SPOTLIGHT ON Dr Andrew Christie

Dr Andrew Christie is a micro-needling specialist with over 25 years of experience in aesthetics. He has lectured in over 65 countries and has been invited as a key speaker at over 55 major congresses across the world. He trains over 50,000 medical practitioners each year and is considered a world authority on automated skin needling.

As the Global Medical Trainer for Dermapenworld, Andrew is the author of Advanced Innovations With Micro-Needling. Andrew has also authored three other training manuals on skin needling and written over 600 articles for industry publications, trade magazines, consumer media and journals. Andrew has been a regular judge for the ABIAs and Beauty Squad in Australia and was awarded the prestigious Educator Of The Year.

Beauty Biz Editor Louise May chats with Dr Andrew Christie about skin needling, Dermapen and advanced innovations

As a world authority on automated skin needling, what advancements have you witnessed in the field of microneedling over the past decade?

While earlier forms of microneedling (including the stamp and roller) date back to around 1997, it wasn’t until 2010 that automated skin needling was created.

Would you believe that Sydney-based DermapenWorld is the inventor of this automated technology? Arguably the biggest development however in aesthetic needling history, is the creation of digitalised automation in 2018.

The revolution from analogue, dial devices to digitalisation has delivered a new precision that promotes exact, predictable, and reliable depth outcomes. Dermapen 4™ is the world’s only skinneedling device which features a digital, depth adjustment mechanism. This feature references off a zero baseline to guarantee true needle penetration, particularly with depths over 1.0–1.5mm.

In 2017, Dr Fernandes (a developer of dermal rollers), published a commentary where he argued that analogue, automated needling pens were not delivering precise puncture depth into the skin. Essentially the needle insertion was often more superficial than what had been dialed on the device.

With Dermapen 4 ingenuity, the digitalisation allows each increase of depth increment to be 100% exact, ensuring the precision of every puncture. This is also supported by an RFID chip in both the pen and our single-use, needle cartridges to promote even greater control, facilitating a smooth, comfortable application and glide.

This is why Dermapen 4 won Good Design Awards in Germany, Australia, and South Korea. *Des Fernandes, MD, Commentary on: MicroNeedling Depth Penetration, Presence of Pigment Particles, and Fluorescein-Stained Platelets: Clinical Usage for Aesthetic Concerns, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 37, Issue 1, 1 January 2017, Pages 86–88

What makes Dermapen Treatments™ the leading authority on microneedling results?

Dermapen Treatments are centred around patient safety, comfort, and confidence. And just as the great Greek physician Hippocrates stated, “First, do no harm”.

DermapenWorld’s global network of Authorised Treatment Providers are experts in synergistic solutions who understand that needling is only one component of successful patient results. The facilitation of appropriate mesotherapy-glides, serve as a unique chemical regeneration that delivers potent actives into the skin during the procedure.

The application of anabolic chemical peels such as ÜBER PRO™ and ÜBER MD™ and even LED therapy now maximise results that go beyond the classic limitations of autologous, mechanical needling.

Each DermapenWorld protocol for each indication has been expertly designed and tested to deliver safe and effective results that surpass patient expectations and deliver new versatility in what can be successfully treated.

Furthermore, Dermapen 4 offers evidence-based innovations that have been published by leading academics and physicians across the world. Such practitioners include Drs Gabriella Frabbriocini (Italy), Gabriela Casabona (Spain) and Gordon Sasaki (USA). Publications include J Drugs Dermatol; ASJ, ECD and JOCD.

Dermapen 4 is TGA, FDA, CE, Health Canada, MHRA, ANIVISA and ISO accredited and approved.

How do you approach training and education for medical practitioners, and what is your vision for empowering professionals in the field of microneedling? What are your key focus areas?

Education needs to be accessible, inspirational, and most importantly memorable, irrespective of the audience or level of practitioner.

I think of music as my motivation. While Wagner’s Ring Cycle may be technically brilliant and complex, it is long and odious for many people and therefore unlikely to inspire. Education needs to reach practitioners on all levels – visually, audibly, emotionally, and physically.

I think of modern pop songs, they inspire, repeat the key themes, and leave the listener singing their tune. My approach to training is to identify how to inspire, educate and motivate practitioners to “sing MY tune”. Like a Mozart opera, it’s a combination of technicality, experience, theatre, entertainment, and repetitive riffs.

I choose to empower professionals with evidence-based information, concepts, and protocols. Training needs to be relevant, practical, and educational. There is no benefit in telling people what they already know.

My key focus is making the most technical of topics easy to understand with simple examples and an open approach. It was Albert Einstein who stated, “I never teach my pupils, I only provide the conditions in which they can learn”. He also stated that educators who cannot make their subjects accessible and simple, obviously are not as expert as what they may think.

With your extensive experience in aesthetics, what specific results or improvements have you witnessed in patients who have undergone microneedling treatments?

We have known since the late 1990s that skinneedling delivers effective collagen induction therapy for the treatment of scars, striae and rhytids (wrinkles), so I’d love to focus on a few unfamiliar applications.

Veterinary surgeon Dr Joanna KaraśTęcza (Dermawet, Warsaw), has innovated revolutionary techniques to treat alopecia X, an auto-immune disease that creates mass hair loss on Pomeranian dogs. Her success has just been incredible.

Likewise, Dr Melissa Goddard, a dental surgeon and academic (Manchester, U.K.) has applied new methods with skin needling for receding gums and xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome). Due to the improvements, she has introduced needling as a regular service at her dentistry practice.

Dr Ana Hernández Morales from G Clinic, Mexico City is a pioneer for intimate rejuvenation, treating the outer labia and vulva for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation disorders.

This is a common trend also performed throughout the Middle East. Indian practitioners have demonstrated great success for the reduction of axillary hyperpigmentation and chronic inflammatory, recalcitrant issues including melasma and erythema dyschromicum perstans (ashy dermatosis).

Personally, I have seen spectacular improvement in inflammatory conditions including acne, acral vitiligo and even erythematotelangiectasic rosacea. Needling possesses so much more opportunities and success that go above and beyond mechanical revision of post-acne scars.

What are some of the advanced techniques or approaches that you recommend to maximise the effectiveness of Dermapen Treatments?

Dermapen 4 delivers an unprecedented 1,920 puncture channels per second into the skin. This is unsurpassed globally. When we look at the physiological process of mechanical needling, it instigates an autologous regenerative cascade including the release of regulatory growth factors and communicating agents which promote balanced collagen renewal and refined angiogenesis.

Infusing these puncture channels with non-donor-dependent, chemical regenerative agents, can further enhance skin quality, integrity, functionality, and health. This ‘chemical rejuvenation’ was first proposed by Dr Michel Pistor from France in 1948, and the technique became known as mesotherapy in 1958.

By contrast to nappage or point by point technique, Dermapen is injection free, does not promote bruising and can administer biocompatible ingredients and complexes into the skin to enhance their penetration and activation.

The Dp Dermaceuticals™’ MG-Collection is an absolute gamechanger for in-clinic, skin needling procedures. Featuring a base of patented HylaFuse™, triple molecular weighted and noncross-linked Hyaluronic Acid, its concentration up to 35mg/ml, promotes lubrication and facilitation to effortlessly glide the Dermapen over the skin with no drag, resistance or pulling.

Molecularly weighted down to just 10 kiloDaltons, it also serves as an encapsulation system which delivers other actives into the skin with expert precision and dosage. No burning, no discomfort or risk. The blend of mechanical and chemical regenerative therapies becomes the ultimate synergy which can overcome donor dependency to address all aspects of skin deterioration.

The unique approach can be customised based on condition and delivers superior success which targets dyschromia, acne, rhytids, rosacea, scars, striae and even alopecia.

The post-op application of Dp Dermaceuticals ÜBER PRO and MD anabolic chemical peels promotes even greater efficacy as the renewing actives drizzle down the puncture channels delivered by Dermapen 4.

The addition of phototherapy combination therapies is also an effective way to maximise in-clinic results. Whilst I have been hesitant in the past to apply red (633nm) or Near InfraRed (831nm) light-emitting diodes over freshly needled skin (for fear of sedating the inflammatory results.

Very up to date clinicals from Jan Birch RN (2020, U.K.), have shown that the combination of L.E.D. following skin-needling, in fact, supports and strengthens the regenerative cascade to an even greater extent.

Other studies show an increased production of pro-collagen and a reduction of pro-fibrotic growth factors as part of the combination therapies. With such an abundance of new evidence-based material, I am happy to change my tune and promote this photo-synergy.

What future developments or advancements do you envision for microneedling technology?

Exosomes! This is truly the birth of a new regenerative force and will change regenerative aesthetics as we know it – on a world-wide scale. I am confident practitioners will want to be a part of this innovative phenomenon. Exosomes are allogeneic (compatible with human skin and recognised by the ribosome in the cell), vesicles which are acellular and do not feature active DNA or negative surface markers.

These little bags are expelled by any fluid secreting cell, but the ones associated with Wharton’s Jelly derived, mesenchymal stem cells contain over 1,000 peptides, 800 proteins, 800 growth factors, cytokines, antioxidants, messenger-RNA, microRNA, proton transporters, antigens and integrins – all focused and active for the regeneration and repair of human skin, irrelevant of indication.

DermapenWorld is first to market with this technology in Australia and is already making an influential impact on how we treat the modern patient. Exosomes have been shown to be over 5 times more powerful than PRP, these protein molecules are non-donor dependant, ethical, highly concentrated, and not limited by patient age, health, or condition.

It is truly the most impactful revolution in aesthetic biochemistry and how we will treat all skins in the future.

Dp Dermaceuticals rewrites regenerative procedures with the in-clinic MG-EXO-SKIN™ and the patient homecare EXO-SKIN™.

As Exosomes are not cells, their application needs to be supported with twice daily topical homecare. This ensures 24 hours a day of active signalling and communication. They are very pH sensitive, so are not compatible with Alpha Hydroxy, Salicylic or Ascorbic Acids.

What advice would you give to skin clinic owners who are interested in incorporating microneedling treatments into their practice in terms of staff training, pricing strategies, and maximising client satisfaction and retention?

Work with the best from the inventors of automated skin-needling – DermapenWorld.

As the most used device in the medical aesthetic market globally and coverage in more than 70 countries, DermapenWorld’s multi-award winning technology, evidence-based protocols and advanced practitioner education delivers the ultimate in regenerative synergies.

By contrast to so many other treatments, Dermapen 4, Dp Dermaceuticals and LED therapy physically addresses skin health, quality, repair, recovery, performance, and integrity.

Better skin functionality equals faster recovery, increased results, and the ultimate support to enhance other modalities and procedures. In Australia, DermapenWorld has partnered with Inskin Cosmedics to deliver one of the most intensive educational programmes on the market.

This is supported with practical, advanced, and master trainings to ensure procedural confidence, safety and a deep understanding of applications, products, synergies, and patient results. In general terms, leaning on your extensive knowledge, what can you tell us about upcoming trends in aesthetics globally, that salon owners can be aware of.

The Exosome phenomenon is taking over the world and is the newest and most comprehensive approach to regenerative therapies to date. Although it possesses a premium price point, this is the future of skin and aesthetics.

Also remember that deeper treatments don’t equal a better result. Just because Dermapen 4 has a maximum depth of 3mm, does not mean all scars and striae require such deep attention. Both Drs Liebl and Greco prove that new collagen only forms just 0.6mm into the skin. Even Drs Fernandes and Aust re-assessed much of their earlier work and established that similar results for collagen induction can be achieved whether at 1mm or 3mm.

*Aust & Fernandes, “Percutaneous Collagen Induction Therapy: An Alternative Treatment for Scars, Wrinkles & Skin Laxity”, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, April 2008 **Greco, J., “Micro Needling & Injecting Platelet Rich Plasma to Enhance Collagen Synthesis & Skin Tightening, Jan 16, 2008 – July 16, 2008, ***Liebl, H., “Abstract Reflections About Collagen Induction Therapy”, 1st edition, February 2006