What is Microneedling?
We love microneedling. It is safe and effective to improve skin quality (used on the face, neck, chest, hands, arms, and above the knee) and used on the scalp to stimulate hair growth. We strongly believe in doing microneedling in a medical clinic. Microneedling uses medical grade small needles to create a micro injury in the skin. These sterile, small needles penetrate to a chosen depth in the skin, adjusted by our nurse provider (who is an expert at microneedling) to the thickness and area being microneedled. It is key to have a clean environment, sharp sterile needles, and precise depth.
- This surgical clean injury creates a healing cascade which has been shown to help improve collagen and elastin.
- It also opens up “microchannels” in the skin to allow products to penetrate better. In our clinic we use Age Zero Exosomes, which are stem cells with growth factors and other benefits, which additionally improve the skin quality.
- The result you see? Improvement in skin texture, pore size, acne scarring, fine wrinkles and more. For the scalp you see increased hair growth.
How does RF Microneedling differ?
RF is radiofrequency. Radiofrequency energy is electric energy used to heat the tissue. When done with microneedling, the needles deliver energy below the skin. The tip of the needle heats, which causes tissue changes. In this case, the goal is tighten the skin.
RF microneedling are Class II medical devices and were cleared by the FDA.
What are the risks with RF Microneedling?
There are reports of serious complications such as
- burns,
- scarring,
- fat loss,
- disfigurement
- nerve damage
with use of RF microneedling devices for dermatologic and aesthetic skin procedures.
FDA warning
The FDA came out with a warning in October 2025 about RF Microneedling.
Date Issued: October 15, 2025
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making consumers, patients, and health care providers aware that serious complications have been reported with certain uses of radiofrequency (RF) microneedling devices.
These devices use an array of small electrodes, also known as microneedles, to deliver RF energy into and under the skin to produce local heating. With use of these devices for dermatologic or aesthetic procedures intended to improve the appearance of the skin (to treat wrinkles or to achieve skin effects, sometimes referred to as resurfacing, “tightening” or “rejuvenation”), the FDA is aware of reports of serious complications (adverse events) including burns, scarring, fat loss, disfigurement, and nerve damage, and the need for surgical repair or medical intervention to treat injuries.
While the FDA’s evaluation is ongoing, we are asking patients, caregivers, and health care providers to report any complications related to the use of these devices for dermatologic or aesthetic skin procedures to the FDA. Prompt reporting of adverse events can help the FDA identify and better understand the risks associated with medical devices.”
How we do microneedling at Dr. Lauren Greenberg’s office
We do not use radiofrequency (RF) on purpose. The reason? We believe in the importance of fat in the face, particularly just under the skin surface. If you see the skin changes and improvements with fat transfer, you would see how it improves the skin appearance and quality. Additionally, you lose facial fat as you age. Some of the RF devices brag about making the face thinner. Volume in the face is precious as we age. Putting volume back in the face for facial rejuvenation is why the filler industry is so robust- Voluma, Lyft, Juvederm, Volbella, Restylane, Refyne, RHA.
Our nurse, Meghan Douglass, does the microneedling in our office. She has done hundreds of procedures and is well versed in how to do microneedling. She has incredible attention to detail, including pre treatment, pain control, sterility, depth of the needles, and more.
We take advantage of the microchannels to improve the results with applying Age Zero Exosomes, stem cells which can penetrate into the dermis for more improvement and effects.
Know there are qualified people in the Bay Area with FDA approved machines who do RF Microneedling safely. Our decision to not use it is because we believe strongly in maintaining facial fat.
Quick Microneedling Facts
- Microneedling is great for skin quality- fine lines, wrinkles, pore size, acne scars and pits, and more.
- Microneedling is also great for hair restoration, particularly when combined with Age Zero Exosomes and Minoxidil 5% (which we do in our scalp microneedling hair treatments)
- Do microneedling with an experienced medical provider. This is not a place to cut corners.
- Pretreat with medical grade topical skincare products for weeks ahead of time. This is particularly important for those with darker skin types.
- It can hurt. We provide a special topical numbing cream you apply prior to the procedure.
- It is best done in a series of three, then followed by yearly maintenance.
- We pair our program with medical grade products to continue the improvement.
FDA WARNING LINK:
Potential Risks with Certain Uses of Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling – FDA Safety Communication
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any questions regarding your health or medical condition.
