Who Can Perform Microneedling?

In the UK, microneedling is considered a medical aesthetic procedure, and it should only be performed by trained and qualified healthcare professionals. These professionals include doctors, dermatologists (doctors who specialise in skin conditions), registered nurses, medical aesthetic practitioners, dental practitioners, and surgeons.

Qualifications required to perform microneedling can vary depending on the length of the needle used. 

But before we look at the necessary qualifications in more detail, let’s ensure we understand exactly what microneedling is, and why so many people get it. 

What Is Skin Microneedling?

To put it simply, skin microneedling, also classed as collagen induction therapy, is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to encourage collagen production and help stimulate the skin's healing process.

The procedure is known for rejuvenating the skin’s surface, leaving it looking smoother, with improved firmness. It is also fantastic as an anti-aging treatment as it gets to work on fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation.  What’s more, it can also offer significant improvements to scarring and acne indentations on the face, due to its ‘skin healing’ benefits.

Microneedling should only be administered by a qualified healthcare professional, who will use an automated pen applicator to perform the procedure. 

The device moves across the surface of the skin to create tiny, superficial punctures that will encourage minor trauma to the skin, which will then stimulate the body’s natural healing process. This in turn boosts lymph and blood circulation and stimulates collagen cell growth. 

What Qualifications Do You Need for Microneedling?

While there are no actual regulations around who can use Microneedling devices in the UK, it is highly recommended by Health Education England that proper training and qualifications are undertaken before administering the procedure. 

Qualifications required to perform microneedling can vary depending on the length of the needle used. 

Most Microneedling pens offer a variety of needle depths, from very shallow needles at 0.25mm to very deep needles at 2.0mm. The deeper the microneedle depth, the more skin rejuvenation will be achieved, giving better results for the skin. 

Deeper needles do, however, also come with higher risks, so the deeper you want to operate, the more likely you are to need a qualification to get insurance.

The Health Education England’s (HEE) 2016 Qualification Requirements for Delivery of Cosmetic Procedures recommends a Level 4 qualification for up to 0.5mm, Level 5 for up to 1.0mm, and a Level 6 for up to 1.5mm. This gets even more strict for a power-assisted needle device, with a Level 6 recommended for 1.0mm.

It's important to note that regardless of the initial qualification, individuals performing microneedling should have received specialised training in the procedure. Microneedling training typically covers areas such as device usage, infection control, patient assessment, and post-procedure care. 

At You Can Clinic, we offer a combined Microneedling & Dermaplaning course that provides you with plenty of hands-on experience with live models and is the perfect stepping stone to developing your career in aesthetics. Book your Microneedling Training Course here. 

Why Train in Microneedling?

Training in microneedling can offer a number of benefits for healthcare professionals and practitioners in the field of dermatology and aesthetics:

You might want to train in microneedling because:

1. It Is Super Rewarding

As with any skin and aesthetic treatment, the main goal of microneedling is to enhance the patient's natural beauty and improve the appearance of the skin. 

Being able to create positive changes in clients' skin conditions can be highly rewarding for practitioners, especially when it contributes to their self-confidence and well-being by, for example, improving acne scarring.

Also, as microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure, it’s attractive to individuals who may be hesitant to undergo surgical interventions, contributing to client satisfaction. 

2. It Can Be Used in Combination With Other Aesthetic Treatments

Another benefit of training in microneedling is that it is complementary to other aesthetic treatments. By this we mean, microneedling can be used in combination with other treatments, and practitioners can offer customised treatment plans to enhance overall results. 

Some of the common skin treatments that can be combined with microneedling include:

• Hydraulic acid fillers - While microneedling improves overall skin texture, hydraulic acid fillers will add volume to specific areas, improving concerns like fine lines and wrinkles.

• Topical serums - Applying topical serums during or after microneedling is great for improving absorption. This is because the micro-channels created by the needles facilitate the penetration of these products into the skin.

• Chemical Peels: Microneedling can also be combined with chemical peels to enhance exfoliation, skin renewal and improve skin tone, texture, and pigmentation. 

• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): PRP works by extracting a small amount of the patient's own blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and then applying the PRP to the skin. When combined with microneedling, this treatment can further stimulate collagen production and promote faster skin healing. 

• Botox: While microneedling primarily focuses on improving the skin's texture and collagen production, neuromodulators like Botox, address dynamic wrinkles by temporarily relaxing underlying facial muscles. Combining these treatments can provide a more comprehensive anti-aging solution. Check out our Botox Training Courses here. 

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge in aesthetic treatments and develop your aesthetic skills, we offer an extensive range of training courses based at the grounds of the Heath Hospital, Cardiff Medicentre.

Check out our range of aesthetics training courses here.

3. Continuous Personal Development

Continuous education and training are crucial for professional development, and training in microneedling allows practitioners to stay up to date with the latest techniques, safety procedures and technologies in the field of aesthetics. 

Continuously expanding your knowledge and mastering micro needling techniques can also seriously boost a practitioner's confidence and contribute to not just professional, but personal growth too. The sense of accomplishment in mastering a procedure like microneedling adds to the rewarding nature of the training. 

4. Entrepreneurial Opportunities

For healthcare professionals looking to start their own skincare or aesthetic practice, being trained and qualified in microneedling can open up huge business opportunities and additional revenue streams. And with the popularity of microneedling growing year on year, this is great news. 

At You Can Clinic, we have scores of examples where we have helped medical professionals go from an absolute beginner to a more experienced aesthetic practitioner with a thriving business.

And there we have it! We hope this article has helped your understanding of who can perform microneedling.

If you’re interested in expanding your skillset as an aesthetic practitioner, look no further than You Can Clinic. We offer a range of training courses, including Botulinum Toxin, Microneedling & Dermaplaning and Weight Management.

Visit our website to book a course or contact a member of our team today at courses@youcanclinic.com or on 02921678747 to find out more.

You Can Clinic is one of the UK's leading providers of aesthetic training courses and pharmaceutical supplies. Over 1000 individuals have progressed through our affordable programmes, which provide comprehensive coverage of all relevant aesthetic procedures.

Written by Kate, for You Can Clinic.