Microneedling

Precision Microneedling Treatments

Microneedling

Designed to Rebuild Skin From the Inside

Some things skincare cannot reach. The shallow depressions left behind by acne you had years ago. Pores that look larger in certain light. A surface that has quietly lost the smoothness it used to have, so that makeup settles into places it never used to settle. These are structural changes, and no serum applied to the surface is going to reorganize what is happening underneath it.

Microneedling works at that deeper level. At Radiance Aesthetics, treatment is performed by Dr. Sharon Lawrence, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic technique — and someone who spent years managing her own adult acne and the marks it left behind. Depth, coverage, and pacing are clinical decisions here, made with an understanding of what over-aggressive treatment costs.

Patients come to Radiance Aesthetics from across North Arlington and the surrounding communities of Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties for skin treatment planned around results that hold rather than results that impress on day one.

Every treatment begins with a Get to Know You Consultation, where Dr. Lawrence evaluates your skin, your history, and what is realistic before anything is scheduled.

Ready to Explore Your Options?

A Get to Know You Consultation is where your plan takes shape. Dr. Lawrence will assess your skin condition, discuss what microneedling can and cannot change for you, and recommend a course built around your concerns.

What Is Microneedling?

Microneedling uses very fine needles to create controlled micro-channels in the skin. These are small, precise, and deliberately made. The skin responds the way skin responds to any controlled injury — by initiating a repair process that includes producing new collagen and elastin in the treated area.

That repair process is the treatment. Nothing is being added to your skin and nothing is being removed from it. Your own tissue is being prompted to rebuild.

The goal is not to resurface what you can see — it is to reorganize the structure underneath, so the surface improves as a consequence.

Because microneedling works mechanically rather than through light or heat absorbed by pigment, it is generally appropriate across skin tones, including deeper ones where certain other resurfacing approaches require more caution.

Results build gradually and accumulate. A single session initiates the process; a series is what produces visible structural change.

What Concerns Can Microneedling Address?

Microneedling may help improve:

Uneven or rough skin texture
The appearance of acne scarring, particularly shallow depressed scars
Enlarged-looking pores
Fine lines and early crepiness
Overall skin firmness and density
Dullness and lack of surface refinement
Some forms of uneven tone
Stretch marks and scarring outside the face

What microneedling does not address. It does not reduce lines caused by muscle movement, restore lost facial volume, or tighten significant skin laxity. Deep, sharply defined ice-pick scarring responds poorly to microneedling alone. Active acne is treated before microneedling is considered, not with it. Dr. Lawrence will tell you plainly if what is bothering you calls for a different approach.

Treatment Areas

Full Face

The most common request, addressing texture, pores, scarring, and fine lines together.

Cheeks

Where post-acne texture and enlarged-looking pores are usually most visible.

Forehead

Surface texture and fine lines.

Around the Eyes

Treated at conservative depth for crepiness and fine lines.

Around the Mouth

Vertical fine lines and surface texture.

Neck and Décolleté

Areas that age visibly and are frequently left out of a skincare routine entirely.

Body

Scarring and stretch marks in areas outside the face.

Which areas are appropriate, and at what depth, is determined during your consultation.

Benefits of Microneedling

Prompts your own collagen and elastin production rather than adding a product
Generally appropriate across skin tones, including deeper complexions
Non-surgical, with no incisions
Improvement that continues developing for weeks after each session
Results that accumulate across a series
Can be combined with other treatments within a broader plan
Performed by a board certified physician
Depth and coverage tailored to your skin rather than a fixed setting

What Patients Often Notice

Skin that feels smoother to the touch within a few weeks
Softer appearance of shallow acne scarring across a series
Pores that appear less prominent
Makeup sitting more evenly on the surface
A firmer, denser quality to the skin over several months
More even-looking tone
Improvement that continues after the series is complete

Responses vary considerably. Skin condition, age, the concern being treated, the number of sessions completed, sun protection habits, and individual healing all influence the outcome. Scarring in particular improves in appearance rather than resolving, and how much it improves depends on the type and depth of the scarring. Some patients see substantial change; others see modest refinement. Dr. Lawrence will give you a candid assessment of what is realistic for your skin before you commit to a series.

Treatment Timeline

Generally, 60 to 90 minutes, including time for topical numbing.

The skin looks flushed, similar in appearance to a sunburn.

The flushed appearance settles, typically within 24 to 72 hours.

Surface smoothness is often noticeable within one to two weeks.

Builds over the following weeks and continues developing for months after each session.

Most concerns require a series of sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. The number depends on what is being treated and is determined during your consultation.

Periodic sessions help sustain the result, since skin continues to change.

Results are cumulative. A single session is a beginning, not a course of treatment.

What Happens During Your Visit

Dr. Lawrence evaluates your skin closely — texture, tone, pigment patterns, oil activity, scarring type and depth, and how your skin has responded to treatment in the past. She will review your health history, medications, current skincare, and what you are hoping to change. This is also where the number of sessions and the spacing between them are mapped out, so you know what you are committing to before you begin.

Your skin is cleansed thoroughly and a topical numbing agent is applied. This needs time to take effect, which is why the appointment runs longer than the treatment itself. Once you are comfortable, the numbing agent is removed and the skin is prepared for treatment.

Dr. Lawrence passes the microneedling device across the treatment area in a controlled pattern, adjusting depth by region — more conservative around the eyes and over thinner skin, deeper where scarring is being addressed. Most patients describe a vibrating sensation with some pressure rather than sharp pain.

Treatment across the full face generally takes 20 to 30 minutes once numbing is complete. A calming serum or mask may be applied afterward.

You will receive written aftercare instructions before you leave, including what to watch for and when to call the office. General guidance covers keeping the skin clean and simple for the first days, pausing active skincare ingredients, avoiding makeup for a period, and strict daily broad-spectrum sun protection.

Sun protection is the aftercare instruction that matters most. Freshly treated skin is more reactive to UV exposure, and diligence here directly affects both your result and the appearance of your skin tone afterward.

How Much Does Microneedling Cost?

Cost depends on the areas treated, the depth and intensity appropriate for your skin, and the number of sessions your concern requires. Because microneedling is almost always planned as a series, the meaningful number is the cost of the course rather than the cost of one appointment.

Your investment is reviewed with you during your Get to Know You Consultation, before anything is scheduled. You will know what the full plan costs before you begin it.

First Time Considering Microneedling?

The most common misunderstanding about microneedling is the timeline. Patients expect to look better the following week, and what actually happens is that they look flushed for a day or two, normal within a week, and meaningfully different around the third month.

That is not a limitation of the treatment. It is the mechanism. Collagen takes time to build, and treatment that promises immediate structural change is promising something skin does not do.

Your consultation includes an honest evaluation of your scarring or texture, a realistic estimate of how many sessions your concern requires, discussion of what degree of improvement is achievable, and a clear explanation of the timeline before you invest in a series.

If your skin needs something else first — clearing active acne, for instance — that is what Dr. Lawrence will recommend.

Maintaining Your Results

The collagen your skin builds after microneedling is real, and it persists. But skin continues aging, sun exposure continues accumulating, and the concerns that brought you in are generally ongoing rather than one-time.

Most patients maintain their results with periodic sessions after completing their initial series. The right interval depends on your skin and your goals.

Microneedling does not address lines caused by muscle movement, lost facial volume, or significant laxity. It also does not replace daily sun protection, which affects your result more than any single treatment decision you will make.

Patients whose concerns include pigmentation often see more complete improvement from a plan that pairs microneedling with peel treatments, since the two address different layers of the same problem.

Why Choose Radiance Aesthetics?

Dr. Sharon Lawrence is board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic techniques. Depth and technique are clinical decisions, and they are treated as such.

Dr. Lawrence came to aesthetics through years of managing her own adult acne and hyperpigmentation. She knows the difference between a treatment that sounds promising and one that changes something.

Microneedling does not depend on light absorbed by surface pigment, which makes it a considered option for patients whose skin requires more caution with other resurfacing approaches.

You will be told how many sessions your concern realistically requires and what improvement to expect, before you invest in a series.

More aggressive is not better. Over-treatment produces prolonged irritation and pigment changes without producing better collagen.

We are not here to strip your skin down and call it renewal. We are here to prompt it to rebuild, at a pace it can actually sustain.

Enhance Your Experience

Microneedling rebuilds structure. The treatments below address pigment, surface clarity, and movement, and many patients find that a sequenced plan produces a more complete result than any single treatment.

VI Peel®

A light to medium depth peel addressing pigmentation, tone, and clarity, formulated for all skin types

Chemical Peels

Gentle resurfacing to encourage cell turnover

Neuromodulators

Xeomin® treatment for lines created by facial movement

Red Light Therapy

A complementary addition to your treatment plan for the face and décolleté

Not every service is appropriate for every patient, and treatments cannot always be performed in the same visit or the same week. Sequencing is planned during your Get to Know You Consultation, and results vary.

Serving Patients in North Arlington and Nearby Communities

Radiance Aesthetics provides physician-performed microneedling to patients throughout North Arlington, New Jersey, and the surrounding communities of Kearny, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, Belleville, Nutley, Harrison, East Newark, Bloomfield, and Secaucus, across Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties. Patients searching for microneedling, collagen induction therapy, or acne scar treatment near them can reserve a Get to Know You Consultation with Dr. Sharon Lawrence to evaluate their skin and determine whether treatment is appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is not a candidate?

Microneedling is not appropriate for everyone. It is generally avoided in patients with active acne, active skin infection, or an active cold sore outbreak; those with certain skin conditions; those who have taken isotretinoin recently; those with a history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring; those with bleeding disorders or taking blood-thinning medication; and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Recent sun exposure or tanning also affects timing. Dr. Lawrence reviews your full health history during your Get to Know You Consultation and will tell you directly if treatment is not appropriate for you or if something should be addressed first.

What are the risks?

Microneedling is a medical procedure and carries risks. Expected effects include redness, swelling, and pinpoint bleeding during and shortly after treatment. Bruising can occur. Less commonly, patients experience prolonged irritation, infection, visible tracking marks along the paths of treatment, changes in skin pigmentation including darkening or lightening of the treated area, and scarring. Pigmentation changes are more likely with excessive depth, inadequate sun protection during healing, and in deeper skin tones. Your written aftercare instructions will tell you what to watch for and when to call the office.

What results can I expect?

Individual results vary and no specific outcome can be guaranteed. Results are cumulative and require a series, typically spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. Surface smoothness often improves within one to two weeks of a session, while structural change from collagen production develops over months. Acne scarring improves in appearance rather than resolving, and the degree of improvement depends on the type and depth of the scarring — shallow depressed scarring responds considerably better than deep, sharply defined scarring. Some patients see substantial change and others see modest refinement.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on what is being treated. Texture and general skin quality often respond within a few sessions. Acne scarring typically requires more. Dr. Lawrence will give you a realistic number during your consultation rather than after you have started.

Does it hurt?

Topical numbing is applied and given time to take full effect before treatment begins. Most patients describe a vibrating sensation with pressure rather than sharp pain. Areas over bone, such as the forehead, tend to be felt more than others.

How much downtime is there?

Most patients look flushed, similar to a sunburn, for 24 to 72 hours. Many return to normal activity immediately and simply skip makeup for a day or two. Plan around social or professional events accordingly.

Is it safe for deeper skin tones?

Microneedling does not rely on light absorbed by surface pigment, which makes it generally appropriate across skin tones. That said, pigmentation changes remain a risk with excessive depth or inadequate sun protection, which is why depth is a clinical decision and why sun protection during healing is emphasized. Dr. Lawrence assesses your skin type and history during your consultation.

Can I combine this with other treatments?

Yes, though not always in the same visit. Many patients pair microneedling with peel treatments or neuromodulators as part of a broader plan. Sequencing and spacing are planned during your consultation.

Do you accept insurance?

No. Microneedling is an elective aesthetic service and is not covered by health insurance. Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice. Your investment is reviewed with you during your consultation before treatment is scheduled.

Do I need a consultation first?

Yes. All new patients complete a Get to Know You Consultation so that candidacy and safety are confirmed before any treatment is performed.

Medical Disclaimer

The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Microneedling is a medical procedure that carries risks and is not appropriate for everyone. Individual results vary and no outcome can be guaranteed. Candidacy is determined only through evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional. Specific contraindications, risks, and realistic expectations are addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions above and reviewed with you in detail during your Get to Know You Consultation.

Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice. Cosmetic treatments are elective and are not covered by health insurance.

VI Peel® is a registered trademark of Vitality Institute Medical Products. Xeomin® is a registered trademark of Merz Pharmaceuticals.

Radiance Aesthetics is operated by Radiance Aesthetics LLC. Treatments are performed by Sharon Lawrence, MD, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery.