The increasing demand for minimally invaisve cosmetic treatments has brought forward a market of new devices and proceedures, including microneedling.
According to recent reports, the procedure, which uses fine sterile needles to create thousands of micro-inscicions across the top player of skin, is projected to reach a revised size of $890 million by 2031 after a previos valu of $481 million in 2024.
Related: SkinPen Surpasses 1 Million Treatments as Microneedling Demand Accelerates
The collagen induction promises of microneedling have since been debated, with skeptics pointing out the longevity of results but a recent systematic review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology suggest that microneedling with exosomes proves benefitial across multiple skin conditions, including alopecia, aging, pigmentation, and scarring.
The systematic review spanned eight studies and offers one of the first comprehensive evaluations of microneedling. Across all studies, no patient discontinued treatment due to adverse effects. Commonly reported events—transient erythema, mild edema, petechiae, tingling, and burning—resolved within 24 to 72 hours to 1 week. The authors noted, however, that complications, including delayed-onset granulomas, PIH, and anaphylaxis, have been reported in the broader exosome literature, specifically in the context of injection rather than topical application via microneedling.
The review carries significant limitations, as sample sizes were uniformly small, follow-up periods did not exceed 6 months, and the evidence base consists largely of case series, single-center pilots, and split-face trials.
The authors conclude that although early signals are promising, adequately powered randomized controlled trials with extended follow-up are necessary before definitive conclusions about long-term safety and efficacy can be drawn.
Read more the entire review here.
