Microneedle is a method or tool that uses tiny needles to stimulate the skin. Here is a detailed introduction: ### Definition and Principle - **Definition**: Microneedle refers to the use of very small needles to create micro - channels on the skin surface for cosmetic or medical purposes. It can also refer to the small needles used in this operation. - **Principle**: By creating numerous tiny channels on the skin surface, it stimulates the skin's self - repair mechanism, triggering a cascade of wound - healing responses. This leads to the release of various growth factors such as platelet - derived growth factor and transforming growth factor, which promote the production of collagen and elastin fibers, thereby improving the texture, elasticity, and radiance of the skin. ### Application Areas - **Cosmetic Field** - **Skin Texture Improvement**: It can effectively improve various scars, including acne scars, burn scars, and trauma scars, making the skin in the scar - affected area smoother. For enlarged pores, it can promote skin metabolism, shrink pores, and make the skin more delicate and firm. In addition, it can stimulate collagen production, reduce wrinkles and fine lines, enhance skin elasticity, and delay skin aging. - **Skin Tone Improvement**: It helps improve skin dullness and pigmentation problems, promotes the metabolism of melanin, evens out the skin tone, and makes the skin brighter and more radiant. It also has a certain effect on improving stretch marks such as pregnancy marks and striae distensae, promoting the skin to regain elasticity and fade the lines. - **Medical Field** - **Drug Delivery**: It can enhance the ability of various drugs to penetrate the skin barrier, directly delivering drugs to the vascularized dermis, improving the efficacy of drugs, reducing the dosage of drugs and systemic side effects. It can be used to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, and also for local drug delivery in systemic diseases. - **Hair Loss Treatment**: For hair loss problems such as androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, when combined with drugs such as minoxidil, it can increase drug absorption, stimulate hair follicles, and promote hair growth. - **Hyperhidrosis Treatment**: It can be used to treat primary axillary hyperhidrosis. By destroying the sweat glands or blocking the secretion of sweat glands through microneedles, the amount of sweating is reduced. ### Operation Process - **Pre - operation Preparation**: The patient needs to have a detailed communication with the doctor. The doctor will evaluate the patient's skin condition, understand the patient's medical history and allergy history, etc., to exclude contraindications. About one month before the operation, the patient may need to follow the doctor's advice to use vitamin A or C cream to help start the collagen production process. - **Anesthesia**: The doctor will first clean and disinfect the skin in the treatment area, and then apply an anesthetic ointment, such as lidocaine gel. Wait for about 30 to 45 minutes to make the skin numb and reduce the discomfort during the treatment. - **Microneedle Operation**: The doctor uses a microneedle roller or an electric microneedle device to adjust the needle length according to the treatment area and purpose, and gently rolls or presses on the skin surface to create tiny channels. The operation time varies according to the treatment area and the patient's skin condition. After the operation, a soothing mask or repair lotion is usually applied to the skin to help calm and repair the skin. The patient needs to follow the doctor's advice on post - operation care, including avoiding sun exposure, keeping the skin clean, and using skin - care products as recommended.