Microneedling with PRP and PDRN: What to Expect
If you have been thinking about microneedling but keep talking yourself out of it, you are not alone. It is one of the most common treatments we get questions about at South Bay Med Spa, and it is also one that people research for months before they book. The fear of the unknown is real, especially when it is your face.
So here's a step-by-step look at what to expect, from consultation to treatment, told partly through one of our patients who came in after a year of contemplating it.
The patient who took a year to book
She had read about microneedling, watched videos, asked questions, and sat with it for a year before scheduling. She was not new to us; she had been coming in for DiamondGlow facials with Maryam Ashrafi, Certified Aesthetician for a while, but stepping up to a more involved treatment was a different leap. A few things held her back. She plays tennis nearly every day and worries about sun exposure afterward. She was also concerned about pigmentation, something a lot of our patients with deeper or more reactive skin tones think carefully about, and rightly so. And like many first-timers, she walked in wanting only the lowest setting because she did not know how her skin would respond.
By the end, she felt confident, and she trusted us with her face. Here is what that visit looked like.
DiamondGlow Treatment
Torrance Location
Step 1: The consultation comes first
Before anything happens to your skin, you talk. For our patient, that conversation had been going on for almost a year. She had asked us question after question over many visits, working through every concern before she felt ready. That is completely normal! The more your provider knows, the better they can tailor the treatment.
A real consultation covers your skin history, your concerns, your daily life (sun exposure, activity, products you use at home), and what you are hoping to improve. It is also where you raise any worries, including pigmentation, sensitivity, or nervousness about discomfort.
This is where you learn whether the lowest setting is actually the right call for your goals, or whether a different approach would serve you better. Most patients come in wanting the gentlest possible setting, which is understandable. But if the lowest setting is the only one someone is comfortable with, microneedling may not be the right treatment for them, and we would recommend a different option that better fits what they want. That is exactly why a consultation is critical. It makes sure you are matched to the right treatment in the first place, rather than a watered-down version of one that will not give you the results you came for.
Our patient came in set on the gentlest option after all that deliberation. Our nurse Bonnie Colello, RN walked her through why a slightly different approach made sense for what she wanted, and adjusted as they went rather than locking in one setting from the start.
Step 2: Preparing in the days before
Microneedling works best when your skin is prepped the right way going in, and your results and recovery are smoother when you have your aftercare set up before you arrive. Your provider will give you specifics at your consultation, but in general, that means pausing strong active ingredients like retinoids and exfoliating acids for several days beforehand, avoiding sun exposure so you do not come in with a fresh tan or burn, and staying well hydrated, which also makes the PRP blood draw easier. Arriving with clean skin and no makeup helps too.
Just as important is having your post-treatment products ready before you come in, not scrambling for them afterward when your skin needs gentle care. We offer the Epionce Essential Recovery Kit, which includes everything you need in one place. You are also welcome to use your own products at home, as long as they meet the criteria your provider gives you. The point is not the kit itself; it is making sure you are not reaching for the wrong product on day one.
Step 3: The blood draw (for PRP)
If your treatment includes PRP, platelet-rich plasma drawn from your own blood, it starts with a quick draw, similar to routine bloodwork. PRP uses growth factors from your own body to support healing and results, which is part of why people choose to add it.
If needles make you nervous, this is usually the part people dread most. In practice, it is fast. At our Torrance office, the draw is handled by Sarena Gutierrez, our office manager and a licensed LVN, so you are in experienced hands from the very first step. For our patient, who is used to a long search for a vein at her doctor's office, Sarena found it and had it done in seconds, barely a prick. The plasma is then prepared while your skin is numbed.
Step 4: Numbing cream and the wait
A topical numbing cream is applied to the treatment area and left on, usually for 30-40 minutes, so the skin is well prepared before anything begins. This wait is normal and worth it.
One detail that tells you a lot about Nurse Bonnie: she came back in, inspected every area where the cream had been applied, and added more in spots to make sure our patient wouldn't feel discomfort. That kind of double-check is exactly what you want.
Step 5: The treatment itself
Microneedling uses a device with very fine needles to create tiny channels in the skin, triggering its natural repair process. When PRP and PDRN are part of the treatment, they're worked in to support that repair. PDRN in particular for its role in skin recovery and rejuvenation.
Here is the honest part. You will hear the device, a low hum, and you may feel sensitivity in certain areas, especially around more delicate spots. That is normal. A good provider checks in, adjusts the settings along the way, and stays attentive the whole time rather than rushing through. The full treatment is usually quick, often under an hour.
Our patient went in a bundle of nerves. She left having felt looked after the entire time, with someone adjusting to her comfort at every step.
Step 6: Aftercare, especially sun
This is the part you should take seriously, particularly if you are active outdoors. After microneedling, your skin is more vulnerable for several days. In the first day or two it may look flushed, a bit like a mild sunburn, which is normal. The goal during recovery is to keep things gentle: a mild cleanser, plenty of hydration, and no strong actives like retinoids or exfoliating acids until your skin has settled. Skip makeup for about the first day, and hold off on intense exercise and heavy sweating for a day or two as well. For our tennis-playing patient, that meant planning a short break from the court.
If your life is hectic and you are constantly on the go, the honest advice is to plan to lay low for the first 48 hours. In the first 24 hours, especially, keep your skin simple and avoid layering on heavy products while it is most sensitive. After that, you can ease back into your routine, with sun protection as the one non-negotiable.
This is where having your products in place ahead of time pays off, whether that is the Pounce kit or your own products that meet your provider's criteria. Sun protection matters most of all. Sun exposure can work against your results and contribute to the very pigmentation concerns many patients are trying to avoid, so we recommend staying out of direct sun for a few days, wearing sunscreen diligently once your provider says you are ready for it, and building that downtime into your schedule before you book so it is not a surprise.
A few takeaways:
Take your time. Researching for months, even a year, isn't overthinking it. It's how you end up with a team you actually trust with your face.
Say what scares you. Pigmentation, sensitivity, needles, and plain nervousness; the more your provider knows, the better they can shape the treatment around you.
Skip the watered-down version. If the gentlest setting is the only one you're comfortable with, microneedling might not be your treatment, and a good provider will tell you that rather than hand you a version that won't deliver.
Prep before you walk in. Pause retinoids and acids, stay out of the sun, hydrate, and have your aftercare products ready so day one isn't a scramble.
Guard your skin afterward. Sun protection is the one non-negotiable — plan to lay low for the first 48 hours and build that downtime into your schedule before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Most people feel pressure and some sensitivity rather than sharp pain, since numbing cream is applied first and given time to work. Certain areas can be more sensitive than others, and a good provider adjusts as they go. The PRP blood draw is quick, similar to routine bloodwork.Description text goes here
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Plan for the full visit, set aside two hours for the blood draw, numbing, and the treatment itself.
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Microneedling is typically done as a series rather than a one-time treatment. Sessions are usually sold in a package of three, spaced about five to six weeks apart, which gives your skin time to respond between visits for maximum benefit. Your provider will recommend a plan based on your skin and your goals.
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PDRN is included for its role in skin recovery and rejuvenation. Along with PRP, it is worked into the treatment to support your skin's natural repair process. Your provider can explain whether it is a good fit for your goals.
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ItIn general, pause strong actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids beforehand, avoid sun exposure, stay hydrated, and arrive with clean skin and no makeup. Have your aftercare products ready before you come in. Your provider will give you specifics at your consultation, and the guidelines below are typical:
• Avoid vitamin E, fish oil, and Ginkgo Biloba for one week prior to treatment.
• Avoid ASA (aspirin and medications containing acetylsalicylic acid) for two weeks prior to treatment.
• Avoid antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs for one week prior to treatment.
• Stop laser hair removal, electrolysis, waxing, and depilatory creams for one week prior to treatment.
• Stop topical retinoids one week prior to treatment.
• If you are using Accutane, a three-month waiting period after discontinuing the medication is required.
Please do not stop any prescribed medication without first checking with the doctor who prescribed it. Always confirm your prep with your provider.
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Your skin may look flushed for a day or two. Keep your routine gentle, skip makeup for about the first day, avoid heavy sweating and intense exercise for a day or two, and be diligent with sun protection. If your schedule is busy, plan to lay low for the first 48 hours.
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It is best to avoid intense exercise and heavy sweating for a day or two, since sweat and sun can work against your results. If you are active outdoors, build a short break and sun protection into your plan before you book.
Results and suitability vary from person to person, so the most important step is a real consultation with a qualified provider who can assess your skin and your goals. If microneedling with PRP and PDRN is something you have been contemplating, we are happy to talk it through with no pressure.
Curious whether this treatment is right for you? Reach out to South Bay Med Spa in Torrance to schedule a consultation.