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Microneedling in Salinas and Carmel
Collagen your skin builds itself. Microneedling smooths texture, softens acne scars, tightens pores, and brings back the kind of glow that comes from healthy skin rather than a filter, with PRP, exosome, and glass-skin upgrades when you want more.
How it works
A medical microneedling device creates thousands of controlled micro-channels in the skin. The skin reads them as an injury and responds the way it does best: by building fresh collagen and elastin. Over a series of treatments, texture smooths, pores tighten, scars soften, and fine lines fade.
The vampire facial: PRP microneedling
Platelet-rich plasma is prepared from a small draw of your own blood and applied as the micro-channels are made, so the growth factors that direct healing go exactly where the skin is rebuilding. The result is a stronger response from the same treatment: better texture, tone, and glow, and a faster recovery. Dr. Monarrez trained in the Vampire Facial® procedure through the Cellular Medicine Association, with the physician who developed it.
Exosome microneedling
Exosomes are the tiny messengers cells use to signal repair. Applied topically right after microneedling, when the skin can absorb them, a stem-cell-derived exosome complex delivers growth factors, peptides, and amino acids that calm inflammation, speed recovery, and support the skin's own collagen and elastin. Patients tend to see less redness the next day and a stronger, longer-lasting improvement in texture and tone. We use a regenerative exosome complex from BENEV, the U.S. partner behind Letybo®. It can be combined with PRP for the fullest regenerative response.
Upgrades, customized to your skin
Microneedling is the base; what we add depends on what your skin needs and what you want from it. A consultation before your first treatment sets the plan.
Some treatments may involve compounded medications, complementary approaches, or medically appropriate off-label uses of FDA-approved therapies. When applicable, we explain the regulatory status of the treatment, the strength and limitations of the available evidence, and its potential benefits, risks, and alternatives. Recommendations are individualized following an appropriate medical evaluation. No treatment or result is guaranteed.
Microneedling questions, answered plainly
What patients ask before they book.
Does microneedling hurt?
Most people describe it as a light vibration with occasional prickling near bone, and don't need numbing; it's available if you'd like it. The redness afterward feels like a mild sunburn and settles within a day.
How many treatments do I need, and when will I see results?
Three to four treatments, spaced about four weeks apart, then maintenance. Results are not instant: collagen builds slowly, so the best results show at twelve weeks and beyond, and keep improving over the series.
Can I do microneedling and Botox on the same day?
We prefer not to. Neuromodulators need time to settle, and microneedling can spread product, so we schedule them on separate days, usually two weeks apart. The exception is a micro-dose MesoTox finish, which is designed to pair with microneedling.
Is it safe for darker skin tones?
Yes. Unlike many lasers, microneedling doesn't rely on targeting pigment, so it's a good option across skin tones when it's done with the right depth and aftercare.
Skin that looks like it slept
Book a single session or a series.