I Tried Microneedling with The Banisher to Fade My Acne Scars

You want to know what frustrates me the most about acne? Once a breakout clears up, chances are I’ll be left with a dark spot in its place, giving me something new to tackle for the next couple weeks.

Oh, what I would do for a faster working skin care routine… even sticking needles in my face? Believe it or not, the practice of microneedling has gained more mainstream popularity outside of the medspa, and I’ve just spent the last four weeks trying it at home.

What is Microneedling? Microneedling is a skin care procedure that creates small punctures in the skin, which triggers its healing process. Your body sends extra resources to rejuvenate the skin with new cells. Essentially, you’re helping to speed up the normal skin cycle. Microneedling the skin can help even skin texture and tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and fade acne scars.

I’ve always been curious about what microneedling could do for my routine, and I finally decided to take the plunge. My main goal was to help even the texture I was struggling with on my face, as well as some dark acne scars that had popped up after cystic pimples healed. After seeing it all over social media, I turned to The Banisher 2.0 for the job.

At $69, the Banisher 2.0 is relatively affordable compared to other skin care tools, and I felt it fit my needs well. It features 24K Gold plated titanium bristles that are antibacterial (yes please) and instead of rolling the needles– which has been the most common way to microneedle– it utilizes a pushing motion for a more even application pressure and less irritation.

The brand describes the feeling of microneedling similar to pushing the scratchy side of velcro into the skin– and I’d agree. It’s prickly, maybe a bit shocking the first time, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s a sensation you get used to quickly, and keep in mind the needles are very short.

You press the Banisher down 4-5 times on each treatment area, and I do find my skin to become slightly red and warm during the routine, but not uncomfortably so. It’s recommended to do the routine about once a week, and shouldn’t be performed over active acne or skin conditions.

If I were to recommend any of the Banish skin care products aside from the tool, it would be the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. It’s one of very few face masks that made a noticeable difference in my skin after one use. The formula contains pumpkin enzymes and glycolic acid to help exfoliate, clear pores and even tone.

I used the mask in between microneedling sessions to keep up with my progress and speed it along, and it seriously helped give me a glow while reducing some of my smaller breakouts overnight. This product really stood out to me among the rest as something my current skin care collection was missing.

Here’s the thing, though: you can absolutely use the Banisher 2.0 in conjunction with your own favorite skin care products and still see great results. Particularly for acne scars, using it alongside enzymes, AHAs, and Vitamin C would be best– no matter what brand. Moving forward I think the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask will be a splurge that I keep around, but I will fill in the rest of my routine with my go-to favorites.

After using the Banisher and the brand’s skin care 1-2x for four weeks, I’d say that I can see and feel a difference, though it may be hard to portray in photos. I’m still experiencing some active breakouts, which did hinder me from treating some areas. However, if you look closely you can see some major fading of hyperpigmentation on both sides of my chin, and on my forehead. A few stubborn and old spots on my cheeks have faded, as well, and continue to do so.

One of the biggest differences, though, has been the texture in my skin. I had a lot of smaller bumps that weren’t necessarily red or inflamed, but became very obvious under makeup. My skin is so much smoother now, which makes for an easier makeup routine overall.

I’m also finding new breakouts to clear more quickly and leave less of a scar (if any) than what I experienced pre-Banish, so new pimples aren’t as daunting because I know that once they’re gone, they’ll be gone.

While it wasn’t a miracle product for me, I see The Banisher as a good supplement to what I was already doing in my routine in order to maximize results. At this point, I am going to continue with my microneedling routine at least once a week because I truly see a speedier heal time for my new acne and acne scars.

Would you try microneedling? Why or why not?