Stippling does not only affect the aesthetics of your handgun but also its functionality. Stippling can aid in gripping your gun in demanding situations and is a low cost modification to most guns.

Step 1: Required Materials

Polymer frame handgun (springfield xd in my case)
Light (I used a small desk light)
Woodburner (purchased at walmart for $10)
Music if you'd like (slightly long process ~2hrs)

Step 2: Prep

Go ahead and plug in your woodburner so that it can be heating up, this takes approximately 10 minutes.
To begin we will first unload the gun and remove the slide from the frame (if you do not know how to do this consult your owner's manual).
We will then remove any dirt or debris on the frame with a simple soap and water mixture.
Set up on a stable surface and be sure your light is adjusted so you can see what you're doing.
Lets begin!

Step 3: Outline

I found it easier to go ahead and outline the area I wanted stippled so that I had a defined area to stay in. This included outlining the small box with the model name near the bottom.
It is important to pull off the polymer straight up, if not it will result in a smearing effect on the stippling. I used a light-moderate pressure with the smallest tip available in my kit. I held the iron in place for ~1/2 second before moving on to be sure the plastic fully melted.

Note: There are different styles of stippling, I chose to use the small dot style on the sides for mainly for aesthetics.

Step 4: Working Inward

As you can see in the progressive photos I started with my outline and worked inward in a circular pattern. This is not the only way to do this and I have seen others follow their outline in a row form alternating the dots (like a pyramid).
Eventually you will fill in the entire area you have outlined but this will take some time. If your iron starts to not work as well feel free to set it down for a couple of minutes and rest while it heats back up.

Step 5: Finishing Up

I also stippled the thumb pads and added a pad for my trigger finger to rest while in the not shooting position. This is all optional I just felt that it was a needed improvement.
If some of your stippling went too deep and the plastic is too raised you can go over it lightly with sandpaper to get a more uniform feel.