SonyaMicroneedling is not a new face procedure but there are many reasons why people return to this service over and over again. A couple of my friends swear by it touting it as their favourite and most effective way to address various skin concerns. Now that we’ve begun the holiday and gala season I figured it was the right time to explore this cosmetic procedure.
I spoke with Megan at Form, Face + Body and asked her about microneedling — a skin treatment that has been touted by skin experts and customers for its reported benefits. Would I be a candidate for this and if so, what do I need to know. I mentioned to her that my skin just doesn’t bounce back like it use to. My skin’s elasticity was declining — common as we get older. I also consistently battle with discolouration and hyperpigmentation with my skin. Enough to bother me. Plus I have sensitive skin.
I met with Megan recently, first for a virtual consult (by the way, that’s free). Very quickly I was comfortable with her — there was no judging. She’s seen all types of women and men who just want to put their best face forward. She was very open to answering ALL my questions in a professional and meticulous way that I didn’t expect for free. I also felt like she wasn’t “selling” me anything. She explained the facts and what the experience would be like. Then I went in to the office that’s located uptown on Wynford Drive with an initial visit for baby botox (a gentler and more natural botox) and to experience having filler — a first for me. I could pretty much walk out of the clinic and go on with life.
My next visit was for microneedling. I factored in a couple of days post-treatment so my skin could do it’s work and to wait for any redness to calm down before wearing make up again.
So, what is microneedling?
In straightforward terms, the treatment uses tiny sterile needles on the tip of a head that is used to go on your skin’s surface creating little punctures in the skin to help triggers your body’s natural response and go into repair mode. It stimulates our body’s natural ability to create collagen to help the skin recover particularly in aging skin when we can use that little boost! It also helps to regenerate skin tissue to help smooth, firm and tone. You may have also heard it called “collagen induction” procedure. 
What else is it for?
Most people, women and men, opt for microneedling to help address fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars. It definitely helps with discolouration including rosacea, according to Megan. It’s possible in theory, the treatment helps with improving circulation and can strengthen blood vessels that could help lower the intensity of rosacea flare ups. For my deep concern of skin discolouration it also helps but may take several sessions to really notice a big difference. It’s considered generally a safe cosmetic procedure for most skin types and it’s also great for minor scarring related to acne.However if you have psoriasis or eczema it might not be the best option. A consult with your dermatologist is best. 
What does it feel like?
Let’s start by saying I HATE NEEDLES. So, numbing cream was offered and I took it without hesitation. Once it set in Megan showed me the “skin pen” she would be using on me. She began on the lowest mode for the most sensitive parts of my face. Then, she worked her way to a deeper mode once I felt more comfortable. Surprisingly it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I was also concerned about bleeding. But that was minimal, surprisingly. Megan mentioned that my skin was actually very resilient so she wasn’t surprised I could handle the treatment.
Immediately after the treatment my skin looked red and felt puffy – which made sense since the treatment is inflicting wounds and the skin is responding naturally. Within a couple of hours the puffiness began to subside. My face looked sunburned and it felt tender.
I was instructed to not touch my face for 24 hours. I admit my face was sensitive and raw for a couple of days (everyone reacts differently to microneedling). A nutrient rich masque was provided and I applied it when I got home. The masque was a cooling relief that I happily kept on for 30 minutes.
photo taken just 3 hours after microneedling
Megan also provided me with a few other products created by AlumierMD specific for post-treatment care to take home with specific instructions for when it’s okay to wash my face, what products to use and when.
The first day after the microneedling my skin (chin area in particular) began to dry and flake. No alarm, she mentioned that it could happen. I just applied the gel she provided.
On day three, I could see my skin glow and felt comfortable going out in public. Pores appeared smaller (bonus!) and I felt more refreshed.
I began using my tinted moisturizer again a few days later as I resumed tending to my calendar of events. And the party invites continue to roll in for the season. I’ve already had a few people mentioned my face seems so refreshed and I’ve openly had conversations on what I’ve done at Form Face and Body.
Needless to say, I’m really impressed with this treatment and trusted Megan to guide me through from prep to post-care. How often can you do this? Megan mentioned that it really depends on individual needs. Some clients will go every four weeks for three or four treatments then slow down after that for more maintenance.
Form Face and Body, I had learned, isn’t considered a medispa and I can see why. I’ve been to a few medispas in the city to help with my discolouration. But here, at this prestigious reconstructive surgery and aesthetic clinic in Toronto, they offer much more than what options are available on the surface level. They are a team of board certified medical doctors, surgeons, nurses, and dedicated client post-op care staff.
First and foremost, they are open to educating clients about what procedures are best suited for each individual and why. Surgeons, Dr. Somogyi and Dr. Jalil, are passionate about their work and take the time to ensure decisions with clients are made with every thought and consideration in place. Every decision made is a team effort between client and professional. They also believe that these types of surgeries can be made accessible to more people. I had no idea there are financing options out there!
Libby and I had a very informative chat with the surgeons at Form Face and Body recently and we threw every question we could think of at them. We were VERY curious about their reconstruction and corrective surgery (e.g. mommy makeovers, liposuction, breast reconstruction) and more of that to come! By the way, we asked when would be the most ideal time to do these types of surgery? To our surprise they told us that often November, December and May are popular as people plan ahead for vacations but that’s starting to shift as well. Now it seems like any time is an ideal time.
One of the silver linings of the pandemic experience was that many have transitioned from being in the office everyday to working from home or a hybrid module. For this clinic that meant clients aren’t feeling so restricted in taking time off work to recover because they have the flexibility to do their jobs from home.
Stay tuned! We’ll be discussing various procedures including what really is all involved in a “mommy makeover” in upcoming articles. We’ll also be exploring next step options available once treatments like Botox and fillers have run their course — yep, that happens!
Interested in learning more? visit formfaceandbody.com . As mentioned you can get a free skin consult with Megan virtually. Surgery consults are $150 with the surgeons (at time of publishing this article.)
You can also read…
Libby’s article “Beautiful Skin in One Easy Step With Botox”
Carole’s article on “The Future of Customized Beauty”
and my previous article “Getting Skincare Ready for the Festive Season Now!”
*all photos by Libby Roach (except for my post-procedure selfie)