For most cosmetic connoisseurs, the notion that “beauty is pain” is widely accepted as a harsh truth. After all, most effective treatments/procedures with lasting results, invasive or non-invasive alike come with their fair share of sting, Body by Shae specializes in corrective skincare and can help make even the most uncomfortable treatments bearable. In my personal experience, the short-lived pain has always been worth the desired result when working with the right cosmetologists or doctor. That said…the word needle alone is enough to shake many consumers and send them running to the nearest cosmetic counter for an over-priced night cream. Unfortunately, no amount of La Mar or rare melon extract from the south of France (sorry Cindy- you’re a freaking super model) is going to replace the natural cell regeneration your body creates in youth. Beauty may be guided by symmetry, but it is also largely defined by the fullness and lift bestowed on those too young to appreciate it.
Body by Shae uses targeted ingredients to boost collagen and elastin production in all their skincare treatments.If you’re needle phobic, the name of this treatment method may have already scared you off, but I would encourage our readers to also focus on the prefix. These needles are micro in proportion. I promise this is nothing like the dirty dirty conspiracy your pediatrician and mother hatched to divert your attention during vaccination season. In fact, it’s likely you will hardly feel the procedure as it happens. Body by Shae can use numbing cream on clients prior to beginning the process, so most facial sensation is dulled. The tool used by professionals is typically known as Dermapen or Rejuvapen. The device contains around a dozen miniscule needles designed for adjustment between .5 and 2.5mm to penetrate only the superficial layer of skin.
The term superficial typically denotes triviality to most people. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to your skin. This is where scarring, melasma, sun-damage and loss of definition rear its ugly head. There are many philosophies on how to treat these conditions. You can burn it off with lasers or peels. You can scrape it off with aggressive dermabrasion treatments. You can fill it up with foreign injectables. These are all valid methods, but the aforementioned practices do not provide the same multi-faceted result as microneedling. This form of induction therapy has a three-pronged effect: retexturing, adding fullness and allowing topical serums and creams to penetrate deeper for better results. Additionally, it is one of the best options out there for ethnic skin types that should avoid certain forms of laser/peel treatments. The effect is achieved through your body’s natural healing process. By creating trauma on a miniature scale, skin will react by generating collagen and new cell growth. In this way, it is a holistic option for individuals who prefer a natural approach to beauty, but also want lasting results.
The “natural approach” is exactly how I would describe my dear friend Sarah’s beauty regime. Nevertheless, after a brief battle with adult hormonal acne and an unfortunate horseback riding accident, she was left with lingering scars that left her feeling trapped in a makeup routine she desperately wanted to shake. The acne was gone, the scrapes and cuts from pavement healed, but everyday there was a constant reminder of these unpleasanttimes in the reflection looking back at her. All the lavender oil and colloidal silver in the world were not going to be the solution to this predicament. After doing her fair share of research, my friend took the route of microneedling and never looked back. I can personally attest to the fact that homegirl never wears makeup anymore and has never looked better.
My first memory of this treatment being discussed in the pop culture sphere harkens back to Kim Kardashiancirca 2013. Back then, people were referring to this as a “vampire facial” and the images released were pretty gnarly. I remember seeing the footage on KUWTK and thinking to myself how drastic and gory it seemed. But that was then and this is now. I just hit 30 and the KardashianKlan has since experimented with some form of dark magic rendering them all unrecognizable head-to-toe. Microneedling now seems like child’s play in a post-social media world plagued by extreme beauty trends.
My personal take on beauty has always been similar to my take on life- “be the best version of yourself without losing yourself.” If it makes you happy and you are working within a safe framework, little changes can make a world of difference. Microneedling embodies this effect by allowing your skin to rejuvenate itself from the inside out. At the end of the day, you don’t need to be a Kardashian or even wear make up to want to look your best and there is no shame in that!
