Microneedling vs. Chemical Peel: What’s the Real Deal?

Acids or needles on your skin might seem extreme, but chemical peels and microneedling can significantly improve your skin’s health. Both treatments are popular, but they have different uses.

Microneedling uses tiny needles to boost collagen production, improving scars, wrinkles, and overall skin texture.

On the other hand, chemical peels use different strengths of acids to remove dead skin, helping with dryness and uneven pigmentation.

Are you wondering which treatment is best for you? Read on to learn the benefits and differences between chemical peels and microneedling.

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that improves skin texture and tone while enhancing appearance. This treatment stimulates the skin’s natural healing process, encouraging collagen and elastin production.

These microneedling devices are approved by Health Canada, but only with qualified experts.

What is a Chemical Peel?

A chemical peel is a cosmetic treatment that improves the texture and appearance of the skin by removing the outer layers through exfoliation.

These peels remove dead cells and stimulate new, healthy skin growth through the application of an acidic solution. The depth of the chemical peel determines how deeply the solution penetrates the skin, and customized treatment options are available to meet your specific goals.

Microneedling vs. Chemical Peels: Differences

Mechanism:

Microneedling: This method uses tiny needles to create controlled micro-injuries, which stimulate the body’s natural healing process to generate collagen and elastin, resulting in firmer, younger-looking skin.
Chemical Peels: This method uses acids (such as glycolic, salicylic, or lactic acid) to remove the top layers of skin, promoting cell turnover.

Downtime:

Microneedling: Downtime is usually shorter than peels. Most people experience mild redness and irritation, which goes away within 24-48 hours.
Chemical Peels: There is no downtime associated with the chemical peels performed at our clinic. However, you may experience redness, slight skin peeling and warmth in or around the area post-treatment, which can last 4-7 days.

Concerns:

Microneedling: Addresses more advanced skin concerns like deeper wrinkles, large pores, and overall skin rejuvenation.
Chemical Peels: Addresses surface-level skin issues like dark spots, uneven skin tone, sun damage, and fine lines, depending on the strength of the peel.

Suitability:

Microneedling: Safe for all skin types and tones.
Chemical Peels: Safe for most skin types but need to be customized based on skin sensitivity and concerns.

Microneedling vs. Chemical Peels: Benefits

Customization: Both microneedling and chemical peels can be customized to meet individual needs. Microneedling allows for adjustable needle depth and radiofrequency or PRP (“vampire facial”) for better results. In addition, different types of chemical peels (superficial, medium, deep) are available to meet various needs.
Rejuvenation: By triggering collagen remodeling, microneedling gradually improves skin texture, elasticity, and firmness. Chemical peels remove dead skin cells for immediate results.
Depth: Microneedling reaches deep into the skin (dermis), causing collagen production to decrease wrinkles, scars, and pores. Chemical peels improve the texture and tone of the outer layers of the skin (epidermis).

Is it Possible to Combine Microneedling with Chemical Peels?

Yes, microneedling and chemical peels can be combined to improve the condition of your skin, however, may not be recommended for same day treatment. This approach leverages the benefits of both procedures.

Combining treatments, such as these, is referred to as treatment stacking.

Why You Need Treatment Stacking

Stacking beauty treatments address multiple skin concerns for the best results. Skin needs vary, and by strategically layering these treatments, you can effectively improve overall skin health.

The benefits of treatment stacking include:

Effective & Safe Treatment: When you stack certain treatments, you can address multiple concerns at once, as some of these treatments amplify one another’s effects. We also take your safety seriously.

Our experts suggest carefully evaluated treatment combinations for you, considering important factors such as your medical history.

Cost Efficiency: Consider stacking beauty treatments, especially when discounts are available, to get the best value and save money.

Ask about any current promotions for combination treatments during your consultation.

Reduced Number of Clinic Appointments: You can book multiple treatments on the same day, which saves time and keeps your schedule on track. It’s perfect if you’re busy.
Comprehensive Natural-Looking Results: Our approach to stacking beauty treatments creates natural-looking results tailored to your needs. Our experts choose effective combinations to improve your skin’s health and appearance.
Minimize Downtime: Stacking microneedling and chemical peels can shorten overall recovery downtime.

Get Started with Skin Technique

The decision between chemical peels and microneedling depends on your skin type, the specific issues you want to address, and how much downtime you can tolerate.

But stacking microneedling and chemical peels together with us at Skin Technique, Vancouver, is even better.

Before deciding on your next steps, consult a professional to find the best solution for your situation.

Schedule a consultation with us today to explore your options.