If you are looking at facial treatments in Burbank, microneedling and nanoneedling can sound like the same thing. Both use very fine needles, and both are done at Full Lotus Health with custom Chinese herbal serums and red light therapy. They work at different depths, though, and that changes what each one is good for.
The short answer
Microneedling works deeper. It is the one to consider for scarring, fine lines, uneven texture, enlarged pores and thinning hair along the hairline. Nanoneedling is a gentle surface treatment for glow and hydration, with no downtime.
How microneedling works
Microneedling is also called collagen induction therapy. Fine, sterile, medical-grade needles create tiny controlled channels in the skin. That prompts your skin’s natural repair process, which builds new collagen over the following weeks.
At Full Lotus Health a microneedling session is 90 minutes. Your first visit includes an intake and a treatment plan. A numbing cream goes on first, and most people find the treatment comfortable. Afterward you can expect some redness, similar to a mild sunburn, that usually settles within a day or two.
Results build over time. Most people do a series of sessions spaced several weeks apart.
How nanoneedling works
Nanoneedling uses ultra-fine nano-tips that open microscopic channels in the very surface of the skin, without going deeper. Those channels let hyaluronic acid, vitamins and custom Chinese herbal serums absorb where your skin needs them.
A nanoneedling session is 60 minutes. There is no downtime, so you can go straight back to your day. Skin often looks brighter right away and keeps improving over the following days. It works well on its own or as a regular series.
Side by side
| Microneedling | Nanoneedling | |
|---|---|---|
| Works at | Deeper layers of the skin | The very surface of the skin |
| Often chosen for | Acne scarring, fine lines, texture, pores, thinning hairline | Dull or dehydrated skin, sensitive skin, a glow before an event |
| Session length | 90 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Afterward | Redness like a mild sunburn, usually a day or two | No downtime |
| Plan | A series, spaced several weeks apart | On its own or as a regular series |
Which one should you choose?
Consider microneedling if you want to work on scarring, lines, texture or pores, or if you are noticing thinning along your hairline. You are choosing a stronger treatment, so plan for a day or two of redness and for a series of sessions.
Consider nanoneedling if your skin looks tired, dull or dehydrated, if your skin is sensitive and does not do well with stronger treatments, or if you want a glow before an event.
Many people use both. Nanoneedling also works well as maintenance between microneedling sessions.
What is in the serum
Your serums are chosen for your skin by Roozbeh Ghobadpour, L.Ac., a licensed acupuncturist with more than 10 years of clinical experience. Because he is trained in Chinese medicine, your skin is looked at as part of your whole health, not in isolation. Red light therapy is included with both treatments.
Not sure which fits?
You do not have to decide before you come in. Book a session and the two of you will decide together, or text a question first at (818) 253-9307.
Read more about microneedling in Burbank and nanoneedling in Burbank, or see times and fees on the medical microneedling session and facial nano-needling pages. If you would rather work with acupuncture points than serums, see cosmetic acupuncture.