SkinPen Microneedling in Brickell, Miami

Collagen induction therapy, beneath the surface

SkinPen microneedling — also known as collagen induction therapy — creates controlled micro-wounds that trigger your body’s natural healing response. As the skin repairs itself, it produces new tissue rich in collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for tightness and elasticity — a natural, holistic healing of the skin from the inside out. For the full evidence on resurfacing options, see our skin resurfacing guide.

Why collagen renewal matters as we age

Each year after you turn 20, collagen production drops by roughly 1% — which is why skin gradually appears looser and saggier with age. By restarting collagen production, microneedling helps counter the visible effects of aging: firmer skin, more even texture.

• Natural collagen renewal — your own healing response builds the result.
• Controlled, consistent depth — a precise micro-injury pattern across the treatment area.
• Minimally invasive — no surgery, no removal of the outer skin layers, minimal downtime.

The three phases, and how long they take

Healing runs in three stages, and they are nowhere near the same length. Inflammation is the first day or two — that’s the redness. Proliferation runs through roughly the first week to ten days, laying down new tissue. Remodeling is the long one: collagen keeps reorganizing and strengthening for six months to a year after a single session.⁹ That’s why sessions are spaced out instead of stacked, and why your last appointment isn’t the last of the improvement.

Acne scars, scar removal & texture

Acne scars are one of the most common reasons clients book SkinPen at Miami Skin Spa. By rebuilding collagen inside scarred tissue, it visibly softens acne scars and uneven texture over a series of sessions — if you’re searching for scar removal, medical-grade microneedling is a well-studied non-surgical starting point.

Fine lines, wrinkles & firmness

The same collagen renewal reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps tighten loose and saggy skin — and it’s well worth considering before committing to surgical anti-aging procedures.

Neck lines & crepey skin

The neck is the second area SkinPen is FDA-cleared for — specifically, the appearance of neck wrinkles in Fitzpatrick skin types II–IV. Neck skin is thinner than facial skin and shows collagen loss earlier, which is why it often looks a decade ahead of the face. The neck protocol runs four sessions rather than three, spaced about a month apart. If the concern is loose skin rather than surface crepiness, skin tightening and Morpheus8 reach deeper.

Pores, tone & stretch marks

Microneedling treatments also refine large pores, even skin tone for a brighter, glowing complexion, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, and support overall skin rejuvenation. Because discoloration often accompanies scarring, we sometimes pair SkinPen with treatments targeting hyperpigmentation.

SkinPen suits those who haven’t had success with at-home rollers and topical treatments. Many skin concerns can be visibly improved in just a few sessions — and in experienced medical hands, the results build over the series.

How many sessions you’ll need

This isn’t a one-and-done treatment — microneedling requires multiple sessions for full results. Most patients benefit from 3–6 sessions spaced 4–6 weeks apart; very minor concerns may need only one or two treatments. Deeper scarring sits at the longer end of the range.

How long a session takes

The needling itself is quick. SkinPen’s own treatment guidance puts a full face at around 20 minutes and a face-and-neck treatment at under 30.⁹ Budget an hour for the appointment, though — the numbing agent needs 30–45 min to take effect before anything starts.

When results appear

Results begin immediately: the skin starts healing right after treatment and continues remodeling for 4–6 weeks, when the next session is scheduled. Visible improvements are often noticed after just one treatment, with full results developing over several weeks as collagen rebuilds — and the remodeling underneath keeps going for six months to a year after your final session.⁹ We recommend upkeep sessions every 6 or 12 months to keep collagen production ahead of the aging curve.

Maintaining your results

You can pair SkinPen with complementary treatments like HydraFacials and Pico Genesis to maintain and amplify results between sessions — your provider sequences these at the consultation.

What the acne-scar study found

SkinPen’s FDA clearance rests on a study of 20 patients who had three sessions a month apart and were followed for six months after the last one. Two board-certified dermatologists graded the photos blinded — they didn’t know which image came first. At six months, 55% of patients showed a measurable improvement in scar grade and none scored worse than they started. Asked about their own skin, 90% reported some degree of improvement in the appearance of their acne scars.⁸

What the neck study found

A separate study covered the neck: 35 patients aged 44 to 65, Fitzpatrick types II–IV, four sessions a month apart, assessed three months after the final treatment. Two independent blinded physicians graded neck wrinkles on the Lemperle scale, and 50% improved by at least one full grade.⁸

What recovery actually looked like

Neither study recorded an adverse event at the final follow-up. What patients did log in their daily diaries were short-lived treatment responses: redness, itching, peeling and tenderness in about a third of the acne group lasting one to three days; dryness in 12–22% lasting one to six days; briefer episodes of tightness and burning. That’s the recovery to plan around — a few days, not a few weeks.⁸

Numbers from a controlled study are not a promise about your skin. Scar type, how long you’ve had them, your age and your healing all move the result, which is why we map them at the consultation before quoting a series.

The original microneedling

Plain collagen induction therapy: tiny sterile needles puncture the skin, which can cause minor pinpoint bleeding. SkinPen Precision — made by Crown Aesthetics (formerly Bellus Medical) — is the FDA-cleared evolution of this category. Compared with Dermapen-style pens and other microneedling devices, it pairs precise, controlled treatment depth with FDA clearance supported by clinical safety and efficacy data.

Microneedling + radio frequency

A newer category adds tiny bursts of radiofrequency energy down the needles as they penetrate the skin, making skin tightening more efficient for deeper laxity or scarring. For deeper remodeling, ask our team about Morpheus8.

Radio frequency microneedling + fractional CO2

A combination of two treatments — fractional CO2 resurfacing layered with RF microneedling. It’s one of the more aggressive options on the market, with considerable downtime; the fractional CO2 improves skin resurfacing from the epidermis down to the deeper layers. If a gentler protocol gets you the same result with less recovery, your provider will say so at the consultation.

Why acne scars form

More than 90% of people across the globe will experience acne at some point. An acne scar is the leftover evidence of the body’s healing process: pores clog with bacteria and oil, inflammation follows, and the new collagen fibers the body produces don’t look exactly like the original skin. Whether you scar depends on the type of acne (severe cystic acne commonly scars), how long you had it, genetics, and habits like picking or popping pimples. The right treatment starts with the right diagnosis — our acne scars guide covers the full evidence.

Atrophic scars: rolling, icepick & boxcar

Atrophic scars — the most common type — form below the top layer of the skin when collagen is lost during healing, leaving shallow depressions or craters. Rolling scars look like waves, formed when bands of protein tether the epidermis down to the subcutaneous tissue; icepick scars are deep, narrow, V-shaped holes (like a chicken pox scar) and the most difficult acne scars to treat; boxcar scars are wider with well-defined, boxy edges — often described as “pitted skin.”

Hypertrophic & keloid scars

These form above the skin from too much collagen. Hypertrophic scars feel raised and look pink or red; keloids can grow beyond the borders of the original injury, often run in families, and are more common in deeply pigmented skin. They respond to different tools — massage, steroid injections (corticosteroids), and cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen.

Where SkinPen fits in the treatment plan

Rolling and boxcar scars often respond well to microneedling’s collagen renewal inside the scar. Depending on scar type, your plan may also include lightening creams for discoloration, subcision, excision, microdermabrasion, laser therapy, chemical peels, or dermal fillers for stubborn icepick scars. While icepick scars may never disappear completely, a layered plan can reduce their appearance substantially — SkinPen is one component, often combined with other modalities. Restoring tone and vibrancy comes last, with peels and facials like the HydraFacial.

Used across a wide range of skin tones

Because SkinPen relies on your skin’s own healing response rather than heat or pigment-targeting energy, it is used across a wide range of skin tones, including deeper complexions where some energy devices need caution. On deeper skin (Fitzpatrick IV to VI), pigment can darken before it lightens.⁹ That’s why your provider starts shallow and builds depth rather than going deep on the first pass.

Comfort during treatment

Microneedling is not a painless experience on its own, so we highly advise the topical numbing agent — it takes about 30–45 min to take effect, after which treatment is comfortable for most patients. Your skin will be irritated and red afterward; that’s the healing response at work.

Who’s a candidate

• Those with acne scars, fine lines, or wrinkles
• Anyone wanting to improve overall skin texture and tone
• People seeking non-invasive skin rejuvenation without surgery
• A wide range of skin tones, including deeper complexions — settings are matched to your skin at the consultation

What we screen for

Some of these rule treatment out; most simply move it, or change the plan. We go through them at the consultation rather than at the chair.

• Active acne flares, skin infections, cold-sore outbreaks, or open lesions in the treatment area — treatment is deferred until resolved.
• Recent isotretinoin use (Accutane), keloid-prone scarring, and conditions that impair wound healing — discussed individually.
• Pregnancy and nursing, and blood thinners or a bleeding disorder — reviewed at your consultation.
• An allergy to stainless steel or to topical anesthetics — the needles and the numbing agent both matter here.
• Skin cancer in the treatment area, raised moles, or scars and stretch marks less than a year old.
• Eczema, psoriasis, rosacea or another ongoing skin condition in the area, and conditions like diabetes or immunosuppressive therapy that change how skin heals.

Every SkinPen treatment at Miami Skin Spa is performed by a licensed medical provider after an individual evaluation — meet the team.

Before your session

• Stop retinoids 24 hours beforehand, and keep off the sun — no burns, no long exposure — for that same 24 hours.
• If you’ve taken oral isotretinoin (Accutane), the manufacturer asks for six months between your last dose and a microneedling treatment.⁸
• Tell us about any autoimmune therapy — there should be at least 24 hours between it and your session.

Right after your session

We apply a customized post-treatment serum and review a personalized aftercare plan built around your skin and goals. Expect mild redness and swelling similar to a light sunburn, subsiding within 24–48 hours — most patients resume normal activities right away.

The first week

• Keep the skin clean and skip makeup for the first day while the micro-channels close.
• Use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer; pause retinoids, acids, and exfoliants until the skin settles.
• Sunscreen goes back on at the 24-hour mark, not before — the micro-channels are still closing that first day. After that it’s daily broad-spectrum SPF; new collagen is building and the Miami sun is unforgiving.
• No sweaty workouts, saunas, or sun for a full 72 hours. Heat and sweat on skin that’s still healing is what turns ordinary redness into a real reaction.⁸

Between sessions

Medical-grade skincare keeps the collagen response on track, and gentle maintenance like a HydraFacial can be layered in once your skin settles.