My Experience With Microneedling | Acne Scar Treatment ft. Banish

Over the years, I've had my ups and downs dealing with acne, which I've struggled with for over 15 years now. It crushed my confidence and self-esteem at a young age and has been an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least! Despite all the low points I've been through, I am so grateful that I am an acne sufferer - not something my younger self ever imagined I would say! It led me to where I am today in many aspects of my life, including the existence of this blog because acne is what got me into researching health and beauty products in the first place as well as helping me discover the plant-based lifestyle. While I don't break out nearly as much as I used to, I do get the occasional breakout (the proof is on my Youtube channel where you can also see how my skin has progressed and improved acne-wise over the last few years) and my skin is still very much prone to scarring and hyperpigmentation. I wanted to go more in-depth about microneedling, a treatment that has done wonders for my skin over the last couple of years and share a recent discovery in Banish* skincare products which I was so excited to finally test out after hearing great things about them over the years.

I wanted to start off by sharing a little background on Banish, a California-based skincare company founded by Daisy Jing in 2013. A long time acne sufferer, Daisy discovered the YouTube community and came across videos of brave souls sharing their struggles with acne, which gave her the courage to share her own journey. Prior to undergoing laser treatments to take control of her acne scars for which she had saved thousands of dollars right after graduating from college, her soon-to-be plastic surgeon recommended she first try microneedling in conjunction with a vitamin C serum to see if these would make a difference - and a difference they did make! This combination, along with cutting out meat and dairy, was so successful in healing her skin that she pledged and made it her mission to bring this solution to the market to help others - and that is how Banish came to be! All Banish products are plant-based, natural, vegan and freshly made and are available for purchase internationally on the Banish website. Now a successful businesswoman, Daisy Jing is an Inc 500 entrepreneur who has been named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List and is also a TEDx speaker. Super inspiring, to say the least!

Now, I am not new to microneedling as I have been using a microneedling dermaroller for the last few years and it has been a serious gamechanger! I have however recently switched to exclusively using the Banisher 2.0, which is part of the Banish Kit 2.0, the latter which also includes the Banish Oil. The Banisher 2.0 is a similar concept to the dermaroller but instead of using a rolling motion, the wand enables you to use a stamping motion so you can easily pinpoint problematic areas of your skin. Microneedling basically creates microscopic punctures in the epidermis, thereby tricking your brain into thinking there has been damage done to the top layer of your skin. This by the same token promotes collagen production by more quickly shedding old layers of skin. Microneedling also enables products you follow up with to better penetrate the skin and it thereby makes their performance more effective. 

The Banisher 2.0 is made with 24k Gold Plated Titanium needles, and with even pressure, you are meant to rotate the wand 90 degrees and repeat the stamping motion 4-5 times on the same area to achieve the best results over time. I basically focus it on areas of my face where I have scars, which are on my lower cheeks, chin and upper neck. You only need to do this once a week on cleansed skin so as to give your skin enough time to regenerate in between treatments! Disinfecting the Banisher 2.0 is very easy too - you just fill the cap with rubbing alcohol, screw the wand back on and let it do its thing for 5 minutes before letting it dry and storing it for next use. Not only is using this technique good to treat acne scars and hyperpigmentation but it also helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles thanks to its skin renewal properties.

Following cleansing my face and the use of the Banisher 2.0, I immediately apply the Banish Oil, which is a vitamin C serum. I would describe it as a light oil with a slightly jelly texture. Serums have become staples in my daily skincare routine, and this one specifically targets healing dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Most of my breakouts unfortunately leave a dark spot behind, so this product has been perfect for me to speed up the lightening process. It also helps even out texture and provides a healthy glow to my face. I have been using this serum daily before applying a moisturizer and have already noticed the fading of my pesky dark spots after only a few weeks of use.

Banish Oil is made with a glycerin base and pure vitamin C, and other soothing and regenerating ingredients including: aloe leaf juice (one of my faves!), witch hazel, vitamin E, rose flower water, grapefruit seed extract and citric acid. These are all ingredients that I recognize, trust and particularly covet in my skincare products, many of which I have used individually, so having a formulated product on the market that combines all of them is such a treat!

Microneedling at first scared me quite a bit as I was afraid it would be on the painful side because you are sticking needles into your face after all! But the needles are so tiny that I barely feel anything - I find it actually feels quite good and satisfying (and it's nothing compared to the pain you might feel during facial extractions, which I got earlier this month and inadvertently ended up shedding a few tears while my eyes were shut as my esthetician was working her magic away - beauty is pain guys)! I have already noticed my scars fading in a short amount of time using the Banish Kit 2.0 and I am so glad that this combo has made its way into my life. I had high hopes as I have been familiar with the Banish line for years, and having finally tried it, I cannot say enough good things about the brand that has your confidence at heart. Find out more about how to get rid of acne scars on the Banish blog!

Have you heard of Banish? 

Subscribe by email for exclusive updates!

*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Banish. All thoughts and opinions are my own.