Nano-infusion with the Préime NanoTap is a surface treatment used at Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics in San Luis Obispo to improve how well skincare actives are absorbed. It does not puncture the skin. A session takes about thirty minutes with no recovery time.
Getting past the barrier
Your skin’s outermost layer exists to keep things out, and it is very good at it. That is the reason a serum can be excellent and still do almost nothing: the molecules that matter are simply too large to cross an intact surface.
Nano-infusion changes the delivery rather than the product. Very fine, non-invasive tips tap the surface to open temporary micro-channels, and the actives go in through those channels while they are open. Nothing punctures the skin. The channels close on their own.
Benefits:
- Gets more out of the medical-grade products you are already using
- No needles, no bleeding, no recovery, so it fits either side of a working day
- Gentle enough for sensitive skin and for areas where needling is not appropriate
- Immediately smoother, more even-looking skin
- Pairs with a PDRN booster, which is a large molecule that needs the help
Mild flushing that settles within an hour or two. Makeup the same day is fine.
What a session is like
Cleanse and assess
Skin is cleansed and the actives are chosen for what you are trying to change. This is the part that decides the result.
The pass
The handpiece moves across the face in gentle overlapping passes while the product is worked in. It feels like light tapping. No numbing is needed.
Finish
A protective layer goes on and you leave. Some people are slightly flushed for an hour. There is nothing to manage afterwards.
No numbing beforehand and nothing to plan around afterwards.
Nano-infusion is not microneedling
The two get sold as though they were the same thing at different intensities. They are not, and being clear about it is the only way you can judge whether this is the right treatment for you.
| Nano-infusion | Microneedling | |
|---|---|---|
| Does it break the skin | No. The tips work at the surface | Yes. Needles pass into the skin |
| What it is for | Getting product in, and immediate surface smoothness | Rebuilding structure underneath |
| Regulated as a medical device | No | Yes. Cleared for specific uses [1] |
| Downtime | None | Two to three days |
| What it will not do | Change scarring or skin structure | Fix a poor product routine |
Because it does not penetrate living skin, nano-infusion is not a medical device and it is not cleared to treat scars, wrinkles, or anything structural. [1] Any page telling you a nano-needling facial builds collagen or removes acne scars is describing a different treatment.
That is not a criticism of it. It is a very good version of what it actually is: a delivery treatment and a same-day skin-appearance treatment, with none of the recovery that structural work requires. If what you need is structural, microneedling is the honest answer and we will say so at a consultation.
Where nano-infusion suits best
| Situation | Why it works here |
|---|---|
| Before an event | Immediate surface smoothness with nothing to recover from |
| Sensitive or reactive skin | No puncture, so no inflammatory response to manage |
| Around the eyes | Delicate skin where needling depth is limited or inappropriate |
| Between deeper treatments | Keeps skin in good condition without adding downtime |
| Getting more from good products | The actives you already own, actually absorbed |
A physician-led approach
The device is the least interesting part of this treatment. What decides whether it does anything is what goes into the channels, and that is a clinical judgment about your skin rather than a menu choice.
At Coastal, that judgment comes from a dermatology practice that also treats the conditions behind the concern. If your pigment is melasma rather than sun damage, the actives change, because treating melasma like sun damage makes melasma worse. If what you actually need is structural, we will tell you that instead of selling you a course of facials.
The tips work at the skin’s surface, which is why there is nothing to recover from.
Is it right for you?
A good fit if:
- You want visibly better skin for an event and cannot take any downtime
- Your skin is sensitive, reactive, or too thin for needling in the areas that bother you
- You have invested in good products and suspect they are not getting anywhere
- You want maintenance between deeper treatments
Worth a conversation first if:
- Acne scarring or genuine laxity is your main concern, because this will not address either
- You have active infection, open breakouts or inflamed skin in the treatment area
- You have been promised collagen building by another provider and want to know what is real
What to expect afterwards
Most people leave slightly flushed and are back to normal within an hour or two. Makeup the same day is fine. There is no aftercare regimen to follow.
Skin is briefly more absorbent than usual, which is the point, so avoid applying anything harsh for the rest of the day and use sun protection as you would anyway.
Adverse effects are uncommon and mild. Tell us if you have reacted to a skincare active before, since the treatment increases how much of it reaches your skin.
Concerns treated
Nano-infusion is used here for these concerns. Pick one to see how we approach it.
What treatment costs
Nano-infusion is priced per session, and the actives used are part of that price. Because the result is largely about what goes in, the plan is quoted against what you are trying to change rather than as a flat facial price.
Most people use it as maintenance rather than as a course, so we will tell you honestly whether a package makes sense for you or whether occasional sessions are better value.
Treatment time
About 30 minutes
Downtime
None. Mild flushing for an hour or two
Results appear
Same day, at the surface
Results last
Days to weeks. Maintenance treatment
Offered at
San Luis Obispo
Nano-infusion frequently asked questions
Makeup, work and daylight, with nothing to plan around.
Offered at
Ready to start? Request your consultation
Fill out the form below, book online in Santa Maria (opens online scheduler), or give us a call. Cosmetic and aesthetic appointments need no referral. For medical dermatology, we are accepting new patients by referral from your primary care physician; send the referral across and then use the same form.
Cosmetic consultations are $125, paid at booking and credited toward the cost of treatment.
Sources and medical review
1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Microneedling Devices.” On the distinction between products that penetrate living skin and are regulated as medical devices, and products that do not penetrate living skin and may only claim to facilitate exfoliation or improve the appearance of skin. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/aesthetic-cosmetic-devices/microneedling-devices · Regulatory
Content on this page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Préime® and NanoTap® are registered trademarks of their owner. This is a cosmetic surface treatment. The device does not penetrate living skin, is not a medical device, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Mild flushing that settles within an hour or two is expected. Irritation or a reaction to a product applied during the session is uncommon but possible. Tell us about any sensitivity or allergy to skincare ingredients, and tell us if you are pregnant so that product choice can be adjusted. This treatment is not suitable where there is an active infection, active inflammatory acne or broken skin in the area. Individual results may vary. Cosmetic consultations are $125, paid at booking and credited toward the cost of treatment.