When I first moved to New York City four years ago, I had a running list of cosmetic procedures I hoped to try as Cosmo’s newly minted beauty editor. The category that intrigued me most was microneedling. The concept just made sense to me: create tiny controlled injuries in the skin so it regenerates faster and you look brighter, firmer, and clearer as a result. Count me in.

I’ve tested my fair share of microneedling treatments over the years, including several radiofrequency microneedling options like Vivace, Secret RF, and Potenza. These treatments combine traditional microneedling with radiofrequency energy, which heats the deeper layers of skin to stimulate collagen production. But then my hormonal acne flared, and suddenly anything heat-based was making my skin angrier—triggering more breakouts, inflammation, and redness. That’s when I was introduced to SkinPen, a straight-up microneedling treatment that skips the heat entirely. Unlike RF microneedling, SkinPen can actually be used on active breakouts while also helping improve acne scars, skin texture, and fine lines.

I started testing it at the beginning of 2026, and it completely transformed my skin—from breakouts and texture to fine lines. In fact, it worked so well that it earned a coveted win for Best Microneedling Treatment in our 2026 Holy Grail Beauty Award. Ahead, everything you need to know before booking an appointment—including my full experience and four-month before-and-afters where, honestly, my skin looks shockingly good.

“SkinPen is a medical-grade microneedling device that works by creating thousands of controlled micro-injuries in the skin,” explains dermatologist Rishi Chopra, MD. (Dr. Chopra performed my SkinPen treatment back in January.) “These tiny channels trigger the skin’s natural wound-healing cascade, stimulating new collagen and elastin over time,” he explains. It “takes advantage of the body’s own natural repair pathways,” he says, “creating a controlled signal in the skin that tells your body to repair, rebuild, and produce fresh collagen and elastin over time.” The result? “Smoother texture, softer acne scars, improved pore appearance, and an overall healthier glow.”

I know it sounds intense—tiny needles puncturing your face—but when I say they’re tiny, I mean it. And compared to other microneedling treatments, SkinPen is fairly bare-bones but in a good way. There’s no added heat from radiofrequency, and it’s suitable for even sensitive skin. But it’s fantastic for those with current acne or acne scars.

“Most healthy patients are candidates,” says Dr. Chopra, “but I avoid microneedling in anyone with an active skin infection, active acne flare in the treatment area, open wounds, if a patient is healing from another treatment, or a history of poor wound healing,” says Dr. Chopra.

I’ve tried so many skincare treatments over the years with varied results. I’m 29, so aging is tickling the back of my mind at all times (I’m convinced this is the oldest I’ll ever feel, and when the clock strikes 30 in a few months, I’ll be like a spring chicken). But I also still have breakouts every single time I get my period. I need options that tackle both of these concerns, and SkinPen really is one of the best treatments out there that can.

On the day of my appointment, I had a few active breakouts but mostly lots of acne scars. I experienced one of my worst hormonal acne flares at the end of 2025 and into 2026, and although my face had finally mostly calmed down by my appointment, I was riddled with hyperpigmentation.

When I went in for my appointment, I was excited but worried about the pain. I’ve done other types of microneedling before and it was a lil spicy. A nurse at Dr. Chopra’s office promptly coated my entire face in numbing cream and let me chill out for about 30 minutes. Then Dr. Chopra got to work.

With SkinPen, your provider will do three passes across your entire face. And the first pass felt like basically nothing. Maybe a light scratch? But I could barely feel it. The second pass is a little more scratchy but still very comfortable. By the third pass, there’s a teensy bit more spice but nothing like a laser in my experience. (More on pain below!) It’s also really quick. I only reclined in the chair for a total of 20 minutes with all three passes. More time was spent vibing with my numbing cream than anything else.

Immediately after, my skin was red but nothing wild. I ended up leaving and going for a walk in Central Park (dreamy!) and then popped into Nordstrom for some shopping. My face felt hot, but nothing I wasn’t used to with other treatments. When I finally got a glimpse of my skin, I gasped at how red my face was. I looked like I’d gotten the most intense sunburn ever. I promptly checked out with my items, headed home, and took it easy for the rest of the day to let my skin chill.

By the next morning, my face was totally normal again. I kept my routine mild with simple formulas and light hydrators. I skipped makeup for two days, but you could start wearing it again after 24 hours. Otherwise, there’s really no downtime. I went to the office the next day, and no one batted an eye. (Granted, as a beauty editor, I don’t think anyone would be too alarmed if I came in looking like Samantha after her chemical peel.)

Two weeks post-SkinPen, my face looked super glowy. Like, shockingly glowy. I was blown away. It was smooth and even and most of my uneven texture had disappeared.

But I’m really noticing the biggest change after four months. Perhaps it’s all that collagen building, but my skin feels so plump. I feel like I look younger right now, at six months until 30, than I did at 27.

My acne scars are still present, but they’ve faded a bit. And I wasn’t expecting one single treatment to take these away completely. I’ll probably need one or two more to see a change there. But I’m so happy with the other results I’ve seen: smoother, tighter, clearer skin.

FAQs:

I didn’t have to do too much to prep for SkinPen. A week prior to my appointment, I cut out all active ingredients (retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C) and opted for a really gentle routine. Otherwise, on the day of my appointment, I went in makeup-free and ready to go.

After a treatment, keep things simple, suggests Dr. Chopra. “For the first few days, the goal is to support barrier repair and avoid inflammation,” he says, recommending a gentle cleanser, bland moisturizer (aka something with lightweight hydrators and no actives), and sunscreen. Now’s not the time to use your strong retinoids or strong exfoliants.

I’m a bougie beauty editor, so I did add a growth-factor serum (my favorites are Dr. Diamond’s Metacine and BioEffect) to help speed up wound healing and plump my skin. But you don’t have to do this, obvi. I also really stayed out of the sun. Don’t book your SkinPen appointment right before a beach vacation. And even if you’ll be inside, layer on SPF 30 or higher every single day to avoid any potential hyperpigmentation or skin damage from the sun.

There isn’t much. As I said above, I was back at the office by the next day without really any redness. No peeling or major irritation. It’s pretty easy.

Hate to say it, but yes, definitely. “The biggest differences between at-home microneedling and SkinPen are precision, safety, and depth,” says Dr. Chopra. “At-home rollers or pens are typically much more superficial and far less controlled,” he explains, which is why they can be risky to use without the help of a doctor or nurse. Skin irritation, scarring, hyperpigmentation, contamination, and more are potentially a threat with these at-home tools, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. With SkinPen, you’re getting the treatment under clean conditions in the office with a provider who has been trained in exactly how to use the device.

It’s also much more intense, as the needles are able to go deeper in a clinical setting. Your provider can customize the depth as well, says Dr. Chopra, depending on your goals and your skin.

The price of a single SkinPen treatment varies a lot depending on the provider you see and your location (a doctor in New York City will likely cost more than a med spa in a small town in Iowa, for example). But one session is usually anywhere from $300 to $700. Yes, it’s very expensive, but in my experience, this is fairly standard for an in-office treatment (and unlike many others, this one could actually be one-and-done depending on your goals). Speaking of…

“SkinPen is not an instant-gratification treatment,” Dr. Chopra warns, so don’t expect to get one and immediately look like a poreless baby a week later. “You may see a glow within days, but the real collagen remodeling happens gradually over weeks to months,” he adds. This is why you often will need a series of treatments, especially if you’re targeting acne scars or fine lines.

“For a glow, mild texture, or general skin maintenance, some patients are happy with one treatment before an event or a few times a year,” says Dr. Chopra. So far, I’ve only had one treatment and really love my results. But before we go full swing into summer, I definitely want to add in another treatment to help get rid of some of my acne scars. Dr. Chopra often recommends three to six sessions spaced a month apart for reducing acne scars, enlarged pores, crepey texture, or building serious collagen (like if you are trying to reduce wrinkles). “The key is setting expectations early, so patients know what to expect,” he adds.

If you numb, not really. Of every microneedling treatment I’ve done, SkinPen is easily the most comfortable. In fact, I’d even say it’s the most comfortable treatment in general that I’ve had as a beauty editor. I numbed for 30 minutes, and it really just felt like a scratch. It’s a teensy bit spicy on sensitive areas, like above my upper lip and on the temples, but still significantly less painful than any laser.

“I think SkinPen is one of the most underrated treatments in dermatology because of its simplicity—and that simplicity is exactly what makes it so valuable, as it’s minimalistic and safe for all skin tones,” says Dr. Chopra. And I completely agree! I firmly believe everyone is sleeping on SkinPen. It’s given me fantastic skin (with a good skincare routine and my go-to red-light therapy device) in the last few months. And you know what? It doesn’t even hurt, unlike many other treatments I’ve tested. Might need to make another appointment soon…

• Rishi Chopra, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Union Derm in Manhattan, New York.

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing stories on hair, makeup, and nails.