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Treatments, Microneedling
10 Dermarolling at Home Tips you Should Know
10
Sep
Sep
It seems there’s nothing we won’t do in the pursuit of beauty.
But are we willing to repeatedly plunge thousands of tiny needles into our face?
It seems the answer is yes when it comes to this skincare craze that’s sweeping the nation.
Clinics are popping up faster than you can say “ouch,” and even at-home devices are becoming a thing.
Yup, it’s the era of needle-based skincare treatments and spreading like wildfire.
Now, you might think all you need for this adventure is a dermaroller and some magical cream.
But hold on to your needles, folks, because it’s not that simple. This isn’t just a spa day for your face; it’s a skincare odyssey.
Still not convinced? Well, look at the comments section of the article “Microneedling Beware“.
We get it, though – navigating the world of needling treatments can be as perplexing as trying to read your cat’s mind.
So, we’ve put together this handy guide to demystify it all.
Contents
10 Dermarolling Tips
Microneedling, or dermarolling, is a skincare treatment that involves using a device with tiny needles to create controlled micro-injuries in your skin.
These micro-injuries stimulate your body’s natural healing process, improving skin texture, reducing scarring, and increasing collagen production.
However, as with any medical or cosmetic procedure, it’s essential to take precautions and follow guidelines to ensure the best results and minimise potential risks.
1. Stop all cosmeceuticals pre-treatment
Stop using certain skincare products, including vitamin C, retinol and peptides, for at least four to six weeks before the dermarolling treatment.
2. Only use hyaluronic acid on your skin
Hyaluronic acid is recommended for use during and after the treatment to help with skin hydration. Ensure the product is free of microbes and has a high molecular weight found in H20 skin shot.
3. Do not use vitamin C on your skin
It’s advised not to use vitamin C on your skin in conjunction with dermarolling.
4. Do not wash your face for at least 48 hours
Avoid washing your face immediately after the treatment to reduce the risk of introducing microbes to the skin.
5. Avoid direct sun exposure for the first week
Protect your skin from direct sunlight during the initial healing period after dermarolling.
6. Don’t pick your skin
Resist the urge to pick at any flakiness or dryness that may occur during the healing process. Picking can introduce bacteria and slow down the healing.
7. Book with an experienced skin specialist
Instead of doing the treatment at home, choose a professional with experience in dermarolling for your treatment. Research and select your specialist carefully.
8. Be Aware of Contraindications
Contraindications are specific conditions or factors that may make dermarolling unsuitable for some individuals. Please consult with your specialist to ensure it’s safe for you.
9. Make sure you get a thorough consultation
Ensure you get a comprehensive consultation with your esthetician. Make sure they assess your skin’s needs and whether microneedling is the right option.
10. Contact a specialist if you experience post-operative wound infections
If you notice signs of infection after the treatment, consult a specialist for further evaluation and treatment.
To conclude. The naked truth
It’s important to note that microneedling, like any medical or cosmetic procedure, can have potential side effects and risks.
We highly recommend you dont do this treatment at home. The risks outweigh the benefits. Check out these case studies.
You should carefully follow the advice of their trained specialist and be aware of the possible side effects and complications that can occur.
If you’re considering microneedling, it’s advisable to consult with a licensed and experienced practitioner to determine if it’s the right treatment for your skin and to receive guidance on how to prepare for and recover from the procedure.
Oh wow! I just came across your site. I had a microdermabrasion and micro needle treatment done at a local spa. I went in for a simple facial and she talked me into his treatment. I was not aware of issues, until now. I never even heard of micro needle treatments. I am in a panic now two hours later due to the stories I am reading. I was given a few complimentary packets /samples of timeexpert hydraluronic. Was told to use these for the next few days. No other direction was given. Should I buy hydrologic acid? It also states I would wet my skin before using it but I am afraid the water could could do more damage than good. Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Dawn just use hyaluronic acid on your skin which sounds like what you were given. If your skin heals normally which is usually the case with the first treatment then that is great please no actives especially vitamin C. if you have any problems or there looks to be potential scaring then please reach out to us at samjade888@gmail.com. It is the scarring enlarged pores, infection and orange peel that is the worry and needs to be treated quickly if this occurs
A fantastic article so many things that I wish I had known beforehand really appreciate this info
Thank you so much for all this information regarding microneedling/dermarolling!
Yes, medical needling compromised my skin barrier. I eliminated all actives for a month and focused only on barrier repair. Samantha has some good products which can help with this.
Then I reintroduced actives.
AnteAge is a kit which contains a 0.25mm roller and aftercare solution with stem cells. You follow the protocol included in the kit. Use light, even pressure. Only use the aftercare solution. Every 15 minutes until the capsule is used up. Do not apply any other product to the skin until the next day.
Be careful with your skin the next day. Do not use hot or warm water on the face. Only tepid water. Use a lot of mineral, non irritating sunscreen and stay out of the sun. Remember to reapply sunscreen every couple of hours. The skin is vulnerable to hyperpigmentation during this time so try to avoid heating it up. This includes strenuous exercise, hot showers, saunas, ovens, fireplaces, sun exposure. I use ultrasun brand mineral sunscreen and top up with color science mineral SPF brush during the day. Don’t use active ingredients (vitamin C or E) the next day either. The skin should go back to normal in a couple of days. Don’t do it more often than once a week.
Hi Samantha, thanks for continuing to write about microneedling. It’s important that people are educated so they can make informed choices about treatment options. I wanted to add a comment that I am hoping will help your readers.
I had medical microneedling done last year on a weekly treatment regimen for 4 weeks. I went to a “reputable” skincare clinic which claimed to follow the Dr. Fernandes protocol (who invented microneedling). It was a huge mistake. It disrupted my skin barrier, caused chronic and persistent dryness, orange peel texture, created fine lines in my cheeks when smilling (which weren’t there before), made my cheeks appear to lose “volume”, made existing scars more noticeable and even caused scrape marks in places (which have turned into scars under the skin) where the device was dragged across the skin. 10 months later and my skin is still damaged although fortunately, it has substantially recovered. The depth of needles used was between 1mm and 1.5mm and I followed after-care instructions diligently. But still, my skin had a protracted inflammatory reaction, which resulted in the skin healing as fibrotic tissue, also known “microscarring” instead of normal nice basketweave collagen. The treatment, in other words, significantly worsened the skin instead of improving it.
Some people get good results from microneedling. So what went wrong with my treatments?
-I have sensitive type 2 skin.
-I got the flu after I had the treatment done which lowered my immunity and made it more difficult for my skin to recover
-I was needled at depths of 1-1.5mm when nowadays experts such as Dr. Lance Setterfield are suggesting that going any deeper than 0.5mm carries a greater risk of scarring and pigmentation
-I was needled WEEKLY – the skin should have been left at least a month in between treatments to recover
-In my final treatment, the device was dragged across the skin in straight lines. It should be done in very small, controlled circles with even pressure.
It was recommended that I use anti-inflammatory skincare products to help the skin recover. Fortunately, I have been using anti-inflammatory skincare for the last few weeks. If I had not, then the skin may have been even more compromised and damaged than it was.
Ironically, it was also recommended to me by Dr. Setterfield that I embark upon MORE microneedling to fix the damage. This to me seemed completely counterintuitive and downright scary. However, when my skin’s recovery seemed to plateau, I decided to give it a go. I did not trust clinics or providers with my skin so I bought a home microneedling skin kit. AnteAge brand which has a home roller of 0.25mm plus an anti-inflammatory aftercare serum containing growth factors and hyaluronic acid. I tested it on my body and then on a small part of my face. Then finally I tried it on my face. I did not notice any difference at all. Negative or positive.
However, I have now been doing this twice weekly for two months. The difference between my chest (where I did not needle but was damaged from the treatment) and my face/neck was apparent. The skin is markedly more improved on my face and neck than on my chest. It is now almost (almost) back to where it was before the treatments. So I have started on my chest as well.
With microneedling, the adage is: less is more. Except when it comes to hygiene then more is more (you must ALWAYS ALWAYS sanitise your skin and device, no exceptions) I notice that even at depths of only 0.25mm, my skin’s sensitivity is increased and I need to avoid using actives for a couple of days after doing it.
I am not planning to use the kit long term as I believe that there are other ways of maintaining the skin. But for anyone who has been struggling with skin recovery from damage, it might be something considering.
Other oral supplements that I have used (although I am not sure if they have helped or not): high-quality fish oil, blackcurrant and evening primrose oil, MSM supplement, bone broth with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, hibiscus and white tea, matcha green tea, a multivitamin, probiotics, anti-inflammatory diet, lots of fresh water and try to get good amounts of sleep.
After all of this, although I acknowledge that microneedling has helped some people’s skin (or at least, for now) I do believe that it is a seriously risky treatment protocol, and its not something that I would ever recommend to anyone. It has been so expensive and stressful trying to find ways to help the skin recover and all this could have been avoided by simply not having the treatment in the first place.
Keep it simple, keep it natural, and avoid unnecessary inflammation in the skin!
I have been using anti-inflammatory products for the last few years* not weeks
Hi, Georgina, I love this thank you for helping me to keep it real for my clients I really appreciate this
Samantha
Hi Georgina — Unfortunately a similar thing happened to me. I too reached out to Dr. Setterfield, who suggested doing more microneedling as well. Out of curiosity, which AnteAge kit did you buy? And what anti-inflammatory products have you been using? How did you get over the fear of microneedling yourself? What protocol do you use? Was your barrier compromised (burning whenever you put anything on your skin)? Thanks for your help.
Emma
I would be interested in knowing all this too. I don’t think I could do microneedling again, after what it had caused.
Hi
What anti inflammatory products have you been using. I had microneedling done 5.5 weeks ago just after I had had Covid and wasn’t giving any aftercare advice so put suncream on the Next day to take my son for a walk and also put face wash etc on the next night wasn’t even 24 hours afterwards. I have now got pitting in my lower cheeks where they used the needle deeper and it’s a bit sore on and off. I am glad your skin is getting back to normal. Has the scarring reduced as I am so upset about having more scaring this is why I got it I’m the 1st place to help some scaring I have from spots when you get. Thank you