Microneedling
Microneedling in Marylebone and St John’s Wood, London, with Dr Toro Ogundoyin: controlled micro-injury that makes your skin rebuild itself, for better texture, softer scarring and a more even tone over a course.
The short answer
What is microneedling?
Microneedling works on a simple principle: skin repairs injury better than it responds to persuasion. Very fine needles create thousands of controlled micro-channels in the skin, each one too small to damage it but enough to trigger the wound-healing cascade. Fibroblasts move in, collagen and elastin are laid down, and the skin rebuilds itself over the following weeks.
What it treats is quality rather than shape: texture, enlarged pores, acne scarring, fine lines, dullness and uneven tone. It suits skin of every tone, including deeper skin tones where some light-based treatments carry a risk of pigmentation.
It is a course treatment. One session gives you a glow; a course of four to six, spaced four weeks apart, gives you the structural change. Dr Toro often applies exosomes immediately afterwards, while the channels are still open, which is the point at which anything applied topically actually gets in.
Microneedling at a glance
- Treatment time45 to 60 minutes with numbing
- NumbingTopical, 20 to 30 minutes
- Course4 to 6, four weeks apart
- DowntimeRedness for 24 to 48 hours
- AfterwardsDaily SPF, no exceptions
- Judge it at3 months after the course
- From£240 per treatment
Microneedling can help to:
Soften acne scarring
Rolling and boxcar scars respond to repeated collagen stimulation in the floor of the scar. It takes a course and it takes months, and the improvement is real rather than complete.
Refine skin texture and pore size
Thicker, better-supported skin holds pores tighter. This is the change most patients notice first, usually from around the second or third session.
Even out tone and dullness
Turnover speeds up and the surface reflects light more evenly, which is what people mean when they say skin looks brighter rather than lighter.
Soften fine lines
New collagen in the dermis plumps fine lines from underneath. It will not touch a deep expression line, which needs a different treatment.
Help topical treatment actually get in
The micro-channels stay open briefly, which is why exosomes are applied immediately afterwards rather than sent home in a bottle.
Support the scalp in early hair thinning
Needling the scalp alongside hair treatments improves circulation and the environment the follicle is trying to work in.
What microneedling is used for
Follow any of these to read what causes it and what Dr Toro would recommend.
Areas treated
Face
Body
Microneedling near you, at either London clinic
- UNTIL Marylebone 1 Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ View location →
- Kailash Centre, St John’s Wood 7 Newcourt Street, London NW8 7AA View location →
Boundaries of practice
What's not treated
Good practice means saying no when indicated:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Under 18 years of age
- Active acne, skin infection, eczema or cold sore outbreak in the treatment area
- A history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring
- Oral acne medication currently or within the past six months, assessed individually
- Bleeding disorders, anticoagulant treatment or uncontrolled diabetes, assessed individually
Patient journey
What to expect from microneedling
Consultation & preparation
Stop retinoids and exfoliating acids five days before and avoid sun exposure and self-tan for two weeks. Come with clean skin and no makeup. Tell Dr Toro if you get cold sores or have taken oral acne medication in the past six months, as both change the plan.
During treatment
Aftercare
Leave your skin alone for 24 hours: no makeup, no active skincare, no touching. Use only a gentle cleanser and a plain moisturiser for three days, then daily SPF without exception. Avoid exercise, saunas, swimming and direct sun for 48 hours. Redness settles in a day or two and light flaking is normal.
Microneedling prices in Marylebone and St John’s Wood
Microneedling is priced per treatment but planned as a course, so the consultation sets out the full cost before you commit. Prices are reviewed periodically.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr Toro Ogundoyin, Aesthetic Doctor: MBBS, DIP. FSRH · General Medical Council: a skin procedure carried out by a GMC-registered doctor in a CQC-registered clinic.
FAQ
Microneedling questions
Does microneedling hurt?
Numbing cream is applied for 20 to 30 minutes beforehand, so most people find it very manageable. It feels like vibration with a scratchy edge, more noticeable over bony areas like the forehead and jaw. It is not a comfortable facial, but it is short, and nobody needs anything stronger than topical numbing.
What is the downtime after microneedling?
Expect redness and a warm, tight feeling like mild sunburn for 24 to 48 hours, sometimes with light flaking on day three or four. Most people are presentable the next day and back to normal by day three. Leave makeup off for 24 hours and wear daily SPF afterwards without exception.
How many sessions will I need?
Four to six sessions spaced four weeks apart for most concerns, and often more for acne scarring. You will see brightness within a week, but collagen takes months to mature, so the fair point to judge the result is around three months after your final session rather than immediately.
Is microneedling safe for darker skin tones?
Yes, and it is one of the reasons Dr Toro uses it. There is no laser and no heat, so the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation that comes with some light-based treatments does not apply in the same way. Depth and aftercare are still chosen for your skin rather than applied to everyone identically.
Can I combine microneedling with other treatments?
Yes. Exosomes applied immediately afterwards use the open channels, which is the whole argument for pairing them. Microneedling also sits well alongside Profhilo, polynucleotides and prescription skincare, spaced rather than stacked. It is usually done at least two weeks apart from injectable treatments in the same area.
Related Treatments
Get Started
Book your consultation
with Dr Toro
Dr. Toro Aesthetics • 1 Orchard Street, UNTIL Marylebone, London W1H 6HJ • Kailash Centre, 7 Newcourt Street, London NW8 7AA
BookConsultations are £90 and include a written treatment and skincare plan.