For many of us, the thought of needles jabbing into our body—let alone our face—can make even the bravest of us wince from the mere thought, making many viable aesthetic treatments out of the question. This is not unusual—needle phobia or trypanophobia, if you want to get fancy, is super prevalent, affecting up to 30% of adults. While I don’t have a debilitating fear of needles, I love stumbling upon treatments that all of us, if not most, can experience without having, you know, a panic attack. Case in point: liquid microneedling. Don’t let the name fool you—there are zero needles involved, but it offers similar benefits that one sees from needle-based treatments.
What is Cellstory?
I happened upon Cellstory during my beauty travels, and I was fascinated by this non-invasive treatment (with little to no downtime) that boasts similar results to a non-ablative laser treatment. Cellstory, the professional treatment in question from Beyond Miracles, is patented with “microspears” containing 50,000 microneedles derived from freshwater-grown sponges that are applied to the skin (by a professional) through an 8-step facial treatment. “...[S]tep 5 contains the patented Microspear technology, which can be described as liquid microneedles. With the application of medium pressure, the Microspear[s] are delivered into the lower epidermis of the skin, creating tiny microchannels, which allows for better ingredient penetration,” explains Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMA, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York City. In other words, these microspears are small enough to penetrate the skin and work their magic.
Cellstory eliminates the pain, bleeding, swelling and irritation often associated with microneedling. Cellstory helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (specifically around the mouth, eyes, and forehead), acne, pigmentation, and uneven texture. “It gives an overall healthy, supple, [and] bouncy glow,” adds Dr. Engelman.
What happens during a Cellstory treatment?
I was excited for the opportunity to try Cellstory, especially after waiting some time to schedule it, as I had to make sure that it did not interfere with any treatments or injectables I had previously scheduled. “You should avoid Botox and fillers for 14 days before the treatment, and avoid lasers, chemical peels, microneedling and mesotherapy for seven days before,” says Dr. Engelman. When the time came, I visited esthetician and founder Taylor Worden at her eponymous “skincare oasis”—which I can confirm is—in SoHo, New York City, for my Cellstory treatment.
Like any relaxing facial treatment I have gone for, I slipped into something a little more comfortable, wrapped my hair into a top bun, and laid on the esthetician bed. The start of the 8-step treatment was extremely relaxing. First, she applied an amino acid-infused cleanser; second, she swiped a cotton round drenched with a mixture of ginkgo biloba and niacinamide across my face; third, Worden applied an Awake Essense with a brush and let sit on my face for a few minutes; and fourth, she applied an activator ampoule packed with stem cell extract and three growth factors with a brush to my face.
Before I describe step five, the bread and butter of the whole treatment, I want to stress how relaxed and unready I was for what was to come. Worden applied the actual liquid microneedle cream—packed with those 50,000 microscopic microneedles (or microspears), yellow calming complex, and growth factors —topically through a syringe. She placed small dot-like shapes all over my face.
Then, I vaguely remember her asking me if I was ready. Quickly and in precise circular motions, she massaged it into my skin, and it felt like she was shaving my skin down using sandpaper. The microspears are meant to have a prickly, tingly, and warming effect, but my skin screamed. This continued for several minutes until the cream was completely absorbed into my skin. Though I was very uncomfortable, I knew the cream was working its magic.
Afterward, the last three steps of the treatment focused on comfort and calming my skin down. For step six, Worden applied ultra gel onto my face before gliding cryo sticks across my skin. They were cold and very appreciated. For the next step, Worden applied a calming sheet mask formulated with centella asiatica and left it on for 20 minutes, with the bonus of some LED light therapy on top. And for the eighth and last step, Worden applied the recovery cream containing niacinamide and stem cell extract. At that point, my face had calmed down, and step five was a distant memory. The whole treatment lasted about 45 minutes.What does aftercare look like?
The following morning, when I finally touched my face to wash it, I felt the liquid microneedles. It was a sensation I had never experienced before. It almost felt like little pieces of glass lodged into my skin. While this sounds dramatic, it’s the best way I can describe it; however, it was not painful -just weird. This sensation lasted three days and decreased in intensity with each passing day.
You're advised to cleanse your face lightly after the treatment or until the sensation disappears completely. “Following the treatment, for 72 hours, you should avoid retinol, exfoliants (physical or chemical), face oils or oil-based products, heavy sweating (i.e., saunas, heavy exercise), and sun exposure. Additionally, for one week after the treatment, you should avoid chemical peels or lasers,” says Dr. Engelman.
How do you maintain the results?
Cellstory is not a one-and-done treatment. “We recommend that you initially have four treatments, one week apart," says Dr. Engleman. "After that, we suggest one time per month for maintenance. However, you can see results after just one treatment." There are also two at-home versions of Cellstory, each packed with 10,000 microneedles, compared to the 50,000 in the professional version. The at-home is a great alternative if you don’t have access to a provider or want to maintain your treatment results from home.
My experience
I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t look like a tomato after the treatment. I became the living, breathing version of #tomatogirlsummer. Despite that, my skin looked, in the best way I can describe it, WOW. It was the cleanest and smoothest it has ever looked after a treatment. It was something beyond a miracle (I’m sorry - I couldn’t resist the pun). In the hours following the treatment, the redness faded. The next morning, my skin looked healthy, glowy, and there wasn't a pore in sight. I was stunned by how a facial gave me better results—almost immediately—than any laser treatment I had ever had.
In the days following the treatment, my skin looked plump and hydrated. Though my skin looked like the perfect canvas for makeup, I opted to go sans cosmetics and take full advantage of my perfect-looking skin.
Who should avoid the treatment?
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have any open wounds on your face, you should avoid the treatment. The only skin type that should completely avoid Cellstory altogether, says Dr. Engelman, is someone with severe melasma.
Just an FYI, in case you have a nut allergy: “There is a small percentage of macadamia seed oil in step five. The allergy risk is very low, but we recommend spot testing if you have a severe nut allergy,” says Dr. Engelman.
How much does Cellstory cost?
Depending on who you see and where you are, the cost of Cellstory can range from $350 to $500. (You can find a full list of providers, here.)
Final takeaway
I cannot recommend this treatment enough. It is safe for almost everyone, and the results speak for themselves. Having gone through numerous sessions of both microneedling and radio frequency microneedling, and experiencing post-treatment swelling, redness, and blood, there is absolutely no downside to this treatment. And a reminder—zero needles. Just some manageable discomfort. Let’s just say I’m ready to book my next appointment now.
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