I was sitting and getting my nails done, and I saw a salon with a sign that was totally misleading, and then I realised so many places make this claim, yet physically, how on earth could it even work?! That is, if you get microneedling, it will get rid of your hyperpigmentation and melasma. But in all honesty, how can jabbing little holes all over your face break down the pigment that is being developed by your pigment cells (melanocytes) deep within the layers of your skin? The name of the treatment is literally “MICRO needling”; the needle isn’t going that deep.
Now there are also other factors that come into play here, and that is stabbing your face all over with tiny needles with zero regard for skin inflammation and the way that triggers pigment cells to go into overdrive for melasma and pigmentation-prone people.
The core problem: microneedling creates controlled injury, and melasma responds to injury with more pigment!
Now I am not saying that microneedling is totally bad. It does have a time and a place where it can be incredible. It works by puncturing the skin with tiny needles to trigger a wound-healing response. That healing response is what stimulates collagen production, which is why it works well for scarring and fine lines.
But melasma isn't a scarring problem. It's a melanin overproduction problem. The inflammatory cascade triggered by those micro-injuries is exactly the kind of signal that tells melanocytes to ramp up pigment production. You're essentially poking the thing that's already overreacting and asking it to calm down.
Some may actually see initial brightening because the surface layer of pigmented skin is being disrupted and turning over faster, but underneath, the inflammation is waking melanocytes up even more. Within weeks, the melasma comes back the same or darker. This is the classic "it looked better then got worse" cycle a lot of your audience will recognise.
There is actually another angle to this too that can trigger worse outcomes. Some microneedling devices (especially RF microneedling) generate heat. Heat is a known melasma trigger. Even the low-grade thermal energy from standard derma-rolling can be enough to flare melasma in reactive skin.
If you are finding yourself tempted by the promises of these salons, I urge you to consider trying to target the problem from within first before spending hundreds and enduring an hour of pain. Nature has blessed us with some epic natural compounds that help our body with the causes of the pigment overproduction. These are the ones I always suggest looking for.
- Licorice root and polypodium – they help interrupt the melanin signalling pathway
- White tea and pomegranate – they provide antioxidant protection against the oxidative stress that triggers pigment production
Inconsistent dash usage; should match other list items They support the skin's ability to regulate its inflammatory response
This is why I had to incorporate these as ingredients in my Hyper Renew Kit amongst its blend of 27. I wanted to craft something that not only came with a 45-day money-back guarantee so you can try it without risking losing more money with zero results, but I also wanted something that in fact, nourishes the skin back to radiance, not torture it there with pain and trauma.
Hope this info was helpful. Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions, let me know; I am always here to help.
Talk soon,
K xx
