What topicals will boost de-pigmentation during microneedling to help treat sun damage and acne scars?

Great question! RFMN is a great treatment for depressed or rolling acne scarring, along with combining other treatments such as subcision and fillers. It usually depends on your complexion whether I would recommend a bleaching Rx product with hydroquinone or similar prior to RFMN to avoid hyperpigmentation. If you are a Fitzpatrick skin type 4 or higher then most likely I would. Consult with an experienced medical aesthetician or dermatologist as every treatment should be customized to each patient’s specific concerns.

Great question, thank you!  Microneedling is a great way to minimize acne scarring and pigmentation changes in the skin due to sun damage.  Often times this will take several treatments to see results.  While I would not recommend applying anything to your face directly after your treatment other than a moisturizer recommended by your provider, I would ask your provider about PRP (platelet rich plasma). PRP is great to apply during or after microneedling.  The PRP helps increase collagen production and helps with wound healing.  After your skin is healed, I would discuss with your provider if there are any skincare recommendations to help with pigmentation from sun damage.  Skinmedica makes Lytera 2.0 which is a great hydrating lotion which helps to minimize pigment from sun damage.  CE Ferulic from Skinceuticals is also a great serum to apply.  I would discuss all questions with your provider to determine the best avenue for you to help you meet your goals.  Thanks again for the question.  Best wishes, Dr. Lindsay J Sturm

Sounds like you may have some hemosiderin or "staining" of the skin from swelling or bruising. Hemosiderin is very difficult to get rid of and the typical products that can lighten post inflammatory hyper pigmentation or melasma, like hydroquinone, do not work on hemosiderin. IPL can help some with that. My rule for micro needling is that unless you would inject a product into the skin directly, I would not apply it to the face right after micro needling. Micro needling creates small open wounds that take up to 6 hours to close. The risk is causing a foreign body reaction and micro granulomas in the skin that look like little bumps. The best thing to apply after micro needling is PRP. Platelets dramatically help the healing process and get you better results overall. 

Microneedling is a treatment process that creates tiny perforations in the superficial layers of the skin which enhance penetration of topically applied serums and medications, dramatically increasing their effectiveness. Published scientific studies have shown a 340% increase in absorption after microneedling when compared with normal skin. If you can combine this with a bleaching serum that is safe to use at the time of the treatment, you can actually treat your hyperpigmentation at the same time. This would be the ideal way to alleviate your concerns.We are currently doing trials of having my patients use a home microneedling device made by Celage Bioscience, with a hydroquinone-free brightening serum and are getting excellent improvement of their excess pigmentation.