therapy here.

Micro-Needling & Cosmetic Acupuncture FAQs

Does micro-needling hurt?

Micro-needling is fairly comfortable. Our licensed practitioner will use a pen that contains tiny needles to perform the procedure. You may notice some discomfort around areas of the face that are bonier such as your hairline, jawline, and forehead. We do apply a topical numbing cream to make the procedure as comfortable and pain-free as possible. As you continue to receive treatments, you will become more used to the sensation and it will be even more comfortable.

How long does an average treatment last? And what's included?

Micro-neelding sessions take 50-60 minutes and include:

• Makeup removal
• Numbing cream application
• Supportive full-body needling
• Facial micro-needling
• Jade stones
• Cool towel
• Green tea application

What should I do (or not do) before/after a treatment to maximize the benefits?

To finish your micro-needling treatment, we'll apply a green tea oil to your skin, which includes many beneficial vitamins and nutrients to aid in the skin's healing process. This oil also helps protect from UV damage by reducing the natural photosensitivity after a micro-needling treatment.

Before your treatment, we will remove any makeup you have on and we recommend avoiding any thick, water-based moisturizers or makeup for the first 48 hours after your treatment. These can block your pores and lead to an increased risk of breakout. For the first 3-7 days after your treatment, it's important to use light, clean products. This means avoid using any products that contain endocrine disruptors or other ingredients that could slow down the collagen production.