Microneedling
Fine needles create micro-channels that stimulate collagen production, improving texture, scars, and pores.
Microneedling near you
Charles
Lee, MD
Debra
Stafford, MD
David
Rosenberg, MD
Gordon
Sasaki, MD
John
Diaz, MD
Andre
Panossian, MD
David
Alessi, MD
William
Harris, MD
Babak
Azizzadeh, MD
Nima
Naghshineh, MD
Lily
Lee, MD
Gregory
Mueller, MD,
Arash
Moradzadeh, MD
Anita
Patel, MD
Stewart
Wang, MD
Gabrielle
Davis, MD
Armen
Vartany, MD
Jason
Litner, MD
Joel
Aronowitz, MD
Elise
Min, MD
Karan
Dhir, MD
Vanessa
Christopher, MD
Bruce
Kadz, MD
Saul
Berger, MD
Faryan
Jalalabadi
Rady
Rahban, MD
Allen
Foulad, MD
Michelle
Lee, MD
David
Mok
Fadi
Chahin, MD
Emil
Kohan, MD
Carlo
Honrado, MD
Allan
Perry, MD
Safa
Sharabi, MD
Behrooz
Torkian, MD
Husam
Elias, MD
Michael
Persky, MD,
James
Pearson, MD
George
Sanders, MD
David
Dorfman, MD,
Christine
Petti, MD
Microneedling: making the decision
What the price actually covers
Honest risks
- Redness like a sunburn for 24–72 hrs
- Results build slowly — judge at 3 months, not 3 days
- Minimal risk when done professionally with sterile equipment
Are you a good candidate?
- Texture, pores, fine lines, acne scars
- No active breakouts or infections
- Consistent enough for a series
Six questions for every consult
- Are you board-certified, and in what specialty? (Verify it — don't just ask.)
- How many of this exact procedure did you do in the last 12 months?
- Can I see before/afters of patients with my anatomy or skin type?
- Who handles complications, and what's your revision policy and fee?
- Where is the procedure done, and is the facility accredited?
- What results would you consider realistic for me — and what won't this fix?
Verify before you book
Microneedling, RF microneedling, and everything sold alongside them
Microneedling sits in an odd regulatory spot: the clinical devices are FDA-regulated, the cosmetic rollers mostly aren't, and the add-ons are marketed well ahead of their approvals. Here is where the lines actually sit.
| Microneedling devices | RF microneedling | Rollers & add-ons | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation | FDA-regulated medical devices; the first authorization was SkinPen Precision, March 2018 | FDA-cleared class II devices | Products that don't penetrate living skin aren't regulated as medical devices |
| Authorized uses | Facial acne scars, facial wrinkles, abdominal scars — patients 22+ | Per each device's clearance | Appearance claims only |
| Safety notes | Pigment changes and cold-sore reactivation among listed risks; never reuse cartridges | FDA safety communication (Oct 2025): reports of burns, scarring, fat loss, nerve damage — a medical procedure, not a spa treatment | Devices are not approved to deliver PRP, drugs, or cosmetics into skin |
The FDA's device information lists conditions that rule microneedling out or delay it: isotretinoin in the past six months, a history of keloid scarring, active cold sores, pregnancy, blood thinners, and uncontrolled diabetes among them. It also notes that some authorized devices were not studied in darker skin types, which carry a risk of post-treatment darkening or lightening — worth asking directly whether the device your provider uses was tested on your skin tone. Expect to need more than one session; the FDA says so itself.
Source: FDA — Microneedling Devices ↗Med spas by metro
OU Beauty Medical Spa
Shaped Secretz Body Sculpting
Sculpt Med Spa Downtown Los Angeles
Skin Story Med Spa
MedBeautyLA
VIP AESTHETICS AND MEN'S HEALTH BY VIP MEDICAL
The Sunset Aesthetics
Deluxe Cosmetic Center
The Spa by Adam Lee Kenney
R&J Medspa
Patient reviews
Microneedling: common questions
How much does microneedling cost?
No professional body publishes an average price for microneedling — the ASPS doesn't carry it in its cost tables — so pricing rests on the provider, the device, and the number of sessions. What the FDA does say is to expect more than one procedure for the desired improvement, so compare course prices rather than single sessions. Adding radiofrequency or PRP raises the price per session considerably; the evidence sections below are worth reading before paying those premiums.
What does microneedling actually treat?
The FDA's authorizations for powered microneedling devices cover three things: facial acne scars, facial wrinkles, and abdominal scars, in patients 22 and older. The first authorized device was SkinPen Precision in 2018. Anything beyond those indications — pores, pigment, hair loss, stretch marks — is off-label territory where the evidence is thinner and the risk profile less studied. Cosmetic rollers that don't penetrate living skin aren't regulated as medical devices at all, and no microneedling device is approved to deliver PRP, drugs, or cosmetics into the skin.
Is RF microneedling safe?
It can be, but the FDA issued a safety communication in October 2025 after reports of burns, scarring, fat loss, facial disfigurement, and nerve damage from radiofrequency microneedling — some requiring surgical repair. The agency's framing is the useful part: this is a medical procedure, not a spa treatment, and the devices should never be used at home. Operator skill, device settings, and your skin type carry the risk, so ask who performs the treatment, their training on that specific device, and — for deeper skin tones — whether the device was studied on your skin type.