Microneedling, or collagen induction therapy, uses very fine needles to create thousands of controlled micro-injuries in the skin. The skin responds by producing new collagen and elastin – the same repair machinery that heals a wound, switched on deliberately and at a depth that remodels tissue without scarring it.

It is one of the most useful tools in dermatology for atrophic acne scars, and it has an important advantage in Nairobi: because it is a mechanical rather than a thermal treatment, it carries a much lower risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation than ablative lasers on melanin-rich skin.

What microneedling treats

  • Atrophic acne scars – rolling and boxcar scars respond best. Deep ice-pick scars usually need to be combined with other techniques.
  • Skin texture and enlarged-looking pores.
  • Fine lines and early skin laxity.
  • Stretch marks – abdomen, thighs, arms and breasts, particularly older white striae.
  • Surgical and traumatic scars – flattening and blending.
  • Uneven tone – as part of a wider pigmentation plan, at conservative settings.
  • Improving topical absorption – some treatments are applied immediately afterwards to take advantage of the channels created.

What it does not do: it will not clear active acne (that needs medical treatment first), and it will not remove keloid or hypertrophic scars, which need a completely different approach.

What happens during a session

  1. Assessment. Scar type is mapped and the depth planned per area – the forehead, cheeks and temples are not treated identically.
  2. Numbing. Topical anaesthetic for 30-45 minutes. Most patients describe the treatment as tolerable rather than painful.
  3. Cleansing and sterile preparation.
  4. Treatment. The device is passed over each area in multiple directions until the desired endpoint is reached. This takes 20-30 minutes for a full face.
  5. Soothing and sunscreen. A calming serum, then sun protection.

Expect the skin to look flushed, like moderate sunburn, for 24-48 hours, with some tightness and light flaking over the following days. Most people return to normal activities the next day.

How many sessions and how long until results

  • Acne scarring: usually a course of four to six sessions, four to six weeks apart.
  • Texture and pores: three to four sessions.
  • Stretch marks: four to six or more, depending on extent and age of the marks.

Collagen remodelling is slow. You will notice some improvement after two or three sessions, but the fullest result appears three to six months after the final session, as new collagen matures. Realistic expectation for acne scarring is meaningful improvement – typically a substantial reduction in visible scarring rather than perfectly smooth skin.

Aftercare

The 72 hours that matter

  • Nothing on the skin for the first 12-24 hours except what we give you.
  • Gentle cleanser and a bland moisturiser afterwards.
  • Daily sunscreen – non-negotiable, and especially important for darker skin after any resurfacing.
  • No make-up for 24 hours; no active ingredients (retinoids, acids, vitamin C) for about five days.
  • No gym, sauna, steam or swimming for 48-72 hours.
  • Do not pick at flaking skin.

Is microneedling safe for dark skin?

Yes – correctly performed medical microneedling is one of the safer resurfacing options for Fitzpatrick IV-VI precisely because it does not rely on heat. Risk comes from excessive depth, too many passes, treating inflamed skin, or poor sun protection afterwards.

Home dermarollers are a different matter. They blunt quickly, are almost impossible to sterilise properly, are used at inconsistent depth and pressure, and are a genuine cause of infection, tram-track scarring and pigmentation. If you have been using one, bring it in and we will look at your skin before you use it again.

Microneedling is postponed if there is active acne, an active infection or cold sore, recent isotretinoin use, a bleeding disorder or a tendency to keloid in the treatment area.

Microneedling compared with the alternatives

People often arrive having been offered several different things for the same complaint. It helps to see where microneedling actually sits.

Concern Usually the better option Why
Rolling and boxcar acne scars Microneedling Stimulates collagen where the skin has lost support
Flat dark marks after acne Pigmentation treatment Pigment, not texture – needling is unnecessary and can worsen it
Dullness and superficial texture Chemical peel Works at the surface with less downtime
Active, inflamed acne Acne treatment first Needling inflamed skin spreads bacteria and causes pigmentation
Ice-pick scars A different technique altogether Too narrow and deep for needling to reach

Getting the most from a course

  1. Clear the acne first. Every session spent on active acne is a session working against you.
  2. Prepare the skin in the weeks beforehand as advised – prepared skin responds better and pigments less.
  3. Keep the spacing. Sessions are spaced to let collagen remodelling happen. Compressing them does not speed results.
  4. Protect from sun religiously afterwards. On melanin-rich skin this is the difference between a good result and a new pigmentation problem.
  5. Judge at the end, not during. Collagen changes over months. Assessing after session two tells you nothing.

Microneedling in Nairobi – questions patients ask

Does microneedling hurt?

Topical anaesthetic is applied for 30-45 minutes beforehand, so most patients find it uncomfortable rather than painful – a scratchy, vibrating sensation, more noticeable on the forehead and along the jaw.

How much does microneedling cost in Nairobi?

Priced per session, with a course usually recommended. You will be given a full quote at your consultation. Cosmetic treatments are generally not covered by insurance.

Can microneedling remove acne scars completely?

It produces significant improvement rather than complete removal. Rolling and boxcar scars respond well; deep ice-pick scars need additional techniques. Expect better, not perfect.

Is it safe on dark skin?

Yes, at appropriate depths and with proper aftercare. It is generally lower risk for pigmentation than ablative laser resurfacing on darker skin types.

Can I use a dermaroller at home instead?

We would advise against it. Home rollers cannot reach effective depth safely, blunt quickly, are hard to sterilise, and are a recognised cause of infection, scarring and pigmentation.

Can microneedling be combined with peels?

Yes, but on separate visits with adequate spacing, sequenced as part of one plan. See chemical peels.

What microneedling can and cannot do

Microneedling has a reputation problem in Nairobi, largely because it is sold as a general-purpose treatment for anything to do with skin texture. It is not. It works by making controlled micro-injuries that prompt the skin to lay down new collagen as it heals, and that mechanism suits some problems very well and others not at all.

It works well for

  • Rolling and boxcar acne scars – the shallow, saucer-shaped and broad-based indentations left after inflammatory acne.
  • Enlarged pores and uneven texture, particularly across the cheeks and nose.
  • Early fine lines, where the aim is firmer, better-quality skin rather than volume replacement.
  • Some stretch marks, especially newer ones that still have a reddish colour.

It is the wrong tool for

  • Active acne. Needling inflamed skin spreads bacteria and provokes exactly the pigmentation you are trying to avoid. The acne is controlled first, always.
  • Ice-pick scars – narrow and deep. These usually need a different technique altogether.
  • Keloid-prone skin, where any controlled injury carries real risk and needs careful assessment first.
  • Melasma. It can worsen it. Pigment is treated on its own terms before texture is addressed.

What a course actually involves

One session is not a treatment. Collagen remodelling is slow, and the visible change arrives over months rather than days, so results are built across a course of sessions spaced several weeks apart. Most people notice texture improving before scars visibly shallow, and the final judgement on a course is fairly made some months after the last session rather than the week after it.

Immediately afterwards the skin looks flushed and feels tight, much like moderate sunburn, and that settles over a day or two. Aftercare is deliberately dull: gentle cleansing, plain moisturiser, no acids or retinoids for a few days, and strict sun protection. That last one is not optional on melanin-rich skin – unprotected sun exposure after needling is the single most reliable way to convert a good result into a pigmentation problem.

Why it is done by a dermatologist here

Needle depth, device settings and the interval between sessions are all chosen for your skin type and for the specific scar pattern you have. Depths appropriate to lighter skin, applied unchanged to Fitzpatrick IV-VI, are a common cause of the post-inflammatory pigmentation we end up treating afterwards. Dr Nancy Omwenga assesses the skin, treats anything active first, and only then plans the course – and will say plainly if microneedling is not the right answer for what you have.

Before you book a course

Two things are worth settling in advance. First, whether your acne is genuinely quiet – not improving, but quiet, because needling active lesions sets the whole plan back. Second, whether you can commit to the sun protection afterwards, since a course completed over several months and then undone by unprotected sun exposure is an expensive way to arrive back where you started. If either is uncertain, say so at the consultation and the timing can be planned around it rather than discovered halfway through.

How long is the downtime?

The skin looks flushed and feels tight for a day or two, much like moderate sunburn, and may flake slightly afterwards. Most people are comfortable in public the next day, though it is worth avoiding an important event in the first few days.

Can I have microneedling if I get keloids?

It needs careful assessment first. Any controlled injury to keloid-prone skin carries risk, so this is discussed properly rather than assumed either way – see keloid treatment.

Is home microneedling with a dermaroller the same thing?

No, and home rollers cause a steady stream of the damage we end up treating – tram-track marks, infection and pigmentation. Needle depth, sterility and skin preparation are what make the difference between a treatment and an injury.

Book microneedling in Nairobi

If acne has left your skin with indented scarring and uneven texture, microneedling is usually the most effective and the safest option available for skin of colour. Book an assessment so the scar type can be identified and a realistic plan built.

SkinByDrNancy is at Landmark Plaza, 2nd Floor, Argwings Kodhek Rd, Nairobi. Call or WhatsApp 0728 566990, email info@skinbydrnancy.com, or use the online booking form. We are open Monday to Friday 7:00am – 6:30pm and Saturday 7:00am – 12:00pm.

We also serve these areas

Book microneedling with Dr Nancy Omwenga

Landmark Plaza, 2nd Floor, Argwings Kodhek Rd, Nairobi. Same-day appointments and walk-ins are available where the diary allows.

Book an Appointment WhatsApp Us Call 0728 566990

Book with Dr Nancy Omwenga

Same-day appointments and walk-ins are available. Most medical insurance schemes are accepted.

Book an Appointment Chat on WhatsApp

Clinic details

SkinByDrNancy
Landmark Plaza, 2nd Floor, Argwings Kodhek Rd, Nairobi
0728 566990
info@skinbydrnancy.com

Mon – Fri 7:00am – 6:30pm
Sat 7:00am – 12:00pm
Sunday closed

Popular treatments