When I first moved to New York City four years ago, I had a running list of cosmetic procedures I hoped to try as Cosmo ’s newly minted beauty editor. The category that intrigued me most was microneedling. The concept just made sense to me: create tiny controlled injuries in the skin so it regenerates faster and you look brighter, firmer, and clearer as a result. Count me in. I’ve tested my fair share of microneedling treatments over the years, including several radiofrequency microneedling options like Vivace, Secret RF, and Potenza. These treatments combine traditional microneedling with radiofrequency energy, which heats the deeper layers of skin to stimulate collagen production. But then my hormonal acne flared, and suddenly anything heat-based was making my skin angrier—triggering more breakouts, inflammation, and redness. That’s when I was introduced to SkinPen , a straight-up microneedling treatment that skips the heat entirely.…