Professional Microneedling vs At-Home Microneedling Treatment For Acne Scars

Dec 28, 2025

At Home Versus Professional Microneedling at the Doctor?

Have you ever seen photos of people with tiny red dots all over their faces after a facial? You might be looking at a "Vampire Facial." It sounds spooky, but it’s actually a super popular way to get smoother skin. Even celebrities like Kim Kardashian have tried it! But do you really need to go to a fancy doctor to get great skin?

In this guide, we’ll explain the difference between getting microneedling done by a pro and doing it yourself at home. We’ll help you figure out which one is best for you.

What Exactly is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a skin treatment that uses tiny, fine needles to poke very small holes in the surface of your skin. It might sound a little scary, but these "micro-injuries" actually tell your body to start healing itself. When your skin heals from these tiny pokes, it makes more collagen and elastin.

These are the things that keep your skin looking bouncy and smooth [1].

It’s great for fixing:

Acne scars
Wrinkles
Sun damage
Uneven skin tone

Option 1: Going to a Professional

If you go to a med spa or a doctor’s office, they use professional tools that can go deeper into the skin.

The "Vampire Facial" (PRP Microneedling)

This is the fancy version. First, they take a little bit of your blood and spin it in a machine to get the "plasma" out. This plasma is full of "growth factors" that help your skin heal even faster [3].

They spread this plasma on your face while they do the microneedling.

Pros:

It works really well for deep scars or old skin damage [2].
You see results faster.

Cons:

It’s expensive! One session can cost $600 to $1,000.
Your face might stay red for about 3 days (like a bad sunburn).
You can't do it if you still have active pimples.

Option 2: Microneedling at Home

If you don't want to spend thousands of dollars, you can actually do microneedling at home! Home tools don't go as deep as the doctor's tools, so they are much safer for you to use yourself.

Why Use the Banisher 3.0?

The best tool for home use is a stamping tool rather than a roller.

The Banisher 3.0 from Banish is a great choice because:

It has gold-plated titanium bristles that stay clean and sharp
It stamps straight down so it doesn't tear your skin.
It’s way cheaper than going to a dermatologists office to get it done

How to Do It at Home Correctly

1. Clean Everything

Soak your tool in 70% alcohol for 5 minutes.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser.

2. Start Stamping

Press the tool 4 or 5 times on each area of your face. Make sure to lift it up and move it. Do NOT drag it!

3. Add Vitamin C Serum

After you're done, put on some Vitamin C serum. Since you just made tiny holes in your skin, the serum will soak in much better. We recommend the Banish Serum because it’s made fresh and contains l-ascobic acid which is a build block of collagen.

4. Clean Your Tool Again: Soak your tool in alcohol again and let it dry.

Which One Should You Choose?

	Professional	At-Home
Cost	Very High ($400 - $1,000 per session)	Low (typically under $10 per session)
Pain/Downtime	Red face for 3 days	Hardly any downtime or pain
Results	Faster (1-3 months)	Slower (3+ months for moderate scars)
Best For	Very deep, old scars	Mild to moderate scars

References

[1]: El-Domyati, M., et al. (2015). Microneedling for acne scars. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4509584

[2]: Kang, C., & Lu, D. (2022). Microneedling + PRP for scars. Frontiers in Medicine. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.788754/full

[3]: Phoebe, L. K. W., et al. (2024). PRP for skin health. Dermatologic Therapy. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11035968/

[4]:Harris, A. G. (2015). Review of skin needling. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647515000295