Micro Infusion FAQ: Everything You Need to Know Before You Start
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Before trying something new that involves needles near your face, you deserve clear answers. Not vague reassurances. Not disclaimers written by a legal team. Actual answers to the questions most people have before they start.
This page brings together the questions we hear most often, grouped the way people actually ask them. Safety first. Then what to expect. Then how to get the most from your treatment. Then results.
The answers here are specific, honest, and grounded in the science and the real experience of people who have used the Erra Skin Micro Infusion device. Where the answer requires nuance rather than a simple yes or no, that is what you will get.
Before You Buy
- Does micro infusion actually work?
- What skin concerns can micro infusion actually help with?
- What will micro infusion not help with?
- Is it actually safe to put needles in your face at home?
- Can I get an infection from micro infusion?
Before Your First Treatment
- Does it hurt?
- How red will my skin be afterwards?
- What if I do it wrong and damage my skin?
- Can I use it around my eyes?
- Can I use it on my neck?
- I have rosacea, eczema or very sensitive skin. Can I still use it?
- Can I use it while pregnant or breastfeeding?
During Your Treatment
- Can I use my own serum?
- What if the serum is not flowing through the needle head?
- The foil seal broke or is stuck. What do I do?
- How many passes should I do?
- How often should I use it?
After Your Treatment
- What should I do immediately after treatment?
- Can I wear makeup after treatment?
- Can I use retinol, vitamin C or acids after treatment?
- Can I exercise, swim or use a sauna after treatment?
- Should I wear SPF after treatment?
- Can I wash my face after treatment?
Results
- Will one treatment make a difference?
- How long until I see results?
- Is this as good as a professional clinic treatment?
- Will it help my acne scarring?
- I tried a derma roller and saw nothing. Why would this be different?
Before You Buy
1. Does micro infusion actually work?
The honest answer to this question is another question.
Work for what?
Micro infusion is not designed to solve every skin concern, and being upfront about that is important. If you are hoping one treatment will completely transform your face, erase deep wrinkles, address volume loss or replace cosmetic procedures, this is probably not the right fit.
What micro infusion is designed to do is become part of a long-term skin health routine that improves the overall quality and appearance of your skin over time. For the right concerns, used consistently, it can make a visible difference.
One treatment often leaves skin looking brighter, smoother and more hydrated the following morning. The longer-term improvements, things like smoother-looking skin texture, softer-looking fine lines and a more radiant complexion, refined pores come from repeating the treatment every two weeks.
Think of it like tending to a beautiful lawn. The most incredible lawns are not the result of someone fertilising them once and forgetting about them. They are aerated, fertilised, and watered consistently. Skin is no different. Micro infusion is not a quick fix. It is an ongoing commitment to healthier-looking skin, and that is a much more realistic and empowering way to think about it.
Rachel’s Tip: Do not judge your results after one treatment. Take photos before you start, then again at 6 and 12 weeks so you can actually see the change. We see our own faces every day, which means gradual improvements are easy to miss. The photos often tell a very different story.
2. What skin concerns can micro infusion actually help with?
Micro infusion is designed to improve the overall appearance and quality of your skin. With consistent use, it may help improve the visible appearance of:
Fine lines and early wrinkles
Rough or uneven skin texture
Enlarged-looking pores
Dull or tired-looking skin
Dry or dehydrated-looking skin
Overall skin radiance and glow
Makeup application, by creating a smoother-looking surface
Many people also notice an immediate post-treatment glow the following morning. As your routine continues over the following weeks, those improvements begin to build on one another. The key word is consistency. One treatment starts the process. Regular treatments are where the cumulative improvements happen.
3. What will micro infusion not help with?
This is just as important to talk about.
Micro infusion is a cosmetic skin treatment, not a replacement for every procedure available in aesthetic medicine. It is not designed to restore facial volume. If you have lost volume in your cheeks or under your eyes, micro infusion will not replace dermal fillers. If your main concern is significant skin laxity or lifting, there are professional treatments specifically designed for that purpose.
The same applies to deep acne scarring. While consistent micro infusion may improve the overall appearance of skin and some superficial textural irregularities, deeper acne scars often require professional treatments performed at greater depths.
It might sound unusual for a founder to spend time talking about what their product does not do. But realistic expectations are the foundation of genuine results. When you know exactly what you are working with, you are far more likely to be satisfied with what you see.
4. Is it actually safe to put needles in your face at home?
Any device that creates tiny openings in your skin should be designed with safety as the first priority. For at-home use specifically, safe micro infusion comes down to a few non-negotiables.
The needle depth needs to be appropriate for home use. Every needle head needs to be individually sterile sealed. The needle heads need to be single use. And the device needs to be simple enough that someone using it for the first time feels confident rather than overwhelmed.
Those principles shaped how the Erra Skin Micro Infusion device was designed. Every needle head comes individually sealed in a medical sterile peel pouch. Each one is used once and then disposed of. The treatment depth is fixed, so there are no settings to adjust or accidentally misuse.
The stamping mechanism was specifically chosen for home use safety over both a pen device and a derma roller. With a stamp, every movement is straight down and straight back up. You are not dragging needles across the skin at an angle the way you do with a derma roller, and you are not trying to control the speed, pressure and angle of a motorised pen while keeping it perfectly perpendicular to your skin. The stamp motion is intuitive, forgiving, and designed to be safe in an untrained hand.
The anticipation before a first treatment is almost always worse than the treatment itself. Once that first session is done, most people are surprised by how straightforward it was.
Rachel’s Tip: If you are nervous, do your first treatment in the evening when you do not have to rush anywhere. Taking your time makes all the difference.
5. Can I get an infection from micro infusion?
Any treatment that creates tiny openings in the skin carries some risk if it is not performed hygienically. That is why sterility matters so much.
Every Erra Skin needle head is individually sterile sealed and intended for one treatment only. Never reuse a needle head, and never use one if the sterile packaging has been damaged before opening.
Before each treatment, wash your hands thoroughly and begin with clean skin. Avoid treating active acne breakouts, open wounds, irritated skin, or areas with an active skin infection. After your treatment, keep your skincare simple for the first 24 hours, avoid touching your face and resist applying lots of different products to freshly treated skin. Follow the aftercare protocol.
Following these basic hygiene practices is straightforward. Micro infusion should not be intimidating, but it should always be approached with care.
Before Your First Treatment
6. Does it hurt?
No, it is not painful. But you can definitely feel it.
The best description is like pressing rough velcro against your skin. It is noticeable, particularly around the nose and upperlip, but it is not painful in a way that makes you want to stop. After a few sessions it becomes surprisingly unremarkable. Most people stop thinking about the sensation entirely and focus on the results instead.
The serum also makes the experience considerably more comfortable. Once you have established good serum flow through the needle head, it provides a cooling effect across the skin as you stamp. It creates a smoother sensation and makes the treatment feel much better than most people expect.
The anticipation is almost always worse than the treatment itself. The comment heard most often after a first session is: that was not nearly as bad as I expected.
Rachel’s Tip: If it is your first treatment, try to plan it just after your period or during your follicular phase rather than in the days before your period. Skin sensitivity increases in the luteal phase and timing your first treatment during a less sensitive week makes the whole experience more comfortable.
7. How red will my skin be afterwards?
Everyone's skin responds a little differently, but here is what is most commonly experienced.
Redness typically settles within one to two hours of treatment. That is exactly why treating in the evening is recommended. By the following morning the redness is gone and skin looks hydrated, fresh and glowy.
Something interesting happens with continued use: skin often becomes less red with each subsequent treatment, or the redness settles more quickly than it did the first time. This is a consistent pattern observed across many users.
One of the advantages of cosmetic micro infusion is that the visible downtime is much shorter than more intensive professional microneedling treatments. Professional treatments performed at greater depths may be more appropriate for significant acne scarring or skin laxity. Micro infusion is designed to improve overall skin quality while fitting into a regular routine without days of recovery.
8. What if I do it wrong and damage my skin?
One of the biggest reasons the stamping mechanism was chosen over a pen or roller is precisely because of how forgiving it is for home use. With a stamp, every movement is straight down and straight back up. There is no dragging, no angle to control, no speed to manage.
The needle head is designed to retract back into the device as you press, which means the depth is self-limiting. You cannot press too hard because the device will not allow it. Light, consistent pressure is all that is needed, and the device does the work.
The most common mistake is not with the device at all. It is what people apply to their skin afterwards. Using retinol, exfoliating acids, or strong actives immediately after treatment can irritate freshly treated skin. Following the aftercare instructions is just as important as the treatment itself.
Once someone completes their first treatment, their confidence changes completely. The technique is simple, and from that point it becomes part of a routine.
9. Can I use it around my eyes?
Yes, and the eye area is actually one of the most rewarding areas to treat because it is often one of the first places visible signs of ageing appear.
Treat up to the orbital bone, which is the firm bony ridge you can feel around your eye socket. Under the eye, this sits just beneath the softer under-eye tissue and curves upward around the outer corner of the eye. Avoid the eyelids and do not stamp too close to the lash line. The skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate, so approach this area thoughtfully, but there is no need to avoid it entirely. Use a light pressure and the same three passes used across the rest of the face.
10. Can I use it on my neck?
Absolutely, and it is encouraged. The neck and decolletage age alongside the face and deserve the same consistent attention.
In every treatment session, include the face, neck, and decolletage as part of the same routine. Use the same straight stamping technique with consistent pressure. Pay particular attention to tech neck lines, the horizontal lines that form across the neck from years of looking down at screens. These respond well to consistent micro infusion treatment and are an area many people overlook entirely.
Stopping at the jawline creates a visible inconsistency over time. Treating these areas together gives you a consistent result across the whole treatment zone.
11. I have rosacea, eczema or very sensitive skin. Can I still use it?
The honest answer is that it depends on the type and current state of your skin.
If you have active rosacea with flushing, visible broken capillaries, or an active flare, do not treat those areas. The same applies to active eczema or broken, inflamed skin. The skin barrier is already compromised and a needling treatment may worsen the irritation.
If your condition is well controlled and your skin is currently clear, the answer becomes much more individual. For anyone with rosacea, eczema, or another diagnosed skin condition, speaking with your dermatologist or healthcare professional before starting is the right approach.
If your skin is simply sensitive rather than affected by a medical condition, do a patch test first and start with two passes on your first treatment. Give your skin time to show you how it responds before treating your full face.
12. Can I use it while pregnant or breastfeeding?
If you are pregnant, speak with your doctor before using any cosmetic needling device. The same applies while breastfeeding.
Micro infusion is a cosmetic treatment, but pregnancy and breastfeeding are short windows in the context of a lifelong skincare routine. A conservative approach is always the right one if you are unsure. If you are taking any medications that affect your skin or wound healing, it is worth checking with your doctor before beginning treatment regardless of pregnancy.
During Your Treatment
13. Can I use my own serum?
The Erra Skin system was designed as exactly that. A system. And the serum is half of it.
The Peptide Infusion Complex was specifically formulated for use with micro infusion. The molecular weight of the ingredients, the viscosity of the formula, and the concentration of the active ingredients were all carefully considered for this type of treatment. Everyday facial serums are formulated for topical use and are not specifically designed to be used during micro infusion.
There is also an important safety consideration. During micro infusion, temporary micro-channels are created in the skin. Ingredients that are perfectly suitable for use on the surface of intact skin may not be appropriate when applied while those channels are open. The Erra Skin Peptide Infusion Complex was formulated specifically for use with the treatment. A random serum from your bathroom shelf was not.
Do not use retinols, exfoliating acids, fragranced products, or unverified serums during a micro infusion treatment. The serum and the device were designed to work together as one complete system.
WHY THE SERUM MATTERS: Micro-channels temporarily bypass the skin's outer barrier. What goes in through those channels reaches the skin at a depth where it can be more readily absorbed than through topical application alone. That is why the serum needs to be formulated for this specific purpose, not repurposed from a topical skincare range.
14. What if the serum is not flowing through the needle head?
This is the most common troubleshooting question, and it is almost always an easy fix.
Before starting treatment, fill the chamber with your serum, attach the needle head, and turn the device upside down for two to five minutes. This gives the serum time to move down into the needle head before you begin.
Always test the serum flow on the back of your hand before treating your face. A few gentle stamps will show whether the serum is flowing evenly.
If no serum is coming through: give the device a few firm downward flicks to encourage the serum towards the needle head, then test again.
If the flow is still slow: slightly loosen the needle head and test again.
If too much serum is coming through: tighten the needle head slightly.
These are small adjustments. Once you have found the right balance, you are ready to begin. Do not start your treatment until you have established good serum flow. The serum helps create a cooling effect during treatment and allows the Peptide Infusion Complex to work alongside the micro infusion device as part of the complete system.
Rachel’s Tip: Do not complete all three passes on one side of your face before moving to the other. Instead, complete two passes across your entire treatment area first, then go back for your third. If the serum is flowing faster than expected, this prevents you from using too much in one area before you have finished the rest of your face.
15. The foil seal broke or is stuck. What do I do?
This happens occasionally and there is no need to worry.
When you remove the lid from your serum ampoule, the foil seal will often lift away cleanly. Occasionally part of the foil remains attached. If that happens, do not try to remove it with your teeth or fingers. Use a clean pair of eyebrow tweezers to carefully lift away the remaining foil. The edge can be surprisingly sharp, so take care. Once it is removed, continue preparing your treatment as normal.
16. How many passes should I do?
Three passes over each treatment area, using approximately 50 percent overlap with each stamp to ensure even coverage.
There is no need to rush. Work methodically across your face, neck, and décolletage at a consistent pace. The stamping platform is designed to retract into the device as you press, so the treatment depth remains consistent regardless of pressure. Focus on even rhythm and coverage rather than force.
If it is your first session, two passes is enough. Let your skin show you how it responds before adding the third pass on your next treatment.
17. How often should I use it?
Every two weeks. Not every week. Not every few days, even when your skin looks great after a treatment and you are tempted to go again sooner.
The recovery time between sessions is just as important as the treatment itself. Your skin needs that window to complete its natural renewal process. Going more frequently does not accelerate results and can over-stimulate the skin.
The Erra Skin three month kit provides six treatments over twelve weeks, which is the protocol our results are built on. One treatment can leave your skin looking fresher and more radiant the following day, but the more noticeable improvements in skin quality come from staying consistent over time.
Think of the first twelve weeks as the foundation. Just as you wouldn't expect to build strength from a few weeks at the gym and then stop training altogether, your skin benefits from ongoing care. Healthy skin is maintained through consistency, not one-off treatments.
Micro infusion is designed to become part of your long-term skincare routine. Continuing to treat every two weeks helps support the improvements you've already achieved while maintaining smoother texture, brighter skin, hydration and overall skin quality over time. The goal isn't to complete six treatments and stop. It's to continue investing in the long-term health of your skin.
Take photos before your first treatment and then every two weeks in the same lighting. Looking at your skin every day makes gradual improvements difficult to notice, but comparing photos over several months gives a much clearer picture of your progress.
After Your Treatment
18. What should I do immediately after treatment?
Leave the treatment serum on your skin. Do not wash it off. The micro-channels begin closing within a few hours, but your skin remains more receptive during that time. Leaving the serum on overnight allows the Peptide Infusion Complex to continue supporting your skin while you sleep.
Avoid being in the sun and keep your skincare simple for the first 24 hours. Your skin has just been treated and does not need a full routine layered on top of it.
Try to avoid touching your face unnecessarily during the first few hours after treatment. Freshly treated skin is more vulnerable to irritation, so keeping your hands away helps minimise the chance of introducing dirt, bacteria or unnecessary friction while your skin settles.
Rachel’s Tip: I always treat in the evening so I can leave the serum on overnight. By the next morning the redness has settled and my skin looks hydrated and glowy. That morning-after result is one of my favourite parts of the treatment.
19. Can I wear makeup after treatment?
Wait until the following morning before applying makeup. Give your skin the full evening and overnight period to settle before you put anything on top of it.
By the next morning, the micro-channels will have closed and your skin will be ready for your normal skincare routine, including makeup.
20. Can I use retinol, vitamin C or acids after treatment?
Not for the first 24 to 48 hours after treatment. The micro-channels make your skin significantly more receptive to absorption, which is the benefit during treatment and the risk immediately after if you apply something your skin does not need delivered at that depth.
Retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C can all cause irritation on freshly treated skin. Wait until 48 hours after treatment before reintroducing them. From that point, your usual routine can resume.
21. Can I exercise, swim or use a sauna after treatment?
Avoid all of these for at least 24 hours after treatment. Heat, sweat, and chlorine on freshly treated skin can cause irritation and increase the risk of sensitivity.
This is one of the practical reasons treating in the evening works so well. By the next morning you are past the window where these restrictions apply.
22. Should I wear SPF after treatment?
Yes, every morning after treatment without exception. Freshly treated skin is more sensitive to UV exposure in the days following a session. SPF is important every day as part of a healthy skincare routine, but it is non-negotiable in the days after micro infusion.
23. Can I wash my face after treatment?
Wait until the following morning. Leave the treatment serum on overnight and cleanse gently the next day as usual. There is no benefit to washing it off sooner and doing so removes the serum before it has had the full opportunity to absorb.
Results
24. Will one treatment make a difference?
Most people notice something the morning after their first treatment. Skin typically looks more hydrated and has a visible glow. It feels smoother to touch and makeup tends to apply more evenly. These are real and consistent responses to a single session.
What one treatment will not do is change your skin texture, soften fine lines, or produce the kind of result you can see in a before and after photo. That takes consistent repeated sessions. One treatment is the first stimulus. The result is what happens when you keep going.
THE HONEST TIMELINE: Day after first treatment: hydration, glow, smoother feel. Around treatment three, weeks four to six: texture and fine line improvement becoming noticeable. Treatment four, week eight: clear visible difference for most people. Months three to six: compounding improvement with consistent fortnightly use.
25. How long until I see results?
There are two timelines worth separating because they answer different parts of the question.
The immediate response happens within 24 hours of each session: hydration, glow, and smoother-feeling skin. This is consistent across almost every person who uses the device and happens regardless of which session number it is.
The cumulative change, fine lines appearing softer, texture visibly improving, and overall skin quality shifting, takes longer. Based on Erra Skin trial data across ten women completing four fortnightly treatments, most people start noticing visible change by their third treatment at around four to six weeks, with the clearest difference confirmed by the fourth treatment at eight weeks. Eight of the ten showed a clear visible before and after difference. Two showed a more subtle change. That is the honest number.
The Erra Skin three month kit covers six treatments across 90 days, which is where the 90 day results guarantee is set. Most people see meaningful change well within that window.
26. Is this as good as a professional clinic treatment?
It depends on what you are comparing and what you are trying to achieve.
Radiofrequency microneedling at clinical depth, for significant acne scarring or skin laxity, produces results that at-home micro infusion at 0.5mm cannot replicate. If that is your concern, the right comparison is between clinical treatments, not between a clinical device and a cosmetic home device.
For general skin quality improvement, fine lines, texture, dullness, and hydration, the more relevant question is not which produces a better single session result. It is which one you can actually maintain consistently. A clinic visit at $350 that happens three times a year produces three stimulus events. A fortnightly home micro infusion practice produces 26 events in the same period. Consistency produces the compounding result, and consistency at home is accessible in a way clinic treatment is not for most people.
27. Will it help my acne scarring?
For surface-level textural scarring and post-inflammatory marks, consistent micro infusion can visibly improve the appearance of the skin over time. Several Erra Skin trial participants noted visible improvement in the appearance of acne-related skin concerns after four treatments.
For deeper icepick scars or significant atrophic scarring, radiofrequency microneedling at clinical depth is likely to produce more significant results. Micro infusion at 0.5mm is a cosmetic treatment. Being honest about that distinction matters more than overstating what it does.
28. I tried a derma roller and saw nothing. Why would this be different?
The mechanism is genuinely different and it matters more than most people realise.
A derma roller creates an angled tearing motion through the skin as it rolls. The needles enter at an angle, drag through the tissue, and exit at an angle. Most people instinctively roll too lightly because the sensation tells them to, which means they are not reaching the depth the roller is rated for. And the serum applied afterwards sits largely on the surface rather than being delivered into the channels.
A micro infusion stamp goes straight down and straight back out. The channels are clean, the motion is controlled, and the serum is delivered simultaneously through the channels as they are created. The ingredients reach the skin at a depth where they can actually work.
Still have a question that is not here? Send it through via the website or Instagram. If enough people ask the same thing, it goes into the next version of this post.
The Erra Skin Micro-Infusion Kit is a cosmetic device intended for appearance enhancement only. It is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or skin condition. If you have any medical condition, are pregnant, or are unsure whether this device is appropriate for you, consult a qualified medical professional before use.
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