Is Microneedling Worth It? Real Results by Concern

The short answer

Microneedling is worth it for some skin concerns and a poor buy for others, and the concern decides which. It earns its price for rolling and boxcar acne scars, rough or uneven texture, and fine lines, and it is a reasonable option for stretch marks. It is not worth paying for if you want to lift sagging skin, fill deep folds or clear narrow ice-pick scars on its own, and standard needling has to wait while acne is active. What separates a good result from a disappointing one is mostly expectations: it takes a course of sessions, the real change shows weeks after each one, and it softens a concern rather than erasing it. At Femme it is $199 a session or $499 for three, plus tax.

• 41%average improvement participants saw in their acne scars on the needled side of the face, in a 2014 randomised split-face trial of three sessions. Blinded scores did not improve on the untreated side.
• 11 studiesin a 2024 meta-analysis on stretch marks found no significant difference between microneedling and laser, and less post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
• $499for three sessions at Femme. The median three-session package among the Canadian clinics we surveyed that publish one is $1,035.

Is microneedling worth it? The verdict by concern

Asking whether microneedling works is a bit like asking whether exercise works. It depends on what you want it to do. The treatment makes thousands of tiny, controlled punctures, and the skin answers each one by laying down new collagen. Anything that improves when the skin rebuilds itself from underneath tends to respond. Anything caused by lost volume, loose tissue or a scar deeper than the needles can usefully reach does not.

How well it works, concern by concern

Our reading of the research below, from the clearest evidence to the weakest. Longer bars mean more consistent results in published studies.

• Rolling and boxcar acne scarsRandomised trials and meta-analyses. Its strongest use.
• Rough, uneven textureUsually the first change people see, within a few sessions.
• Fine linesBiopsies show new collagen; studies are small.
• Stretch marksComparable to laser in a meta-analysis; newer marks do better.
• Large-looking poresMost studies add another product, so needling alone is hard to judge.
• Ice-pick scarsToo narrow and deep. Little change on its own.
• Sagging and deep foldsVolume and laxity problems. Not what it does.

• Worth it
• Worth it with realistic goals
• Rarely worth it on its own

Acne scars. This is where the evidence is best. In a randomised trial published in JAMA Dermatology in 2014, 20 adults with acne scars had one side of the face needled three times, two weeks apart, and the other left alone. Two blinded dermatologists scored the scars: at three months the improvement was not yet statistically clear; at six months it was, and participants rated their treated side 41% better on average. Only 15 of the 20 finished, which is typical of small trials. The six-month result matters for anyone judging their own skin: the improvement kept building well after the last session. Rolling and boxcar scars respond because they sit in the dermis, held down by bands of scar tissue the needles can break up. How each scar type compares with peels and lasers is in our acne scar treatment guide, and the protocol itself is on our microneedling for acne scars page.

Texture and fine lines. In a 2015 study, ten people with fine to moderate wrinkles had six sessions two weeks apart, and skin biopsies taken one and three months after treatment began showed significantly more collagen types I, III and VII than at the start. That is real tissue change rather than a temporary glow, though the study was small and had no untreated comparison. Crepey skin around the eyes and mouth tends to soften; lines made by muscle movement, such as deep frown lines, do not, because needling firms skin without stopping the muscle. More on the approach is on our microneedling for fine lines and wrinkles page.

Stretch marks. A 2024 meta-analysis of 11 studies, six of them randomised, found no significant difference between microneedling and laser for improving stretch marks, and less post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation with microneedling. Results vary more than on the face. Newer pink or red marks usually respond better than old white ones, where the realistic gain is smoother texture rather than a change of colour. See microneedling for stretch marks.

Pores. Pores look smaller when the skin around them is firmer, and that is the honest claim: pore size is largely inherited and nothing makes a pore disappear. Most published pore studies combine needling with another product applied through the channels, so they tell you little about microneedling on its own. One 2025 case series of 15 people, using an added poly-lactic acid product, saw average pore scores fall from 6 to 3 after three sessions. Treat pores as a bonus alongside texture, not the reason to book.

Why depth decides what it can reach

Same pen, three depths

The needle depth is set for each area and concern. Deeper is not better: it is matched to where the problem sits.

1. 0.25 to 0.5 mm around the eyes, the thinnest skin on the face, for crepey texture and fine lines.
2. 1.0 to 2.0 mm for acne scars, worked in several directions to break up the bands holding a rolling scar down.
3. 1.5 to 2.5 mm for stretch marks, because body skin is much thicker than facial skin.

Dashed lines: the collagen-rich dermis, where the repair happens. Depths are the ranges in our clinics’ protocol.

Depth is also why a home dermaroller is a different thing from a clinic treatment. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that products sold for at-home use are not meant to puncture the skin, and warns that home use can lead to irritation, infection and scarring. Every session at Femme uses the Dr. Pen A20, a motorised pen with sterile single-use cartridges, and the depth is set area by area after a skin assessment on the Fitzpatrick scale. How the repair unfolds under the surface is explained in what microneedling does to your skin.

Is it worth it for you?

Microneedling results: what to expect, and when

The most common reason people decide microneedling was not worth it is judging it too soon. Straight after a session the skin is flushed and slightly swollen, which can make it look plumper, and that settles within a day or two. A brighter, smoother look in the first week is the surface recovering. The change that lasts comes from collagen being rebuilt over roughly four to twelve weeks, which is why sessions are spaced four to six weeks apart.

• After one session: a short-lived glow and very little lasting change. One appointment is a poor test.
• After three or four: texture and fine lines are usually visibly better.
• Months after the last session: scars can keep improving. In the 2014 trial the gain was clearer at six months than at three, and the AAD says it usually takes several months to see full results.
• Afterwards: the collagen you build stays, but your skin keeps ageing, so most people book a maintenance session every six to twelve months.

Take your own photos before you start, in the same light, at the same angle, on bare skin. Gradual change is exactly what people miss in the mirror. Our microneedling before and after guide explains how to read photos without being fooled by lighting, and microneedling aftercare covers the first week day by day.

Microneedling compared with the alternatives

If you are weighing it against a peel specifically, our chemical peel vs microneedling comparison goes through who suits which.

What a course costs, and whether the price is fair

Whether microneedling is worth it is partly a question of what you pay for the course, not the session. At Femme, microneedling is $199 a session or $499 for three, and $225 a session or $597 for three with the neck included, plus tax. The price is the same at all thirteen clinics. Across the 21 Canadian clinics in our survey that publish an exact price, the median single session is $359, so a six-session scar course at that rate would be $2,154 before tax. The full comparison is in our microneedling cost guide.

Courses of four are a package plus one session, and six are two packages. Body areas for stretch marks are priced separately. Every treatment price is on our pricing page.

When microneedling is not worth it

Sometimes the honest answer is not yet, or not for you. Microneedling is usually postponed or skipped if any of these apply:

• Active breakouts in the area. Standard needling waits until they settle; bio microneedling, which uses no needles, has an acne formulation used on active breakouts at nine Ontario clinics.
• A skin infection in the area, including a cold sore. Mention a history of cold sores, because needling near the mouth can trigger one.
• Recent isotretinoin. The AAD advises waiting at least a month after the last dose.
• A tendency to form keloid scars, or skin that heals slowly or poorly.
• A fresh tan or recent sunburn.
• Pregnancy, when it is generally deferred because it has not been studied.

The side effects for everyone else are usually short: redness like mild sunburn for 24 to 48 hours, some tightness, and light flaking a few days later. Temporary darkening of the skin can happen and, according to the AAD, usually fades within a few days to a week; it is the reason daily sunscreen during a course is not optional, especially on deeper skin tones. Because microneedling uses no heat or light, it is suitable across the full range of skin tones. If you are nervous about the needles themselves, does microneedling hurt describes what it feels like, area by area.

Questions we hear about whether microneedling is worth it

Prefer to talk first? Call 647-229-7397. How the treatment works, and where we offer it, is on our microneedling page.

Sources

1. Alam M, Han S, Pongprutthipan M, et al. Efficacy of a needling device for the treatment of acne scars: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology, 2014;150(8):844–849.
2. Microneedling therapy for striae distensae: systematic review and meta-analysis. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2024;48(15):2915–2926.
3. El-Domyati M, Barakat M, Awad S, et al. Multiple microneedling sessions for minimally invasive facial rejuvenation: an objective assessment. International Journal of Dermatology, 2015;54(12):1361–1369.
4. The efficacy of combined microneedling and topical poly-d,l-lactic acid application for facial pore reduction and skin texture improvement. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 2025.
5. American Academy of Dermatology. Microneedling can fade scars, uneven skin tone, and more. Updated 2023.
6. Jaiswal S, Jawade S. Microneedling in dermatology: a comprehensive review of applications, techniques, and outcomes. Cureus, 2024;16(9):e70033.