Systematic Review of the Evidence for Medical Skin Needling in Aesthetic Practice

The systematic review from 2017 evaluated the introduction of skin needling into aesthetic practice and found it to be a cost-effective and evidence-based treatment that complements other aesthetic services. The review included 160 articles, with 15 relevant ones showing that skin needling effectively treats acne scarring, with one study reporting a 31% reduction in scar severity among 60 patients, and another showing noticeable improvements in 32 subjects. A study of 12 patients found that combining skin needling with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was more effective. Other studies confirmed microneedling's safety and efficacy, with significant collagen increase and scar reduction observed. Additionally, microneedling was shown to reduce upper lip wrinkles, aging neck symptoms, and stretch marks, and enhance drug delivery. A notable study with 100 subjects demonstrated that microneedling combined with topical minoxidil was more effective for hair growth in androgenetic alopecia than minoxidil alone. The author concluded that microneedling is a valuable addition to aesthetic practices.