What At-Home Microneedling Actually Does to Your Skin

Today, I want to take an honest, evidence-based look at one of the most popular at-home microneedling systems on social media: the Banish microneedling system.

Banish microneedling system: https://www.banish.com/DRSARAH

This post focuses on first impressions, usability, cost, and what really happens to your skin and the needles themselves when you microneedle at home, including what I saw under high magnification.

About This Project

This is part of a larger project where I examine at-home microneedling systems under the microscope.

Banish was founded by a woman named Daisy, who has publicly shared her struggles with acne and acne scarring. In-office microneedling is expensive, and Banish was created to make microneedling more accessible and affordable at home.

As a dermatologist, I genuinely sympathize with that goal.

Acne is treated as a medical condition, and for people with insurance, acne treatments are often covered. Acne scarring, however, is considered cosmetic. Many patients feel disfigured and helpless because they can’t afford to treat scarring that significantly affects their quality of life.

I previously reviewed the Qure microneedling system and shared my honest thoughts on its pros and cons. I’ve also already explained how home microneedling differs from office microneedling. If you’re interested in that comparison, I recommend starting there.

Today, I’m looking at another popular at-home system: Banish.

First Impressions of the Banish Microneedling System

From a usability standpoint, Banish immediately felt more ergonomic than smaller micro-infusion systems like Qure.

Instead of a short, bulky treatment chamber, Banish uses a long handle, which allows for different grip positions. That alone makes it easier to control and less awkward to use.

The experience also felt less uncomfortable compared to stamping with Qure.

Another major difference is the face plate size.
Banish has a much broader face plate, which means:

• Fewer stamps are needed

• Coverage is faster

• The process feels less tedious overall

In that sense, the experience is closer to using a dermaroller, but with more controlled stamping.

Cost Breakdown

The initial cost of Banish is higher upfront:

• $130 for a starter kit

  • Includes the handle and 2 needle heads

• Replacement heads:

  • ~$20 per head

  • ~$18.75 per head if you buy 8 at once

According to the company:

• One head can be used:

  • 1 time on the scalp

  • 8 times on half the face

  • 3–4 times on a full face

That works out to roughly $75 per full-face treatment, which is not cheap, especially initially.

The needles are gold-plated titanium, which I appreciate. Gold is much less likely to trigger metal allergies compared to other metals.

What I Did Under the Microscope

To understand what was really happening, I examined both the needles and my skin before and after microneedling using a video dermatoscope capable of up to 220× magnification.

This tool is similar to what I use in clinic for skin cancer exams. It uses polarized light to reduce surface reflection, allowing a partial look beneath the skin’s surface.

I tested:

• 0.5 mm needles

• 1.0 mm needles

What the Skin Looked Like After Microneedling

After 0.5 mm needles:

• To the naked eye, the skin looked mildly irritated

• Under magnification, you could see small tears in the skin barrier

After 1.0 mm needles:

• To the naked eye, there was visible redness

• Under magnification:

  • Clear bleeding

  • Much more significant barrier disruption

This difference matters.

What the Needles Looked Like

Brand-new needles

Fresh out of the box, the needles looked sharp and intact.
However, on one of the 1.0 mm heads, I noticed visible debris straight out of the packaging. I unsealed it myself. I haven’t seen this on other needles, and I suspect it may have been a manufacturing defect.

After use

After just 10 stamps on one hand, skin residue was already visible on the needle tips.

After 3 full-face uses, there was a clear film of skin debris coating the needles, even though this is within the manufacturer’s recommended replacement window.

The Surprising Findings

The good

The needles were far more resilient than I expected.
I anticipated blunting or bending, but the tips stayed sharp even after multiple uses.

The concerning

Skin debris accumulates very quickly.

A microscopic film of:

• Skin oils

• Dead skin cells

builds up on the needles. It’s like a snowball. Small at first, then it layers on itself.

Even soaking the needles in isopropyl alcohol does not fully remove this debris. Alcohol cannot penetrate or mechanically disrupt that film.

It’s the same reason you can’t clean greasy hands by just rinsing them. You need friction. Dunking dishes in soapy water without scrubbing leaves grease behind.

Similarly, soaking microneedling needles in alcohol leaves behind microscopic debris that can shelter bacteria and viruses.

A Future Experiment I Want to Try

Because I’m curious and because I want to see if there’s a safer way for people to reuse very shallow needles at home, I’d like to test whether a vortex mixer could help alcohol more effectively break up skin debris.

I have no conflict of interest here.

I’m not paid by office microneedling companies. My practice focuses on medical dermatology, not cosmetic procedures, and I make zero dollars from office microneedling.

I would actually make more money hyping at-home microneedling and ignoring these flaws. But that’s not the point of this channel or this blog.

Why I Don’t Recommend Needles Longer Than 0.5 mm at Home

You can easily buy 1 mm, 2 mm, or even longer needles online. Banish states their manufacturer is FDA-approved and produces devices for professional offices.

Even if that’s true, training matters.

Needles longer than 0.5 mm increase the risk of:

• Infection

• Granulomas from using products not approved for mesotherapy

• Allergic sensitization

• Bloodborne pathogen transmission

Even shallow needles can spread bacterial or viral infections. Never microneedle over unknown rashes or lesions.

The FDA also lists specific populations at higher risk for microneedling complications, and that’s worth reviewing before attempting this at home.

Banish vs. Qure: A Quick Comparison

Pros for Qure

• New needle heads for each treatment

• Comes with a serum

Pros for Banish

• More comfortable to hold

• Less tedious due to larger face plate

Cost

• Qure: ~$120 for a month supply

• Banish: ~$130 starter kit

Overall, costs are similar.

Final Thoughts

For me, skincare is a form of self-care.

At-home microneedling is not my favorite at-home treatment, mostly because I don’t enjoy the sensation. Most people don’t find it very uncomfortable, but I’m also not the target market.

My skin has plenty of issues, including sensitivity, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation. Acne is not one of them. And because I don’t have significant acne scarring, I don’t have the same incentive to push through discomfort.

For people who do suffer from acne scarring, I think at-home microneedling can be a reasonable option if safety is taken seriously.

It will never be as effective as in-office microneedling due to differences in needle length, technique, and training. But for some people, it may be better than doing nothing.

Disclaimers: This post is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment with your healthcare professional. This is for medical educational and entertainment purposes only. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned in this blog post. As an Amazon Associate and Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases through my storefront.