Microneedling in Hitchin: A Guide to SkinPen

I'm writing this guide because if you've been Googling "microneedling Hitchin" or "SkinPen near me", you've probably already waded through a lot of conflicting information. Some of it from clinics with a sales pitch attached. Some of it from beauty influencers who've never used the device.

So this is the version I wish I'd had when I was researching it for my own skin.

Who I am and why I do this

I had acne as a teenager and into my twenties. I used to treat myself to facials at the local spa and wonder why nothing changed. They'd apply a mask, send me on my way, and my skin would look the same a week later.

What changed for me was retraining as a facialist and learning the science of skin properly. I qualified through CIBTAC, and was a finalist for the CIBTAC/BIBTAC Facialist of the Year Award in 2024. I learnt how to treat my skin by understand the ingredients going into skincare and upgrading my "in-clinic" treatments to include SkinPen microneedling and saw huge improvements in my skin texture and acne scaring.

I'm working a facialist residency at Hair + Beauty Bar in the Arcade in Hitchin on Saturdays. I only offer the best in microneedling facials using SkinPen to keep the standard of every appointment high, and offer a proven treatment that isn't a gimmick.

Where I treat

I treat clients from Hitchin and the surrounding Hertfordshire towns — including Letchworth, Stevenage, Baldock, and Harpenden. H+BB is in central Hitchin, easy to find and easy to park near, alternatively you could get the train into Hitchin and it's a short 15 minute walk to the salon.

What is microneedling, in plain English?

Microneedling creates tiny, controlled punctures in the top layers of your skin. Your skin reads those as a signal to repair, which kicks off your body's natural collagen and elastin production.

That repair process is what does the work. Better texture. Softer scarring. Smoother fine lines. Skin that holds onto its bounce a bit longer.

It is not a quick fix. It is a treatment that uses your own biology to do something it already knows how to do — just more of it, more deliberately.

Interestingly with microneedling the results get better as the days go on with most people seeing their best results a month after their last treatment.

This is because it takes around 28 days for our skin to fully turn over and build new collagen.

The tiny channels we create during your session are a signal — they tell your skin to repair — and it does that quietly in the background, building fresh collagen and elastin layer by layer. By the time week four rolls around, that new collagen has reached the surface and the texture starts to soften. That's the bit you actually see in the mirror!

Why SkinPen specifically?

I chose the SkinPen because I wouldn't put anything less on my own face, and I won't put anything less on yours.

A few specific reasons:

1. I can control the needle depth precisely, which means I can treat a fine-lines-around-the-eyes area very differently to a deeper acne-scar area on the cheek, in the same session.

It's the first FDA-cleared microneedling device of its kind. In the UK, that means there are real clinical studies behind it — not just marketing.

I can control the needle depth precisely, which means I can treat a fine-lines-around-the-eyes area very differently to a deeper acne-scar area on the cheek, in the same session.

What does microneedling actually treat?

The three things I see most often in my clients are:

Acne scarring — the kind that's left behind even after the active acne has gone. Boxcar scars, rolling scars, post-inflammatory marks.

Skin texture — uneven tone, visible pores, that slightly rough surface that no amount of exfoliating fixes.

Early signs of ageing — fine lines, loss of firmness, dullness. This is where microneedling earns its "alternative to injectables" reputation.

What it doesn't do is replace botox or fillers. If you want a frozen forehead, microneedling isn't your treatment. If you want skin that looks like itself, just better, it might be.

Is microneedling safe?

Yes, when it's done by someone trained, licensed and insured to do it.

The SkinPen device itself uses a single-use, sterile needle cartridge for every client. There is no shared equipment touching your skin.

How much does microneedling cost in Hitchin?

My current prices, all VAT inclusive:

• Face only — £200
• Face, neck and décolletage — £230
• Backs of hands add-on — +£20 to any face treatment

If you're committing to a course (the most common pattern for acne scarring or significant texture change), the pricing is kinder:

• Course of three, face only — £540 (saving £60)
• Course of three, face, neck and décolletage — £630 (saving £60)

After your first course, returning clients pay £170 per maintenance session.

I'm priced below most other SkinPen practitioners in this area. That's not because I'm cutting corners — same device, same training standards, same single-use cartridges. It's because I run this as a focused side practice rather than a full clinic, so my overheads are lower and I pass that on.

How many sessions will I need?

Honestly — it depends on what you're treating.

For overall skin texture and early ageing, a course of three sessions spaced four to six weeks apart, then a maintenance session every few months, is what I recommend most.

For deeper acne scarring, you'll usually want a course of three, sometimes followed by a second course. Scarring is patient work. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling you something.

We talk through what's realistic for your skin specifically before you book.

Does it hurt?

It's uncomfortable, not painful. Most clients describe it as a little finger nails running across your skin. If you're really concerned, we can use a topical numbing cream though this can dampen the results.

What's the downtime?

Expect to look like you've caught the sun for a few hours but redness will subside within 24 hours.

For that reason I treat on Saturday mornings — most clients prefer to do it before a quiet weekend rather than before a working week.

Do I need a patch test?

Not for SkinPen. There are no chemical actives going into your skin during the treatment itself, so there's nothing to react to. We do a thorough consultation instead, where we go through your skin history, medications, and anything that might affect treatment.

How do I book?

Send me a DM on Instagram (@the_microneedling_facialist) or use the contact form on this site. I'll send you a short consultation form via Google Forms, we'll have a quick chat about your skin, and if microneedling is the right thing for you, I'll send across a calendar invite for a Saturday slot that works.

If it's not the right thing for you, I'll tell you that too. I'd rather lose a booking than treat someone who shouldn't be treated.

Amy x