EVALUATION OF HISTOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS OF THE SKIN SUBJECTED TO CONTROLLED MECHANICAL BIOSTIMULATION THROUGH MICRONEEDLING

The earliest descriptions of ancestral needling systems for correcting aesthetic imperfections are documented 2,000 years ago and are found in ancient manuals related to Chinese medicine. Various manuscripts describe the initial attempts to "smooth" the skin through repeated puncturing of the tissues. The technique has evolved to the present day, where it is primarily referred to as Percutaneous Collagen Induction (PCI). In 1995,Orentreich and Orentreich1 coined the term "subcision" to describe manual micropuncture for the treatment of scars. Following this, Camirand and Doucet2 used a pen-like device derived from the tattoo art world to treat scars. These techniques are based on the use of small-diameter, solid, conical needles that penetrate the skin, disrupt the dermal collagen anchoring the scars, and trigger an inflammatory cascade, leading to dermal remodeling and skin resurfacing. Using these principles, Fernandes3 developed PCI therapy with the first modern dermaroller. Modern microneedling devices feature very fine needles, typically ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 mm in length (Fig. 1), which can be mounted on a roller (Dermaroller) or on a pen-like device (Dermapen©) (Fig. 2).