Whether you’re just starting your microneedling journey or you’ve been rolling and needling your way to glowing skin for a while, you’ve probably stumbled across a few skincare terms that sound more like medical jargon than beauty advice. That’s where this guide comes in. We’re breaking down all those fancy words into something you can actually understand—and maybe even use in conversation.
Let’s get into it!
Contents
- 1 Ablative vs. Non-Ablative: What’s the Difference?
- 2 At-Home Microneedling: DIY, But Safer
- 3 Collagen & Why Everyone’s Talking About It
- 4 Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT): A Fancy Name for Microneedling
- 5 Dermarollers: The OG Tool
- 6 Downtime: The Chill Period After Microneedling
- 7 Epidermis: The Skin’s Front Door
- 8 Fractional Treatment: A Little Goes a Long Way
- 9 Hyperpigmentation: Those Annoying Dark Spots
- 10 LED Therapy: Your Skin’s New BFF
- 11 Needle Depth: It’s All About How Deep You Go
- 12 Peptides: Tiny but Mighty
- 13 Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Also Known as the Vampire Facial
- 14 Post-Treatment Serum: Choose Wisely
- 15 Redness (Erythema): A Temporary Glow
- 16 Scar Remodeling: Out With the Old, In With the New
- 17 Stratum Corneum: The Barrier Layer
- 18 Transdermal Absorption: Getting the Good Stuff In
- 19 Wrinkle Reduction: The Long Game
- 20 Final Thoughts
Ablative vs. Non-Ablative: What’s the Difference?
Think of ablative treatments like hitting the reset button on your skin—they remove the top layer entirely. Lasers and deep chemical peels usually fall into this category, and while results can be dramatic, so can the downtime.
Non-ablative treatments, like microneedling, take a gentler approach. They work beneath the surface without removing the outer skin, stimulating repair and rejuvenation while keeping things less invasive.
At-Home Microneedling: DIY, But Safer
Microneedling at home usually involves tools like dermarollers or compact microneedling pens. These devices use shorter needles (typically 0.25mm–0.5mm) and are ideal for beginners or those looking for a low-risk glow-up. You won’t get the same dramatic results as professional treatments, but with consistency, they can still make a noticeable difference over time.
Collagen & Why Everyone’s Talking About It
Collagen is the protein that keeps your skin looking youthful, plump, and firm. As we age, our collagen production slows down (ugh), leading to wrinkles and sagging. The beauty of microneedling? It tricks your skin into thinking it’s been injured—so it rushes in to heal and, you guessed it, produces more collagen in the process.
Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT): A Fancy Name for Microneedling
Don’t be thrown off by the term Collagen Induction Therapy—it’s just the technical name for microneedling. The idea is simple: make tiny controlled injuries, and let your skin’s natural repair process do the rest.
Dermarollers: The OG Tool
The dermaroller is the most common at-home microneedling tool. It’s a handheld roller covered in tiny needles that you gently roll across your face. It’s more affordable than high-tech pens, though not as precise.
Downtime: The Chill Period After Microneedling
After a session, your skin might look red, feel tight, or be a little sensitive. This downtime typically lasts between 24 and 72 hours. More intense treatments might take longer, but most people are back to normal pretty quickly—just with better skin.
Epidermis: The Skin’s Front Door
Your epidermis is the very outer layer of skin—the one microneedling pokes through without actually removing. It’s why healing tends to be quicker than with other more invasive treatments.
Fractional Treatment: A Little Goes a Long Way
Microneedling is considered a fractional treatment, meaning it only treats a fraction of your skin at a time. Those tiny injuries are surrounded by healthy skin, which helps speed up the healing process.
Hyperpigmentation: Those Annoying Dark Spots
Got uneven skin tone or lingering sun spots? That’s hyperpigmentation, and microneedling can help by promoting skin cell turnover and breaking down excess melanin.
LED Therapy: Your Skin’s New BFF
LED light therapy often gets paired with microneedling to help calm inflammation and promote healing. Red light can stimulate collagen, while blue light helps fight acne-causing bacteria.
Needle Depth: It’s All About How Deep You Go
Needle depth refers to how far the needles penetrate your skin. At home, you’re usually working with 0.25mm to 0.5mm needles. Professionals might use up to 2.5mm for deeper issues like scars and wrinkles.
Peptides: Tiny but Mighty
Peptides are like cheerleaders for your skin—tiny chains of amino acids that help trigger collagen production. You’ll often find them in serums made specifically for use after microneedling.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Also Known as the Vampire Facial
Sounds spooky, but it’s actually cutting-edge skincare. With PRP, your own blood is processed to extract healing growth factors, which are then applied or injected after microneedling to turbocharge the results.
Post-Treatment Serum: Choose Wisely
After microneedling, your skin is like a sponge—ready to soak up whatever you apply. A good post-treatment serum should be fragrance-free and packed with skin-soothing goodies like hyaluronic acid, peptides, or growth factors.
Redness (Erythema): A Temporary Glow
That post-treatment flush is totally normal and usually fades within a day or two. Some call it erythema—we just call it proof that something good is happening.
Scar Remodeling: Out With the Old, In With the New
Whether it’s acne scars, stretch marks, or surgical scars, microneedling helps with scar remodeling by stimulating new collagen growth and breaking down old, damaged tissue.
Stratum Corneum: The Barrier Layer
The stratum corneum is the very outer part of your skin barrier. Microneedling temporarily opens it up, which is great for helping active ingredients get where they need to go.
Transdermal Absorption: Getting the Good Stuff In
With microneedling, you’re creating tiny channels in the skin that allow serums and actives to absorb more effectively. It’s why what you put on your skin right after treatment really matters.
Wrinkle Reduction: The Long Game
One of microneedling’s biggest perks is smoother, firmer skin. With regular sessions, you’ll notice fine lines fading and your overall skin texture improving—no filters necessary.
Final Thoughts
Microneedling may sound high-tech, but at its core, it’s about working with your body to renew and refresh your skin. Armed with this glossary, you’re now ready to read skincare labels like a pro, understand your treatment options, and know what all those buzzwords really mean.
Because great skin shouldn’t come with a dictionary—just a good dermaroller and the right info.
Teresa Divis
Teresa is a professional aesthetician with a 3 year degree from Teorema Centro Studi Cinquesse Agenzia Formativa in Tuscany with a specialty in micro needling and dermopigmentation.
