ProCell Microchanneling · West Portal, San Francisco
Microchanneling in San Francisco
The Mysa MicroGlow Renewal Facial, formerly the Regenerative Facial. Collagen induction without the downtime of lasers or deep chemical peels.
60 minutes · $398
What the MicroGlow Renewal Facial Actually Does
Your skin repairs itself constantly. The problem is that the repair signal gets quieter with age. The same cut that closed in three days at twenty takes a week at fifty. Microchanneling works on that signal rather than on the surface of your skin.
A handpiece fitted with very fine, sterile tips passes over the treatment area and creates thousands of microscopic vertical channels in the upper layer of skin. The channels are small enough to close on their own within hours, but opening them is enough to start a repair response. Your skin reads the input as something to fix, and begins producing new collagen and elastin in the area.
While those channels are open, we apply a growth-factor serum. Applied to intact skin, most of a serum like this sits on the surface. Applied immediately after channeling, it reaches the living layer underneath, where the repair is actually happening.
The distinction that matters: this is stimulation, not injury. Ablative lasers and deep chemical peels get results by damaging tissue and letting it heal back. Microchanneling asks the skin to build without first taking anything away, which is why the downtime is a day rather than a week.
What "MicroGlow" means here, and what it does not
Worth being precise, because the name is used differently around the industry. At some medical clinics a "MicroGlow" treatment means micro-dosed neurotoxin or hyaluronic acid filler stamped into the skin. That is an injectable procedure and it requires a medical injector.
Ours is not that. The Mysa MicroGlow Renewal Facial is ProCell microchanneling with growth-factor serums, performed by a licensed esthetician. No neurotoxins, no fillers, no injections. If you specifically want injectables, you want a medical provider rather than a day spa, and we will tell you so.
The Appointment
What Happens in the Room
The full appointment runs 60 minutes. Here is the sequence.
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Cleanse
We double-cleanse the treatment area to take off makeup, oil, and anything else sitting on the surface.
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Numbing
A topical anaesthetic goes on and sits for about 20 minutes. Most clients describe the treatment itself as a light vibration or scratching sensation rather than pain.
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Neck and shoulder massage
While the numbing takes effect. This is a spa, not a clinic. Those twenty minutes should be the best part of your afternoon, not twenty minutes sitting alone in a room waiting for something to happen.
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Disinfect
The area is cleaned and disinfected immediately before we start. Microchanneling opens the skin, so this happens right beforehand rather than earlier in the appointment.
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Microchanneling
The handpiece passes over the treatment area in sections. Depth is set for your skin and the concern being treated. Around the eyes is shallower than the cheeks. Growth-factor serum goes on as we work.
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Hydrating mask with LED
The mask goes on with LED light over the top, to settle the skin and bring the redness down while the serums absorb.
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Finishing products
A final layer of calming and protective products, chosen for your skin and for what it has just been through.
You leave slightly flushed, like mild sun exposure. You do not leave bleeding or bandaged.
Microchanneling vs. Microneedling: What's the Difference?
They get used interchangeably, and they are related, but the tools and the experience are not the same.
Microneedling, the category most people know and usually done with a pen like SkinPen, uses needles that oscillate up and down and are typically set deeper. It creates a controlled wound, and the results come from healing that wound. Expect more redness, more swelling, and several days before you look normal.
Microchanneling uses a stamping motion with much finer tips at a shallower, more uniform depth. The channels are consistent rather than torn, which means less inflammation for a comparable collagen response. It is paired with growth-factor serums by design. The channels exist partly to deliver them.
| Microchanneling | Microneedling | |
|---|---|---|
| Motion | Stamping, uniform | Oscillating |
| Typical depth | Shallower | Deeper |
| Mechanism | Stimulation | Controlled wounding |
| Visible downtime | About a day | Three to five days |
| Serum delivery | Built into the protocol | Optional add-on |
| Discomfort | Mild, with numbing | Moderate |
Which should you book? If you have deep acne scarring or significant textural damage, deeper microneedling (or a course of it with a medical provider) may be the better tool. If you are treating fine lines, early laxity, dullness, uneven tone, or mild scarring, and you cannot give up a week of looking treated, microchanneling is the more practical choice. That second group is most of our clients.
If you want results with no downtime at all, a HydraFacial or Glo2 Facial is the gentler route. They work on the surface rather than on collagen.
What Microchanneling Improves
Microchanneling is a texture-and-tone treatment. It works on how your skin is built, which is why the change accumulates rather than arriving all at once.
- Fine lines and early wrinkles: particularly around the eyes and mouth
- Acne scarring: rolling and boxcar scars respond better than deep ice-pick scars
- Enlarged pores and uneven texture
- Sun damage and dark spots
- Dullness: the immediate, most reliable result
- Early laxity: skin that has started to lose its spring
- Stretch marks: we treat the face, the neck, and the stomach
A Realistic Timeline
We would rather set expectations correctly than oversell a first appointment.
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Days 1–3
Mild redness, then skin that looks and feels tighter. Some of this is the hydration, not the collagen.
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Weeks 2–4
Texture and tone start to shift visibly. This is usually when clients notice it in photographs before they notice it in the mirror.
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Weeks 6–12
New collagen matures. This is where the structural change shows.
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After a series
The cumulative result. One session is a glow; a series is a change.
We recommend an initial series of 3 sessions, spaced about four weeks apart, then maintenance every 6 to 8 weeks.
A pattern our estheticians often suggest: follow each MicroGlow session with a HydraFacial about a month later. The microchanneling does the structural work, and the HydraFacial keeps the skin hydrated and clear in between without adding downtime.
Results
Microchanneling Before and After
Results shown are after a full series, not a single session. Individual outcomes vary with skin condition, age, and aftercare.
About these photos: these are clinical photographs supplied by ProCell Therapies, the manufacturer of the microchanneling system we use. They show representative results from the technology. They are not photographs of Mysa clients. When our own client photos are available, with written consent, we will replace them here.
Acne scarring and uneven texture, cheek
Stretch marks, abdomen
Deep wrinkles, cheek and mouth
Fine lines, eye area
Crepiness, neck and jawline
Lines and laxity, neck and chest
Sun damage and dark spots, lower cheek
Downtime and Recovery
Most people take a day. You will be pink and slightly warm for the rest of the appointment day, closer to an hour of sun than a burn. By the next morning that has usually faded to a flush you can cover, and mineral makeup is fine from two hours after treatment.
Some clients get mild swelling around the eyes and forehead for a day, and some skin types go through light flaking around day three as the surface turns over. Both are normal, and both pass.
What matters most in the first 24 hours: nothing active on the skin, no hot water, no gym, no direct sun. The channels close within hours, but the skin underneath is still working.
We wrote a full day-by-day breakdown here: Microchanneling Aftercare: A Day-by-Day Recovery Guide.
Is Microchanneling Right for You?
A good fit if…
You are dealing with fine lines, early laxity, uneven texture, sun damage, dullness, or mild-to-moderate acne scarring, and you cannot afford a week of visible downtime.
It works on all skin tones. Because it uses no heat and no light, there is no added risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation for deeper skin tones, which is not true of every resurfacing treatment.
Not the right treatment if you have…
- An active breakout, cold sore, or any open or infected skin in the area
- Active eczema, psoriasis, or a rosacea flare in the treatment area
- Taken isotretinoin (Accutane) in the past six months
- A history of keloid scarring
- A bleeding disorder, or are taking blood thinners
- Pregnancy or nursing
- Ongoing chemotherapy or radiation
First time with us? A consultation comes first. Before your first MicroGlow session we look at your skin in person and go through your history, so we can confirm the treatment suits you and set the right depth. If it is not the right fit, we will say so and point you at something that is. Nobody gets talked into a treatment they shouldn't have.
Not sure this is the right facial for you at all? Our guide to the best facial for aging skin in San Francisco compares the options, or browse the full facial menu.
Your Estheticians
Who Performs Your Treatment
Three estheticians perform the MicroGlow Renewal Facial at Mysa. All are licensed in California and trained on the ProCell system.
| Esthetician | Experience |
|---|---|
| Gabbie Zhong | 7 years |
| Amy | 20 years |
| Jane | Over 20 years |
You can request the same esthetician for your whole series, and it is worth doing. Depth settings and serum choices get adjusted based on how your skin responded last time, and that only works if someone remembers.
Mysa has served West Portal since 2020. We have 82 Google reviews at 4.5 stars, with clients repeatedly naming their esthetician by name.
MicroGlow Renewal Facial Pricing
| Treatment | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mysa MicroGlow Renewal Facial | 60 minutes | $398 |
Numbing, the neck and shoulder massage, growth-factor serums, the hydrating mask with LED, and finishing products are all included. There are no add-on charges on this treatment.
We do not sell a discounted package. We recommend starting with 3 sessions and each one is $398, so a full starting series is $1,194. Maintenance sessions afterwards are the same price. We would rather quote you the real number than build a package around a discount you may not need.
Microchanneling FAQ
How much does microchanneling cost?
At Mysa, the MicroGlow Renewal Facial is $398 for a 60-minute session. We do not sell discounted packages, so a recommended starting series of 3 comes to $1,194. Across San Francisco, comparable treatments generally run from around $300 to $650 per session depending on whether you are seeing an esthetician or a medical provider. Numbing, serums, mask, and massage are included in our price.
Is microchanneling good for your skin?
For most people, yes. It prompts your skin to produce its own collagen rather than adding anything synthetic, and it does so without heat, light, or removing tissue. That makes it one of the lower-risk collagen treatments available, and it is safe across all skin tones. It is not appropriate during an active breakout, an eczema or rosacea flare, pregnancy, or within six months of isotretinoin.
What are the downsides of microchanneling?
Three honest ones. It is not instant. The structural results take six to twelve weeks and a series, not a single session. It is not a fix for deep ice-pick acne scars or significant sagging, which need more aggressive treatment. And there is real, if short, downtime: a day of redness, sometimes mild swelling, and light flaking around day three.
How many sessions will I need?
We recommend 3 sessions about four weeks apart to start, then maintenance every 6 to 8 weeks. Four weeks is not arbitrary. It is roughly how long a collagen remodelling cycle takes, so going more often does not speed anything up. Many of our clients alternate, booking a HydraFacial about a month after each MicroGlow session.
Does microchanneling hurt?
Not much. Topical numbing goes on for about 20 minutes first, and most clients describe the treatment as vibration or light scratching. The forehead and along the jaw are the most sensitive areas. It is markedly more comfortable than deeper microneedling.
Is 40 too old for microchanneling?
No. The forties and fifties are when most of our clients start. Collagen production declines steadily from the mid-twenties, so there is more to gain from stimulating it at 45 than at 25. There is no upper age limit; what matters is your skin's condition, not the number.
How soon can I wear makeup?
Mineral makeup is fine from two hours after treatment. Skip anything with actives, and skip regular foundation for the first day if you can.
Where can I get microchanneling in San Francisco?
Mysa Day Spa is at 339A W Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127, in West Portal. We are one of the few dedicated day spas in the city offering ProCell microchanneling. Most providers on this treatment are medical offices. Book online or call (415) 742-5491.
Microchanneling in West Portal, San Francisco
Mysa Day Spa is on West Portal Avenue, a few doors from the West Portal Muni station. The K, L, and M lines all stop there, and there is metered street parking on the avenue.
We are a short drive from Forest Hill, St. Francis Wood, Parkside, and the Sunset, and we see clients from across San Francisco and the Peninsula for this treatment.
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 742-5491
info@mysadayspa.com
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Mysa MicroGlow Renewal Facial$398 · 60 min · West Portal
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