SkinPen® is a prescription microneedling device used by trained healthcare professionals. It is FDA-cleared to improve the appearance of facial acne scars in adults 22 and older, and wrinkles of the neck for Fitzpatrick skin types II to IV. Treatment is typically a series about four weeks apart, with numbing cream beforehand, and most people return to normal activities within about a day. SkinPen is offered at both of our offices, San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria.
What is SkinPen microneedling?
SkinPen® uses a sterile, single-use cartridge of fine needles to create tiny micro-channels in the skin. This triggers the skin’s natural healing response, and the skin remodels itself over the following months, without chemicals, heat or injections.
SkinPen is a prescription-use device intended for healthcare professionals trained in its use. Your provider adjusts the needle depth for the area being treated.
What SkinPen is cleared to treat
SkinPen is FDA-cleared for two uses:
- Facial acne scars: to improve the appearance of facial acne scars in adults 22 and older, with all skin types
- Neck wrinkles: to improve the appearance of wrinkles of the neck for Fitzpatrick skin types II to IV
Other uses are considered off-label. If you are interested in an area or concern beyond these two, your provider will tell you whether SkinPen is appropriate.
Benefits of SkinPen
SkinPen can help you:
- Improve the appearance of facial acne scars
- Improve the appearance of wrinkles of the neck
- Work with your skin’s own healing response, without chemicals, heat or injections
- Treat facial acne scars in adults of all skin types, with the neck indication covering Fitzpatrick types II to IV
- Return to most normal activities within about a day
- See improvement build gradually in the months after your series
How SkinPen works
Numb
A numbing cream is applied beforehand to keep you comfortable.
Treat
Your provider moves the SkinPen across the treatment area, adjusting needle depth for the area. Most people describe the feeling as light pressure or a mild buzzing.
Heal
Your skin heals and remodels itself over the following weeks and months. A series of treatments about four weeks apart is typically recommended.
What to expect
Your visit begins with a consultation. Your provider will look at your skin, ask about your health history and medications, and tell you whether SkinPen is a good fit and how many treatments to plan for.
Numbing cream is applied first, so your appointment includes time for it to take effect. Your provider will let you know how long to plan for.
Afterward, your skin may look pink, like a mild sunburn, and feel warm or tight. This typically settles within a day or two, though it can take up to a few days, and some people have light dryness or flaking. Most people return to normal activities within about a day.
SkinPen is given as a series, typically about four weeks apart. In the clinical studies behind its FDA clearances, facial acne scars were treated three times and neck wrinkles four times, each about a month apart. Deeper scarring sometimes takes more, and your provider will recommend the number that is right for you.
Results develop gradually. In those studies, improvement was assessed up to six months after the last treatment for facial acne scars and three months after for neck wrinkles. Maintenance treatments after your series may help sustain results, and your provider will advise you.
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Caring for your skin after treatment
- Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day, and avoid direct sun while your skin heals
- Use a gentle cleanser and the aftercare products your provider recommends
- Skip makeup for about 24 hours, and hold off on retinoids, acids and other active ingredients until your provider says it is okay
- Contact our office if you notice spreading redness, unusual pain, blistering or signs of infection
Learn more from the American Academy of Dermatology about how to apply sunscreen.
Is SkinPen right for you?
SkinPen may be a good option if you want to improve the appearance of facial acne scars or wrinkles of the neck, and you are willing to complete a series of treatments and give your skin several months to respond.
The facial acne scar indication is for adults 22 and older. The neck indication covers Fitzpatrick skin types II to IV, so if the neck is your main concern and you are outside that range, your provider will talk with you about your options.
Deeper or more complex scars may need other treatments. If SkinPen is not the right answer for your scars, your provider will say so and talk with you about your options, including radiofrequency microneedling at our San Luis Obispo office.
SkinPen is not used during pregnancy or while nursing, or if you are currently taking isotretinoin. Please let us know if you have recently taken isotretinoin, so your provider can determine when treatment may be appropriate. See the safety information below for the full list.
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Safety information
Your provider will review the manufacturer’s safety information with you before treatment, based on the SkinPen Instructions for Use. Please tell us about your health history, your medications and any allergies.
Contraindications. SkinPen should not be used on patients who:
- Have active skin cancer in the treatment area
- Have open wounds, sores or irritated skin in the treatment area
- Have an allergy to stainless steel or anesthetics
- Have a bleeding disorder or impaired blood clotting
- Are pregnant or nursing
- Are currently taking isotretinoin (such as Accutane)
Precautions. SkinPen has not been evaluated in patients with certain conditions or who take certain medications, including:
- Active acne
- Eczema, psoriasis or another chronic skin condition
- Rosacea or a history of contact dermatitis
- Actinic keratosis, or raised moles in the treatment area
- Active bacterial, fungal or viral infections, such as herpes or warts
- Keloid scars, or scars and stretch marks less than a year old
- Diabetes, collagen vascular disease, scleroderma or heart abnormalities
- Wound-healing deficiencies
- Immunomodulatory or suppressive therapy, or anticoagulant medication
These situations call for careful review, and your provider will tell you whether treatment is appropriate for you.
Possible side effects
Most side effects are temporary. They can include:
- Redness similar to a mild sunburn, which typically settles within a day or two and can take up to a few days
- Mild swelling on the first day
- Minor pinpoint bleeding
- Dryness or light flaking for a few days
- Bruising
Less commonly, infection, prolonged redness, lasting lighter or darker patches of skin, or raised scarring can occur. Contact our office if anything about your recovery concerns you.
SkinPen frequently asked questions
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Ready to start? Request your consultation
To schedule an appointment, please complete the form below, book online in Santa Maria (opens online scheduler), or call our office.
Cosmetic Services: No referral is required.
Medical Dermatology in San Luis Obispo: We are accepting new patients with a referral from your primary care physician. Please have your primary care physician send your referral to our office, then complete the form below to request an appointment.
Medical Dermatology in Santa Maria: PPO patients may schedule appointments without a referral. For HMO patients, we are in-network with Santa Maria Physician's Choice.
A consultation fee of $125 is due at the time of booking.
Sources and references
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: 510(k) K202243, SkinPen Precision System · 510(k) K241400, SkinPen Precision Elite System · De Novo DEN160029, SkinPen Precision System · Microneedling devices
SkinPen: Instructions for Use · Frequently asked questions
Cleveland Clinic: Microneedling
American Academy of Dermatology Association: How to apply sunscreen
This page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. SkinPen® is a registered trademark of its manufacturer, Crown Aesthetics. SkinPen is a prescription-use device and is not suitable for everyone. Individual results vary, and side effects are possible. Your provider will review the manufacturer’s full safety information, including contraindications and warnings, with you before treatment.