01 Indications

Common Indications

1. Large pores

    

   Gold microneedle treatment has a relatively significant effect on facial large pores, especially for improving nasal pores, and the effective rate can increase with the number of treatments.

2. Atrophic acne scars

    

   Atrophic acne scars, commonly known as “acne pits”, are usually divided into ice pick-type, boxcar-type and rolling-type. Studies have shown that gold microneedle treatment is more effective for boxcar-type and rolling-type scars than ice pick-type scars, and the curative effect can increase with the number of treatments.

Other Indications

1. Skin laxity on the face, neck and periorbital area
2. Striae distensae

    

   Such as stretch marks, growth marks, etc. [3].

3. Bromhidrosis (axillary osmidrosis) and axillary hyperhidrosis

    

   Compared with surgery, gold microneedle treatment for bromhidrosis has a higher patient satisfaction rate, with less tissue damage, faster postoperative recovery and lower risk of adverse reactions such as scarring.

02 Contraindications

1. Patients with implanted cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators;
2. Patients with metal foreign bodies, unknown injectables or fillers in the area to be treated;
3. Patients with active infection foci, inflammatory skin diseases, malignant skin tumors or precancerous lesions in the area to be treated;
4. Patients with coagulation disorders;
5. Patients with excessively high expectations for treatment effects or who cannot cooperate with the treatment;
6. Pregnant women;

03 Preoperative Instructions

1. Avoid sun exposure 4 weeks before treatment, and avoid using acid-containing or retinoic acid-containing drugs or skincare products 1 week before treatment;
2. Topical anesthetic cream should be applied before treatment. Patients with a history of anesthetic allergy should inform the doctor in advance to avoid affecting subsequent treatment;
3. Gold microneedle causes minimal damage to the epidermis, and the wound heals quickly. It generally does not damage the epidermal barrier. With proper care, the risk of postoperative pigmentation is low, and even patients with dark skin can undergo the treatment safely. In addition, some studies have shown that the skin melanin index decreases after gold microneedle treatment, and the skin tone of some patients improves after treatment;
4. Gold microneedle can open skin channels to promote transdermal drug delivery. During or immediately after the treatment, administering drugs such as PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma), tranexamic acid, hyaluronic acid and collagen can increase their absorption rate. However, the drugs must comply with relevant medical management regulations, and strict aseptic operation is required;
5. Treatment interval

    

   The interval between gold microneedle treatments is usually 1-2 months, and it can also be extended to once every 3-6 months according to the skin recovery status and tolerance. A full course of treatment consists of 3-6 sessions.

6. Studies have shown that the effect of gold microneedle treatment on facial laxity can last for more than 6 months [5];

04 Intraoperative Precautions

1. During treatment, ensure seamless coverage. The overlap rate of non-negative pressure microneedles is about 20%, and that of negative pressure microneedles is about 50%, striving for no omissions. Within the range of patient tolerance and on the premise of ensuring safety, repeated operations or increased overlap rates can be applied to areas that need enhanced treatment to improve the curative effect;
2. For thin, tender and lax skin areas such as the periorbital region and neck, a negative pressure treatment head should be used, and the skin should be automatically adsorbed by intelligent negative pressure technology before treatment;
3. The thickness of the skin varies in different parts, so the treatment parameters also differ. For thin and tender skin areas such as the forehead and periorbital region, the energy and needle insertion depth should be appropriately reduced; for areas with thicker skin tissue such as the cheeks, neck and abdomen, the energy and needle insertion depth can be appropriately increased.

05 Postoperative Precautions

1. Do not get the treated area wet within 24 hours after surgery; normal skincare can be started after 2-3 days. In the first week after surgery, 1 piece of medical repair dressing can be applied with cold compress every day, and 1 piece every other day in the second week to promote skin repair;
2. Strict sun protection is required for at least 3 months after surgery to reduce the risk of pigmentation. It should be noted that irritating skincare products should be avoided, as well as washing the face with hot water, high-temperature saunas, hot spring baths, etc.

06 Common Adverse Reactions and Management

1. Erythema and edema

    

   After gold microneedle treatment, diffuse flushing and mild edema may appear on the face. Immediately applying medical repair dressing and combining with ice pack cold compress can relieve the symptoms. Erythema and edema usually subside gradually within 1 week. If erythema lasts for too long, 0.05% tacrolimus ointment can be applied externally or combined with red light irradiation to relieve inflammation, and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment can also be used after 1 month to fade erythema.

2. Burning and stinging sensations

    

   Mild burning and stinging sensations may occur after gold microneedle treatment, which can subside on their own in about half a day. Ice pack cold compress helps to accelerate the relief of symptoms.

3. Petechiae and ecchymosis

    

   Petechiae and ecchymosis are occasionally seen after treatment, which are more likely to occur in thin, tender skin areas with rich blood supply such as the periorbital region. In addition, improper negative pressure operation may also lead to ecchymosis. They usually subside on their own within about 1 week. If the subsidence is slow, pulsed dye laser can be used for treatment.

4. Pigmentation

    

   It is mostly caused by excessively high energy or improper operation. In addition, failure to take strict sun protection after surgery may also cause pigmentation. If pigmentation occurs, tranexamic acid essence, hydroquinone cream, etc. can be applied externally to inhibit melanin synthesis, or combined with treatments such as intense pulsed light (IPL), Q-switched laser and glycolic acid peeling to reduce pigmentation.

5. Acne-like lesions

    

   Some patients may develop acne-like lesions or experience exacerbation of existing acne lesions after gold microneedle treatment. If it is not an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity reaction) or secondary infection, conventional anti-acne drugs can be used for treatment.

6. Scarring

    

   If the energy used during treatment is excessively high or the skin damage is too severe, punctate scars may form. Once scars are found, treatment should be initiated as early as possible, such as applying silicone ointment, asiaticoside cream, etc. externally.