Both treatments rely on your own skin's ability to regenerate. The difference lies in what triggers that process.
Stimulus or active substance
In microneedling, the finest needles create controlled micro-injuries. The skin responds with its natural repair programme and forms new collagen. The impulse is therefore mechanical.
With PRP, plasma rich in growth factors is obtained from your own blood and introduced into the skin. Here the impulse is biological – your body's own messengers stimulate regeneration.
What each is better suited to
Microneedling is the stronger choice for structural and textural concerns: acne scars, enlarged pores, an uneven skin surface.
PRP works more on skin quality and radiance: tired, dull skin, the delicate eye area, thinning hair. It is also the choice if you would rather not have any foreign material in your skin.
Compared
| Microneedling | PRP | |
|---|---|---|
| Impulse | mechanical | biological |
| For scars | strong | moderate |
| For radiance | moderate | strong |
| Downtime | 1–2 days of redness | 1–2 days of mild redness |
| Sessions | 3–6 | usually 3 |
| Price | from € 300 | from € 250 |
The strongest option: the combination
In practice I often combine the two – known as plasma needling. Your own plasma is worked into the skin through the channels opened by the needling. The mechanical stimulus and the biological growth factors reinforce one another.
