Skin needling was created by a South African plastic surgeon in 1997, who discovered that this procedure is a harmless and less invasive method of inducing the skin to create collagen and elastin. Since it’s discovery, skin needling has been used for treating sensitive areas that other skin resurfacing procedures may need to avoid, such as scars, vertical lines around the mouth, below the eyes, the neck, backs of hands and thighs. Skin needling has been found to give the same results as other resurfacing treatments, such as laser, chemical peeling and dermabrasion, but is considered less invasive than these three because the epidermis is left intact. Skin needling is also less likely to cause permanent damage, such as sun sensitivity, skin color loss or hyperpigmentation.