Last Updated on February 5, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
You’ve tried the serums. You’ve bought the expensive retinol. Your bathroom cabinet looks like a Sephora exploded in it, and yet those acne scars are still there, the sun damage isn’t going anywhere, and those fine lines seem to be settling in for the long haul. And now you’re looking into brilliant treatments that can give you that younger-looking skin without going after the knife. Two popular treatment options are Clear and Brilliant and microneedling. They both sound fancy, but they’re not interchangeable. One might be perfect for what you need, while the other is basically a waste of your money for your specific problem. We’re breaking down exactly what each of these non-invasive skin treatments does, who is the ideal candidate, and which one you should book based on what’ll give you best results for your unique needs and skin type with minimal downtime:
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Clear And Brilliant VS Microneedling: What Are They?
Microneedling is a device covered in tiny needles that create hundreds of tiny wounds across your skin. I know that sounds absolutely insane, but that’s the whole point. Those tiny injuries trigger your body’s “oh shit, we need to fix this” response, which means it starts pumping out growth factors and building fresh collagen and elastin to repair the damage. This is why it’s also called collagen induction therapy: you’re literally inducing your skin to make new structural tissue.
Clear and Brilliant is a fractional laser, which means it shoots thousands of microscopic laser beams into your skin instead of lasering your entire face. It uses heat to create controlled damage in tiny columns throughout your skin. There are two wavelengths (1440nm and 1927nm) and the 1927nm one is particularly interesting because it targets water in your skin rather than melanin. This makes it safer for people with darker skin who might be at higher risk for weird pigmentation issues with other lasers. Think of it as the gentler, preventative maintenance version of more aggressive lasers like Fraxel. It was literally designed to be something you could do on your lunch break without looking like you got attacked by a swarm of bees.
What Do These Treatments Actually Do?
Let’s start with microneedling. When those fine needles create all those tiny wounds, your skin doesn’t just heal them and call it a day. It goes into full renovation mode by triggering the body’s natural healing process. Studies conducted by El-Domyati M looking at actual tissue samples found increased collagen types I, III, and VII after microneedling treatments. The new collagen doesn’t just fill in from the top. It builds up from the bottom, which is exactly what you need for things like depressed scars or deep wrinkles.
The Clear and Brilliant laster creates heat damage in those microscopic treatment zones, which triggers your skin to push out old, damaged cells and replace them with fresh ones. It’s like forcing your skin into accelerated cell turnover mode. That’s exfoliation on steroids.
Clear And Brilliant VS Microneedling for Acne Scars: Which One Is Better?
This one’s not even close, and the research is pretty damn clear about it. A systematic review that analyzed 33 studies with over 1,000 patients found that microneedling consistently improved acne scars, with 80-85% of people happy with their results and actual measurements showing 51-60% improvement in scar depth. Every single one of those 33 studies showed improvement.
Why does microneedling work so well for acne scars? Because acne scars are basically areas where your skin is tethered down or missing tissue. You need something that’s going to build up new collagen from the bottom to fill those areas in. Microneedling does exactly that: it creates enough microscopic wounds to trigger serious collagen remodeling right where you need it.
Clear and Brilliant, on the other hand, works more on the skin’s surface. It’s great for skin texture and tone, but it doesn’t have the same research backing for actually filling in depressed scars. The studies on Clear and Brilliant focus on photoaging, pigmentation, and overall radiant skin and glow, not scar remodeling.
Winner for acne scars: Microneedling, and it’s not even a contest.
Clear And Brilliant VS Microneedling For Anti-Aging: Which One Gives You Better Results?
This is where things get more interesting because it depends on what kind of aging you’re dealing with. For fine lines and wrinkles, both can help, but they work differently. Microneedling studies show it improves fine lines through that collagen remodeling we keep talking about. Clear and Brilliant works on fine lines too, but it’s more about prevention than correction. Clinical studies showed improvements in fine lines and texture, but we’re talking about the kind of lines that are just starting to form, not deep-set wrinkles. If you’ve got actual wrinkles microneedling has better evidence for making a real difference. If you’re trying to prevent lines from forming in the first place or you’re dealing with very early, superficial lines, Clear and Brilliant makes sense.
For general “I want to look fresher and more youthful” vibes, Clear and Brilliant laser treatment might actually be better here. It’s excellent for that overall glow, brightness, and “I slept 8 hours and drink water” look that people associate with younger skin. The cellular turnover it triggers gives you that fresh-faced thing pretty quickly.
Winner for anti-aging: Microneedling is a good option for deeper wrinkles, Clear and Brilliant for prevention and glow
Clear and Brilliant VS Microneedling for Dark Spots: Which One Is Better?
Here’s where Clear and Brilliant actually shines. Literally. The 1927nm wavelength specifically targets pigmentation in the upper layers of your skin. Studies show it’s effective for brown spots, age spots, and overall sun damage. Because it targets water and pigment rather than melanin specifically, it’s also safer for darker skin tones who might be at risk for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation with other treatments. Microneedling can help with pigmentation issues too, but it’s not its primary strength. It works more through general skin renewal and can actually be combined with topical lightening agents that penetrate better through all those micro-channels.
Winner for dark spots and sun damage: the clear winner is Clear and Brilliant.
What Are The Side Effects?
Microneedling side effects:
- Your face will be RED. Like, really red. For 2-4 days. You look like you have a sunburn.
- Swelling is common, especially if they went deep. Some people wake up the next day looking a bit puffy.
- Your skin will feel tight, dry, and kind of rough for about a week as it heals.
- There’s a small risk of infection if you don’t keep everything clean (which is why aftercare matters).
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can happen, but studies show it’s way less common than with laser treatments
- If someone goes too deep or uses a dirty device, you could potentially get scarring (this is why you go to an actual professional, not your friend with a derma roller from Amazon).
Clear and Brilliant side effects:
- Mild redness for 24-48 hours (think light sunburn, not full tomato face).
- Your skin might feel rough or sandpapery for a few days as the dead cells slough off.
- Some people get a bit of swelling in the treatment area, but it’s usually pretty minimal.
- There’s a risk of hyperpigmentation if you don’t use sunscreen religiously after, especially for darker skin tones.
- Rare but possible: burns or blistering if the settings are wrong for your skin type.
What about recovery time? For microneedling: You’re looking obviously “done” for 2-4 days. Most people can wear makeup after 24-48 hours, but you’re not hiding it immediately.
With Clear and Brilliant, most people go back to work the next day. You might be a little pink, but it’s not super obvious.
Clear And Brilliant VS Microneedling: Who Shouldn’t Get These?
Don’t get microneedling if:
- You’re currently breaking out (active acne is a no-go, you’ll spread bacteria everywhere)
- You have active cold sores or any skin infection
- You’re on Accutane or have been in the past 6 months
- You have keloid scarring tendencies
- You’re pregnant
- You have certain autoimmune conditions that affect healing
Don’t get Clear and Brilliant if:
- You’re on Accutane or stopped less than 6 months ago
- You have active infections or open wounds
- You’re pregnant
- You have a history of abnormal scarring
- You tan easily or have a fresh tan (higher risk of pigmentation issues)
Related: Can You Do Microneedling When You’re Pregnant?
The Actual Bottom Line
Clear and Brilliant vs microneedling isn’t about which one is “better.” It’s about which one actually does what you need it to do. Get micro needling if you have acne scars, deep texture issues, or significant wrinkles. Get Clear and Brilliant if you have sun damage, dark spots, uneven tone, or you’re trying to prevent aging before it really sets in. And honestly? Sometimes the answer is both. A lot of dermatologists use them together. And FYI, don’t spect immediate effects to last forever. You need a series of treatments with both to see a significant improvement.
