Safety Profile for Microneedling: A Systematic Review

August 2021 in “ Dermatologic surgery ”

Sherman Chu, Delila Pouldar Foulad, Natasha Atanaskova Mesinkovska

microneedling hair loss erythema edema postinflammatory hyperpigmentation PIH dry skin lymphadenopathy irritant contact dermatitis tram-track scarring granulomatous reactions redness swelling swollen lymph nodes skin irritation

TLDR Microneedling is generally safe but can cause minor, temporary side effects and requires caution for some patients.

Microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat various skin conditions, including scarring, photodamage, and hair loss. This systematic review analyzed 85 articles to assess the safety profile of microneedling. The most common adverse events (AEs) reported were transient and included erythema, edema, pain, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), dry skin, lymphadenopathy, and irritant contact dermatitis, typically resolving within 7 days. Persistent serious AEs included PIH, tram-track scarring, and granulomatous reactions. Increased risk of complications was associated with active infections, darker skin, and metal allergies. Overall, microneedling is considered relatively safe, with most AEs being minimal and self-resolving.

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