The Microneedling Support Hub - By Nina

Facial skin is thinner than you think...

Most people massively underestimate how thin facial skin actually is — and often take it for granted. 😌

A lot of microneedling advice online focuses only on needle depth, but real skin is far more complex than just a number on a device. 🧐

Different areas of the face vary hugely in thickness.

The under-eye area is incredibly delicate, while areas like the cheeks and jawline are naturally thicker and structurally different.

Then add in:
• age
• collagen density
• inflammation
• skin quality
• pressure
• device power
• speed
• and technique…

…and suddenly fixed “depth rules” stop making much sense.

This is exactly why deeper doesn’t automatically mean better results.

💜 Key takeaway:
Facial skin is delicate.

Respect the anatomy, protect the barrier, and treat with intention.

— Nina 💜

Let’s talk about it 💜

What depth do you use most often?

• 0.25mm
• 0.5mm
• 0.75mm
• 1.0mm+

And why?

There’s no one-size-fits-all — it always depends on the skin, the area, and the concern.

But it’s interesting to see what most people are using in practice 👇

— Nina

A common big mistake…

Thinking more pressure = better results.

Let’s talk about pressure, dragging & hand movement ✍️

The microneedling cartridge should never be pushed into the skin.

The needles are designed to do the work — not pressure.🫣

The pen should be held gently so the cartridge can lightly glide across the slip with controlled hand movement.

Too much pressure, not enough slip, poor hand movement, or aggressive technique can increase:
• dragging
• track marks
• scratches
• irritation
• inflammation
• unnecessary downtime
• and potentially post inflammatory pigmentation

without actually improving results.

❌ Microneedling should not leave the skin looking scratched, ripped, heavily dragged or traumatised.

And honestly, one of the reasons I personally don’t agree with using numbing cream is that once the skin is fully numb, it becomes much easier to overwork areas without realising how aggressive the treatment actually is.

Controlled, consistent technique will almost always outperform aggressive treatment.

— Nina 💜

Should you be using numbing cream before microneedling…
or 👎🏽❓

So lets discuss it 🤔

Personally… I don’t, never have, not on clients, family and myself

Not only is it restricted under my insurance and local council licensing rules, but I also think people underestimate how much numbing cream can interfere with the treatment itself.

Pain and discomfort are feedback.

If the skin is completely numbed, it becomes much easier to overwork areas without realising how aggressive the treatment actually feels on the skin.

Numbing cream can also temporarily constrict blood vessels and cause side effects such as redness, swelling, itching, tingling and irritation.

So combining that with microneedling can sometimes make the overall inflammation and healing response even more intense.

And honestly, some of the most overworked skins I’ve personally seen after microneedling have involved aggressive treatments combined with numbing cream — where the skin remained extremely red and reactive for days afterwards.

There’s also the legal and insurance side of things.

Many therapists are not medical prescribers, and if someone has an allergic reaction or complication to a topical anaesthetic, it can become a very serious situation very quickly.

That doesn’t mean nobody should ever use numbing cream.

But I do think it’s something that should be discussed far more realistically instead of automatically being seen as part of every microneedling treatment.

— Nina 💜

Ok, let’s talk about speed for a change 🧐

Most people are confused about what speed they should use with their depth settings during microneedling.

⬇️ Lower speeds can give you more control and precision — especially on smaller or more delicate areas.

⬆️ Higher speeds can help the cartridge glide more smoothly across larger or thicker areas without dragging.

If your speed is too low for the area being treated — especially with poor glide or slower hand movement — the cartridge can start dragging, scraping or catching the skin unnecessarily.

And honestly, speed settings are something I don’t think get explained properly enough in a lot of microneedling training.

✅ Key takeaway:
Microneedling isn’t just about depth.

Speed, pressure, glide and hand movement all play a role too.

Save this guide for later 👇

— Nina 💜

Most people don’t actually understand what microneedling is supposed to look like. 🥴

They’ve just gotten used to seeing:
more blood,
more redness,
more downtime,
more pain…

and assuming that means the quickest results.

Well it doesn’t.

A lot of microneedling now seems to focus more on creating dramatic content than creating good skin outcomes.

But skin responds to controlled stimulation.

Not unnecessary trauma.

😖

More isn’t always better.

— Nina 💜

You do NOT need 1.5mm for collagen. 🙀🫣

Collagen stimulation starts at shallower depths than most people realise.🤔

One of the biggest misconceptions in microneedling is thinking collagen only happens at aggressive depths.

Well it doesn’t‼️

Once you’re around 0.5mm on much of the face, you’re already reaching the dermis where collagen signalling begins.

That doesn’t mean deeper depths are never used.

But deeper should be indication-specific — not automatically the goal.

Skin responds to controlled injury, correct technique, consistency and healing.

Not just trauma.😖

And honestly, I think social media has normalised going unnecessarily deep without enough respect for skin anatomy or long-term inflammation.

— Nina 💜

🎉 Facebook recognized me as a consistent post creator this week! 💜

Honestly, thank you for all the support, comments, likes and shares lately — it really does help more than people realise.

❤️ Drop a heart below if you’re finding this page helpful and would like me to keep creating more microneedling education, myths, tips and skin content.

— Nina 💜

Microneedling isn’t just about the dermis.

Some of the most important changes actually begin higher up in the skin.

The epidermis isn’t just a surface layer — it actively signals:
• growth factors
• pigment regulation
• communication with deeper cells

And just beneath it sits the dermal–epidermal junction (DEJ) — a key area involved in:
• skin strength
• elasticity
• wrinkle formation

This is where early structural changes begin.

Which means effective microneedling doesn’t rely on creating deep injury. 🤓

It relies on reaching the level where these signals are triggered.

In many cases, that happens at more superficial depths than people expect.

⸻

💜 Key takeaway
Skin rejuvenation is driven by precision — not how aggressively the skin is treated.

⸻

— Nina 💜

I think social media has distorted what many people now think a “good” microneedling treatment is supposed to look like.

Amazing how some people now feel disappointed if they’re not:
• covered in blood
• extremely red
• peeling for days

But skin stimulation and skin trauma are not the same thing. 🙄

A treatment does not automatically become better just because it looks more aggressive.

More isn’t always better.

— Nina 💜