The Glow-Up That Hurt: What It’s Really Like to Get Skin Needling
Micro-needling promises glow and firmness, but timing can make all the difference.
4 min
In the glossy world of skincare and wellness, we often hear about the benefits of skin needling: tighter pores, improved texture, and that elusive post-treatment glow. What’s less discussed? Timing. More specifically, how the hormonal fluctuations of your menstrual cycle can impact the experience and your pain threshold, far more than the skincare forums let on.
I thought I had it all timed perfectly. I’ve done enough microneedling sessions to know that it’s not exactly a walk in the park – especially if you, like me, are the kind of person who winces at a deep tissue massage and cries a little during a bikini wax. So I planned carefully. I booked it during what I believed was a “safe” window, comfortably out of the PMS zone and well before Day One of my cycle.
Of course, my body had other plans. I woke up the morning of the appointment, cramps in tow, and immediately considered cancelling. That is, until I reread the clinic’s policy: 50% fee for rescheduling within 24 hours. And just like that, I found myself at the door, clutching my water bottle and whispering affirmations like I was about to sit an
Pain, Periods, and the Myth of the High Threshold
Let’s get one thing straight: we all have different pain thresholds. Some women breeze through labour with little more than a grimace. Others (hi, me) need to mentally prepare for eyebrow threading. But regardless of your usual threshold, during menstruation, everything changes.
As estrogen and progesterone levels drop in the days leading up to and during your period, the body becomes more inflamed, more sensitive, and, for many women, less tolerant of discomfort. You’re more prone to pain, your skin is more reactive, and even your emotional resilience takes a bit of a dip. These aren’t mood swings — they’re chemical fluctuations. And they affect everything.
That’s why, in hindsight, getting hundreds of tiny needles rolled into my face on the day my hormones hit rock bottom felt… intense.
But I wasn’t going to back out. I chose to stay. And to my own surprise, it became a moment of real resilience — not in a “push through the pain” way, but in a mindful, grounded, intentional way.
Breathing Through the Sting: A Masterclass in Mindfulness
As I lay back on the table, my therapist adjusted the pressure slightly and reminded me to breathe deeply, something I’ve heard in yoga studios a hundred times, but rarely applied to skincare.
At first, I distracted myself with light conversation – anything to keep my mind away from what was happening on my face. But when the more sensitive areas (cheeks, upper lip, forehead) were being treated, distraction didn’t quite cut it. That’s when I tapped into mindfulness.
I began to sync my breath with the pace of the roller: in for four counts, hold for two, out for four. I imagined breathing into the places that hurt, allowing the breath to soften the resistance. I reminded myself that pain is a wave — it rises, peaks, and passes.
And in that moment, I found something surprising: calm.
I wasn’t numbing myself or trying to “tough it out.” I was being incredibly present. Noticing the sensations, naming them (“sharp, hot, tingling”), and then letting them go. It felt like a meditation. One I hadn’t planned, but one I very much needed.
Wellness Beyond the Pretty
When we talk about wellness, we often imagine smooth transitions and well-curated rituals. But sometimes, wellness is uncomfortable. It’s showing up on a day you feel emotionally fragile and physically sore. It’s adjusting expectations, grounding into your body, and offering yourself compassion in real time.
That’s what this treatment became for me. Yes, I wanted clearer, more radiant skin – and I got that, eventually. But what I didn’t expect was to walk away with a deeper understanding of how connected my physical and emotional states really are. What we label as “low pain threshold” is often our body trying to communicate something important. And that there’s strength — a quiet, powerful kind — in choosing to stay present in discomfort.
So, Would I Recommend It?
Getting skin needling during your period isn’t ideal. Your skin is more sensitive, the inflammation response is heightened, and yes, it will likely hurt more. If you can reschedule without consequence, do it. But if you can’t, or if you choose to go ahead with it anyway, go in prepared.
Hydrate. Take paracetamol, not ibuprofen. Let your therapist know, so they can adjust their technique. And most importantly, take care of your emotional self as much as your physical one. Use breathwork to anchor you. Allow yourself to rest afterwards. And recognise that what you just did — despite the timing, despite the discomfort — was a form of self-care that goes beyond skincare.
Because wellness isn’t just about looking better. It’s about knowing yourself, trusting yourself, and supporting yourself through every phase — hormonal highs, lows, and everything in between.
Leticia Estrada Rahme is a writer, mother, and former TV journalist based in Bondi Beach. She explores beauty, mental health, and identity through the lens of storytelling and lived experience.
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
Rugged coastal drives and fireside drams define a slow, indulgent journey through Scotland’s far north.
For affluent homeowners, the laundry is no longer a utility space. It’s becoming a performance-driven investment in hygiene, longevity and seamless living.
2 min
In high-end homes, the most telling upgrades are no longer the obvious ones.
It’s not just the marble in the kitchen or the view from the terrace. Increasingly, it’s the rooms you don’t see, and how well they actually work.
The laundry is a perfect example.
Once treated as a purely functional space, it is now being reconsidered by architects and homeowners alike as a zone where performance, hygiene and design need to align.
And for buyers operating at the top end of the market, that shift is less about aesthetics and more about control.
Because in a home where everything is curated, inefficiency stands out.
ASKO’s latest “Laundry Care 2.0” range leans directly into that mindset, positioning the laundry as a long-term investment rather than a basic appliance purchase.
Built on more than 75 years of engineering, the Scandinavian brand’s latest systems focus on durability, precision and what is becoming a defining luxury in modern homes: quiet.
One of the more telling innovations is something most buyers would never think to question until it fails.
Traditional washing machines rely on rubber seals that trap dirt and bacteria over time. ASKO replaces that entirely with a steel solution designed to maintain a cleaner, more hygienic drum.
It’s not a headline feature. But it is exactly the kind of detail buyers tend to notice.
Then there is the issue of noise.
As open-plan living has become standard in prestige homes, the background hum of appliances has gone from unnoticed to intrusive.
ASKO’s suspension system is engineered to minimise vibration almost entirely, allowing machines to run without disrupting the wider home environment.
In practical terms, that means a load can run late at night without carrying through the house. In lifestyle terms, it means the home functions as intended.
The same thinking extends to the drying process. Uneven loads, tangled fabrics and repeat cycles are treated as inefficiencies rather than inconveniences, with technology designed to keep garments moving evenly and reduce wear over time.
For buyers, this is where the value proposition sharpens.
It is not about having more features. It is about removing friction.
Less maintenance. Less noise. Less time spent correcting what should have worked the first time.
In that sense, modern laundry is no longer just a utility. It is a reflection of how a home performs behind the scenes, and whether it lives up to the expectations set by everything else.
Because at this level, luxury is not just what you see.
It is what you don’t have to think about.
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