NEEDLE-FREE LIQUID MICRONEEDLING
Spicules in Scottsdale, AZ
By Stacie Reid, Licensed Esthetician and Certified Laser Technician | Velicutis, Scottsdale, AZ | Last updated: November 13, 2026
Spicules in Scottsdale at Velicutis is a needle-free skin treatment, often called liquid microneedling. Licensed esthetician Stacie Reid massages a fine powder made from a sea sponge into the top layer of your skin, then adds a booster chosen for your skin. The powder exfoliates away over about 24 hours.
Spicules at a Glance
| What it is | A needle-free exfoliating treatment, often called liquid microneedling |
|---|---|
| Included in every visit | A booster chosen for your skin, plus dermaplaning |
| Boosters | Peptides, PDRN, acids, and growth factors |
| Time between sessions | As often as monthly |
| Downtime | A little redness and a spicy feeling for about 24 hours |
| Back to your routine | Right away for daily life, and sooner for your products than after microneedling |
| A good alternative to microneedling for | Clients who take blood thinners, are pregnant or nursing, dislike needles, or are sensitive to numbing cream |
| Performed by | Stacie Reid, Licensed Esthetician |
You want smoother, fresher skin, but microneedling may not be right for you. Maybe you take blood thinners, you are pregnant or nursing, or needles make you tense. Maybe numbing cream does not agree with your skin.
Spicules offer another way in. Stacie Reid customizes every treatment with a booster for your skin and includes dermaplaning, so you leave with smooth, exfoliated skin. She has worked in corrective skincare since 2005, and she performs your treatment herself.
Ready to see if spicules fit your skin? Book online or call (602) 737-1339 to schedule your skin assessment. Stacie will walk you through your options.
WHO WE SEE
Who Are Spicules For?
Spicules are a good fit for people dealing with dull or rough skin who want a corrective treatment without needles. They also suit clients who cannot have microneedling or would rather skip it. That includes people who take blood thinners, are pregnant or nursing, dislike needles, or react to numbing cream. Because the downtime is short, spicules also work when your week is full. Still breaking out? We calm active acne first through our acne treatment program. Then we plan spicules once your skin is ready.
Skin Concerns Spicules Can Improve
Dull, rough skin
Spicules smooth dull, rough skin by exfoliating the surface as the powder works its way out over about 24 hours. Dermaplaning is included, so you leave with smooth skin. Arizona sun and dry air can leave skin rough and tired, and a monthly visit keeps the surface fresh.
Marks and scars after breakouts
Spicules support plans for the marks and scars that breakouts leave behind. Our acne scar treatment plans mix microneedling, chemical peels, and spicules, and Stacie Reid sets the mix at your skin assessment. Spicules work at the surface, so deeper pitted scars may call for microneedling instead.
A gentler option when microneedling is not
Spicules give you a corrective treatment without needles. Stacie Reid offers them to clients who take blood thinners, are pregnant or nursing, dislike needles, or are sensitive to numbing cream. Ask your doctor first if you take blood thinners or are pregnant or nursing.
HOW IT WORKS
How Do Spicules Work?
Spicules work by creating tiny channels in the top layer of your skin, which exfoliates the surface and helps products absorb.
Spicules are tiny, needle-shaped particles. At Velicutis, they come from a specific sea sponge that is dried and ground into a fine powder. Stacie Reid massages the powder into the epidermis, the outermost layer of your skin. Nothing punctures the skin.
Each treatment is customized with a booster. Boosters vary from peptides to PDRN, acids, and growth factors, depending on what your skin needs.
Outside experts describe the same pattern. Experts interviewed by NBC Select say spicules stay in the surface layers of skin before shedding with normal skin turnover, and that their depth is less precise than in-office microneedling. That is why Stacie treats spicules and microneedling as two different tools.
Spicules work on the surface, so think of them as steady upkeep, not a one-time fix. Stacie Reid offers spicules as a corrective treatment you can repeat every month, and she sets your expectations at your skin assessment.
Boosters We Pair With Spicules
✓ Peptides
Short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
✓ PDRN
A DNA-based booster that supports skin repair.
✓ Acids
Exfoliating acids, picked for your skin.
✓ Growth factors
Proteins that support skin repair and healing.
Dermaplaning included
Every spicules treatment includes dermaplaning, so you leave with smooth, exfoliated skin.
What Is Liquid Microneedling?
Liquid microneedling is a nickname for spicules treatment, a needle-free option that uses a fine sponge powder instead of a microneedling device. The name comes from the tiny channels the powder creates in the top layer of skin, much like microneedling does, but without puncturing the skin.
The nickname can mislead. Spicules and microneedling are different treatments. Microneedling uses fine, sterile needles at a controlled depth, while spicules stay in the surface layer of skin. Stacie Reid explains which one fits your goals at your skin assessment.
How Long Do Spicules Stay in Your Skin?
Spicules stay in your skin for about 24 hours. The powder exfoliates out naturally over the day after your treatment.
During that time, your skin may look a little red and feel spicy. That is the usual downtime for spicules.
How Often Can You Get Spicules?
You can get spicules every month. Stacie Reid offers spicules as a corrective treatment you can repeat on a monthly schedule, with a booster chosen for your skin each time.
The booster can change as your skin changes, so each visit can look a little different. Stacie sets your plan at your skin assessment and adjusts it with you from there.
What Is the Downtime After Spicules?
Spicules downtime is short: a little redness and a spicy feeling for about 24 hours. You can get right back to life as usual.
Microneedling works differently. After microneedling, numbing lingers for a few hours, and you have to be very careful about touching your skin for those hours. Spicules skip that wait. You can also go back to your favorite products sooner than you can after microneedling.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What to Expect During and After Spicules
A spicules visit at Velicutis includes your spicules treatment, a booster chosen for your skin, and dermaplaning.
BEFORE
Before Your Appointment
Tell Stacie Reid about any recent sunburn, cold sores, new skin treatments, or skin conditions before your visit. She will tell you if anything means you should wait.
DURING
During Treatment
- Assess. Stacie checks your skin and chooses the booster that fits it.
- Massage. She massages the sea sponge powder into the top layer of your skin.
- Add the booster. She applies the booster chosen for your skin, such as peptides, PDRN, acids, or growth factors.
- Dermaplane. Dermaplaning is included, so you leave with smooth, exfoliated skin.
AFTER
Spicules Aftercare
Your skin may look a little red and feel spicy for about 24 hours while the powder exfoliates away.
Wear SPF every day, especially in Arizona. Dry desert air also stresses your skin barrier, and our skin barrier guide explains the signs to watch for. Stacie Reid will tell you when to restart your usual products, which is usually sooner than after microneedling.
SAFETY FIRST
When to Wait or Choose Another Option
Stacie Reid postpones spicules when your skin is irritated, broken, or flaring.
Stacie postpones treatment if you:
- Have an open wound, cut, or sunburn in the area
- Have a cold sore or rash in the area
- Have an eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea flare in the area
- Have inflamed breakouts in the area
- Have a damaged or very irritated skin barrier
Check with your medical provider first
Some situations need a medical provider’s input before any skin treatment. These include blood thinners, pregnancy or nursing, active cancer treatment, or a suspicious mole or spot in the area. Spicules can be a good option in several of these cases, but talk with your doctor before you book. NBC Select lists more skin conditions that call for caution.
Still breaking out? Start with our acne treatment program to get active acne under control. Want a gentler first step? Our facials are a good place to begin, and Stacie can help you decide what makes sense now.
NEED DEEPER TEXTURE WORK?
Ask about microneedling for scars and texture
Microneedling uses fine, sterile needles to make tiny channels that prompt new collagen. Stacie Reid uses it for acne scars, fine lines, and rough texture when you need work below the surface.
COMPARE YOUR OPTIONS
Spicules vs. Microneedling: Which Is Right for You?
Spicules are the better choice when you want a needle-free treatment, a quick return to daily life, or a monthly corrective visit. Microneedling is the better choice when acne scars, fine lines, or deeper texture are the goal, because it works below the surface at a controlled depth. Many Velicutis plans combine treatments, and Stacie Reid maps out the mix.
| Spicules | Microneedling | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Clients who want a needle-free option and monthly upkeep | Acne scars, fine lines, and rough texture |
| How it works | Sea sponge powder is massaged into the top layer of skin and exfoliates away | Fine, sterile needles make tiny channels that prompt new collagen |
| Needles | None | Yes, fine and sterile |
| Depth | The top layer of skin | Below the surface, at a controlled depth |
| Downtime | A little redness and a spicy feeling for about 24 hours | Pink or red skin for 24 to 48 hours |
| Right after treatment | Back to daily life right away | Numbing lingers for a few hours, and you avoid touching your skin |
| How often | As often as monthly | Every 4 to 6 weeks, in a series of 3 to 6 |
| If you are pregnant, nursing, or take blood thinners | An option Stacie offers, with your doctor’s input | Postponed, or needs your doctor’s input first |
Spicules and microneedling are not rivals. Read about our microneedling if scars or fine lines are your main concern, or see how our acne scar treatment plans mix both. Stacie Reid will suggest the right mix at your skin assessment.
BOOKING
Booking Spicules at Velicutis
Every spicules treatment at Velicutis starts with a skin assessment with Stacie Reid. She looks at your skin and your health history before she picks a booster. You will know the plan and the cost before you commit.
STEP 2
Get your skin assessment
Stacie looks at your skin and history, and asks what you want to change. She also checks whether spicules or microneedling fits you better.
STEP 3
Review your plan
She explains which booster fits your skin, how often to come in, and the price.
STEP 4
Start treatment with Stacie
Stacie performs your treatment herself, and dermaplaning is included.
YOUR ESTHETICIAN
How Stacie Reid Plans Your Spicules Treatment
Stacie Reid customizes every spicules treatment. She reads your skin first, then picks the booster that fits it, from peptides and PDRN to acids and growth factors. Dermaplaning is part of the visit, so you leave smooth and exfoliated.
Stacie has been a licensed esthetician since 2005 and is a certified laser technician. She started her career at a luxury resort in North Scottsdale. Later, she became lead esthetician in Paradise Valley. Then she opened Velicutis.
She also created the REID System, the step-by-step method behind every Velicutis plan. Spicules fall in the Renew phase, where we rebuild texture after breakouts are under control.
- ✓ Licensed esthetician since 2005
- ✓ Certified laser technician
- ✓ Creator of the REID System
- ✓ Customizes every spicules booster herself
QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions About Spicules
Still wondering if it’s right for you? Call us at (602) 737-1339.
How much do spicules cost in Scottsdale?
The cost of spicules at Velicutis depends on the booster that fits your skin and how often you come in. Stacie Reid sets your price at your skin assessment, after she sees your skin and builds your plan. You will know the full cost before you commit. Dermaplaning is included with spicules, so you do not need to book it as a separate treatment.
Are professional spicules the same as at-home spicule serums?
No, professional spicules are not the same as at-home spicule serums. At-home serums are ready-made products you apply yourself. A spicules treatment at Velicutis is customized. Stacie Reid massages the sponge powder into your skin, chooses a booster for your skin, and includes dermaplaning. She can also tell you when your skin should skip spicules, which a product label cannot do.
Can I get spicules if I take blood thinners or am pregnant or nursing?
Yes, Stacie Reid offers spicules as an alternative to microneedling for clients who take blood thinners or who are pregnant or nursing. Spicules do not puncture the skin, so they skip the needle step that makes microneedling a poor fit in these cases. Talk with your doctor before you book, and tell Stacie about your health history at your skin assessment. She will tell you plainly if you should wait.
Do spicules hurt?
Spicules do not puncture the skin, and the main sensation is a spicy feeling that lasts about 24 hours. That makes spicules a good place to start if you dislike needles or are sensitive to numbing cream. Stacie Reid walks you through what to expect at your skin assessment, so nothing surprises you on treatment day. You can ask her anything before you book.
Is dermaplaning included with spicules?
Yes, dermaplaning is included with spicules at Velicutis. Dermaplaning removes dead skin and fine facial hair, so you leave with smooth, exfoliated skin. Stacie Reid builds it into your visit, so you do not need to book it as a separate treatment or pay for it as an add-on. If you have questions about how dermaplaning fits your plan, ask Stacie at your skin assessment.
How are spicules at Velicutis different from other Scottsdale providers?
Velicutis focuses on corrective skincare, and Stacie Reid customizes every spicules treatment with a booster for your skin. Dermaplaning is included, so you leave smooth. She has worked as a licensed esthetician since 2005 and performs your treatment herself, so you are not passed between providers. If your needs go beyond what an esthetician can offer, Stacie tells you and points you to a medical provider.
AREAS WE SERVE
Serving Scottsdale and the Greater Phoenix Area
Velicutis is a skincare clinic at 7131 E Mercer Ln, Suite 9, in Scottsdale. Clients come to us for spicules from Old Town Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, North Phoenix, Arcadia, and McCormick Ranch. Many also travel from Cave Creek, Carefree, Fountain Hills, and Rio Verde. Appointments are available Tuesday through Saturday, so treatment fits around work and family plans. Not sure about the distance? Call (602) 737-1339 and we will help you plan your visits.
Velicutis
7131 E Mercer Ln, Suite 9
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
(602) 737-1339
Tuesday to Thursday: 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM
Friday and Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed Sunday and Monday
OTHER TREATMENTS
Other Treatments at Velicutis
Acne Scar Treatment
Plans that mix microneedling, peels, and spicules for scars and marks.
Book Your Spicules Consultation in Scottsdale
Your first step is a skin assessment with Stacie Reid. She looks at your skin and your goals, then builds a spicules plan around a booster that fits. You leave knowing exactly what to expect.