Microneedling is an effective procedure for improving the complexion. On realself.com, the popular website dedicated to patients discussing aesthetic treatments, microneedling has a high 92% approval rating among patients. It continues to be a popular skin rejuvenation procedure for its effectiveness and relative affordability compared to laser resurfacing. Because it is a moderately invasive treatment that requires puncturing the skin, a topical anesthetic is usually applied before the procedure. The numbing cream for microneedling that skincare professional request the most is BLT cream – a combination of three potent topical anesthetics for numbing the skin.

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling uses small needles that are moved against the skin to stimulate skin cell renewal. The small punctures made by the microneedling device remove skin imperfections and encourage the growth of new, undamaged skin. The treatments reduce the appearance of fine lines, sun damage, acne scars, and other skin imperfections. In addition to stimulating new collagen and elastin, the treatments can also be used for applying medications more effectively by allowing better skin penetration.

The first microneedling devices that were used had small needles on a round surface like a brush that was rolled across the skin. These “derma-rollers” are still used but have started to be replaced by powered devices that move needles up-and-down on the skin rapidly. The at-home derma rollers are less effective than microneedling performed by a skincare professional at a dermatology office or medical spa. Additionally, the more powerful topical anesthetics that make treatments painless are only available from trained skincare professionals.

BLT Cream: The Best Topical Numbing Cream for Microneedling

Our pharmacy frequently gets requests from dermatologists and aestheticians for a particular formulation of three anesthetic ingredients in one powerful cream. This triple anesthetic with benzocaine, lidocaine, and tetracine (BLT) can make skin procedures like microneedling painless. The most popular formulation we make is a benzocaine 20%, lidocaine 6%, tetracaine 4% combination but the amount of each ingredient is customizable.

The BLT numbing cream is applied about a half-hour before treatment to allow the ingredients to work. Unlike an injectable anesthetic, a topical anesthetic cream has minimal systemic effects when used correctly. A patient who has BLT cream applied before their microneedling procedure can return to their normal activities soon after their treatment. While there is redness, irritation, and sometimes bleeding from microneedling there is no downtime required.

BLT Cream for Other Aesthetic Treatments

BLT Cream is not just the best topical numbing cream for microneedling. Botox and filler injections, laser treatments, and other skin procedures can be made more comfortable with the use of a topical anesthetic. Patients who are having procedures like Ultherapy, which uses ultrasound to tighten skin, sometimes find that a numbing cream makes treatment more tolerable. Common dermatological procedures like biopsies can also be made less painful, making an office visit easier for both the patient and the dermatologist.

Products to Be Combined With Microneedling

In addition to BLT cream, Park Compounding Pharmacy offers a wide range of other products for aesthetic treatments. The effectiveness of these products can be enhanced when combined with microneedling, as the treatment allows the medication to penetrate deeper into the skin. Formulations we make that are used with microneedling include hyaluronic acid 1% gel and peptide cream (hyaluronic acid 1%, DMAE 3%, argireline 3%, ascorbic acid 10%).