Why are microneedles necessary?
I consider one of my personal skincare secrets to be the application of cosmetics in small amounts, multiple times, to enhance absorption. In reality, I don’t anticipate full absorption of the nutrients in these cosmetic products into my skin. Instead, my aim is to establish a robust protective barrier, akin to a castle wall.
During my undergraduate studies, my illusions about cosmetics were shattered by a professor during a lecture on “functional cosmetics”.
According to the “500 Dalton rule for the skin penetration of chemical compounds and drugs,” published in an international academic journal in 2000, any drug or cosmetic is absorbed into the skin when its concentration is less than 500 daltons (a mass unit).
This is attributed to the skin’s high defense barrier, which prevents the absorption of external substances. However, collagen, a favored ingredient, typically has a mass of 300,000 daltons, while vitamin C, known for its pigmentation benefits, is approximately 18,000 daltons. As per the argument presented in that paper, achieving absorption under such conditions is highly challenging. (1)
Nevertheless, our researchers didn’t simply accept this notion. Their attitude was more along the lines of, “If it’s not absorbed, let’s find a way!” This led to the application of microneedles in beauty treatments.
In Korea, microneedles gained recognition when Sulwhasoo introduced a product called ‘YesoChim’ in 2013. The method involved applying the product and attaching a microneedle patch to the desired area.
However, the excitement subsided thereafter, possibly because many people were put off by the unique tingling sensation. A few other products featuring microneedles were released, but it’s said that they didn’t cause any tingling sensation at all.
Microneedles are small needle-shaped structures, typically tens to hundreds of micrometers in length, initially developed for vaccinating children in third-world countries with limited access to medical services.
These microneedles are broadly categorized into two types (2):
Solid Microneedle
This method involves creating microscopic holes in the stratum corneum using a hard needle device to aid in the absorption of cosmetics.
Soluble Microneedle
When attached to the skin, the needle melts into it. This product was developed to match the appearance of cosmetics and is the same technology used in Sulwhasoo’ Yesochim product. It comes in the form of a patch with numerous fine needles closely embedded, each containing various effective substances. When applied to the face, the needle penetrates the skin and remains embedded, slowly melting over time and delivering the effect into the skin.
Generally, the second type of microneedle product is used in general cosmetics, while the first type is often used in cosmetic procedures.
One of the most renowned skincare treatments in Korea is called MTS. It’s widely used to reduce pores and improve fine wrinkles by creating controlled scars to stimulate collagen production. Although effective immediately after use, I personally do not recommend dermatological procedures like MTS. While it’s advisable to continue skin treatments at intervals, repeated procedures can destroy the skin’s own regenerative ability, ultimately damaging the skin layer in the long run.
While everyone desires dramatic skin improvement, why not have faith in our skin’s ability to self-renew and use microneedling as home care only on the areas that need it?
[(1) Refered to the Book “Cosmetic lies to me” by Jeongsun Han (2) Refered to the Book “All that Cosmetic” by Dongchan Kim]