Microneedling in East Finchley: acne scars, texture, pores and fine lines
A course that makes skin smoother and firmer over months, with a clear no where it would do harm.
Microneedling is a treatment for the surface and the layer just under it: pitted acne scars, rough or uneven texture, enlarged pores, fine lines, and stretch marks. We use the 1NEED Pro, a pen device that makes many tiny, controlled punctures so the skin repairs itself with new collagen. On its own it is £120. We also offer it with a sterile infusion of hyaluronic acid and lactic acid, collagen, or NAD+, and with your own PRP or PRF.
It suits adults with settled skin who want a gradual change and will do a course. It is not for anyone with active, inflamed acne, a cold sore, eczema or psoriasis on the face, or anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. We do not offer radiofrequency microneedling, because we are not satisfied with the long-term data on it, and we tell you plainly when a peel, IPL or a prescription treatment would serve you better.
What happens at your appointment
Every course starts with a free consultation. We look at your skin in good light, ask what you have tried, go through your health, medicines and any history of cold sores or raised scars, and photograph your skin for your record. If you are new to us we suggest a few days to think before you book treatment; returning clients can go ahead the same day.
On the day, make-up comes off and numbing cream goes on for 20 to 30 minutes. The treatment itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes for a full face, so allow an hour, or 75 minutes with PRP or PRF. If you have chosen an infusion, it is applied during the session. Every infusion we use is a sterile product made for needled skin; we never use a shop serum or a cosmetic ampoule on open skin. You leave red, as if sunburnt, with a plain moisturiser and sunscreen on and a written aftercare sheet.
What results to expect and how long they last
Redness settles over 24 to 48 hours and the skin feels tight and dry for a few days. The glow in the first week is mostly swelling. The real change, in texture and fine lines, shows from about four weeks after each session and keeps building for three to six months after the last one, because new collagen is slow. Pitted acne scars are the slowest to improve and the most variable: some people see a clear softening after a course, some see little. Results vary.
A course is usually three to six sessions, at least three weeks apart and often monthly. Once the course is done, most people keep the result with a single session every six to twelve months and a sunscreen every day. We photograph before the first session and after the last so you can judge it against something real.
Who it suits and who it does not
It suits adults with acne scarring that has stopped forming, rough or dull texture, open pores, early fine lines, or stretch marks, on any skin tone. Darker skin is treated more gently and with longer gaps, because the main risk on deeper skin tones is a dark patch where the skin was irritated.
We do not treat active inflamed acne, a cold sore, warts or any infection in the area, moderate or severe eczema or psoriasis on the face, a strong tendency to keloid scars, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone who has taken prescription acne tablets in the last six months, or anyone under 18. Blood thinners, a bleeding disorder, a weakened immune system, a metal allergy and recent treatment to the same area all need a conversation first. If your acne is still active, a prescription option exists, a cream or a course of tablets, and it is discussed at a face-to-face consultation; needling inflamed skin spreads it.
The honest limit
Microneedling improves texture; it does not resurface the face. Deep ice-pick scars, loose skin and pigmentation that sits deep in the skin are beyond it, and one session on its own changes very little. Infusions add to the result but do not replace the course. If what you want is a visible change by the weekend, this is the wrong treatment, and we will say so.
Not sure whether needling or a peel fits your skin? Read microneedling vs chemical peels.
Prices (per session)
Consultation and skin assessment: Free
Microneedling: £120
Microneedling with collagen infusion: £180
Microneedling with hyaluronic acid and lactic acid infusion: £200
Microneedling with NAD+ infusion: £240
PRP or PRF with microneedling: £240
A course is usually three to six sessions. The plan and its total cost are set out in writing at your consultation.
Risks
Redness, swelling, tightness and dryness for one to three days are expected, and small pinpoint bleeding on the day is normal. Less common are a cold sore flare if you are prone, a short-lived breakout, or a patch of darker skin, more likely on deeper skin tones or after sun. Rare are infection, fine linear marks where the skin was worked too hard, and small lumps under the skin, which have been reported when the wrong product is pushed into needled skin; this is why we use only sterile infusions made for the purpose. We go through all of this before you sign.
Common questions
Does microneedling hurt?
With numbing cream most people describe it as a scratching or vibrating feeling, sharper over the forehead and nose where the skin sits on bone. It is over in about half an hour and the skin feels hot and tight for the rest of the day.
How many sessions do I need?
Usually three to six, at least three weeks apart. Texture and pores often show a difference after two; acne scars need the full course and three to six months of patience after it. We plan the course at your consultation and never sign you up on the day.
Is there downtime?
About two to three days. You look sunburnt for 24 to 48 hours and feel dry and tight for a few days. No make-up, exercise, swimming or active skincare for 24 hours; a gentle cleanser, plain moisturiser and sunscreen for a week; retinol and acids back after about a week.
Which infusion should I choose?
Plain microneedling does the main job. Hyaluronic acid with lactic acid suits dry, dull skin; collagen is the general choice for texture; NAD+ is for people who want to try the newest option, with the honest note that the evidence for infused NAD+ is early. PRP or PRF uses your own blood and is the one we suggest most for acne scars.
Why do you not offer RF microneedling?
Radiofrequency microneedling adds heat under the skin. We are not satisfied with the long-term data on it yet, so we do not offer it. If it turns out to be the right tool for you, we will say so rather than sell you something else.
Can you treat under the eyes?
Lightly, and only the skin, never the eyelid itself. For dark circles and crepey eye skin, a skin booster or polynucleotides made for the eye area are usually the better plan, and we compare them at your consultation.
Is it suitable for darker skin?
Yes, with care. Deeper skin tones are more likely to develop a dark patch after any irritation, so we work more gently, leave longer gaps, insist on sunscreen and may test patch first.
Does it work on stretch marks?
It can soften the texture of older, pale stretch marks over a course. It will not remove them, and fresh red or purple marks respond differently. We tell you which kind you have before you book.
Related treatments
Know what you want? Book microneedling now. Not sure? Book a free consultation. Or message us on WhatsApp: 077 21 400 600.
The clinic is at 260 East End Road in East Finchley, three minutes on foot from East Finchley station on the Northern line. Most people who come to us for microneedling live in Hampstead, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Highgate and Muswell Hill, with others from Finchley, Golders Green, Crouch End, Whetstone and Barnet. See every area we serve.
This page is general information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own skin, health and history, which we go through at a free consultation before anything is booked.