Micro-needling, also known as derma-rolling, is a home-based treatment which can be administered by yourself. Derma-rolling gets its name from the tool used to carry out the treatment – the derma-roller’ which looks like a small paint roller which is covered with tiny, harmless needles.
These needles do not cause any pain or discomfort at all, so don’t fret; micro-needling is a treatment which has been trusted since the onset of the 21st century and works much in the same way as laser treatments.
When the derma-roller is applied to the skin, it does two things
It enables skincare products to penetrate the skin as the derma-roller’s needles create tiny channels through which it can travel; and
It creates ‘micro-injuries’ which triggers an immune-response, forcing more collagen to be formed at the site of the injury.
Collagen is a building block of healthy, younger looking skin and this is exactly how micro-needling works – by promoting collagen formation.
The Benefits
Derma-rolling can work wonders for your skin, working to cure acne, sun spots, wrinkles and more. Whilst there is some truth to the benefits of micro-needling, the effectiveness heavily depends on the size of the needles which you use.
The needles you will find on most home-use derma-rollers are between 0.2 and 2.5mm, helping to even out skin texture and pigmentation. The increase in collagen after using the derma-roller prevents aging and helps even skin out.
It is safe to perform Micro-needling at home as well as very effective with little downtime
Because of the word “needle” in micro-needling, people are usually terrified of trying this treatment. However, studies have shown that this treatment can be incredibly effective on the skin provided it’s done safely. Most doctors and celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Angelina Jolie love micro-needling, it has fast become a favorite treatment that produces the best results and has little downtime. In the recent past, micro-needling was very expensive and could only be administered by aesthetic medical doctors and dermatologists. Currently, due to the innovations in beauty, it is now possible to carry out micro-needling at home, but it must be done correctly to make sure you get the best results. We’ll discuss the must-dos in carrying out safe micro-needling at home, read on!
Why go for micro-needling?
Micro-needling is very well known for its skincare benefits, both as a medical therapy and at-home treatments. It can be defined as the process of creating micro injuries which triggers the body go into “repair mode” and fill them with collagen, while the epidermis is left unharmed. According to a recent lengthy article published by The New York Times on micro-needling, titled ‘How to Reduce Wrinkles without Lasers or Chemicals’, two major advantages of micro-needling over other treatment options were highlighted. The first is its ability to be performed repeatedly, it has little downtime and does not cause excessive skin reddening or irritation. The second reason is that the risks of hyperpigmentation associated with micro-needling are much lower when compared to lasers. This is very important especially for people with darker skin tones.
The quality of results produced by this treatment is the major difference between it and other skincare treatments like facials, masks, etc. You are actually building collagen and causing the skin to thicken, so rather than look good for just a couple days after your facials, your skin remains smooth and radiates for a longer period. The at-home micro-needling treatment is guaranteed to give you a more long lasting result than your regular masks or facials.
Make sure you get the correct length of the micro-needle
One of the most important steps toward having an effective and safe micro-needling treatment at home is selecting the appropriate needle length for the exercise. You should go for a derma-roller that has short needles for at-home micro-needling so as to prevent the risk of scarring the skin. The longer the needles, the higher the risk of infection or scarring and also the higher the chances that it’ll hurt.
Nonetheless, does using smaller needles mean you’ll get less visible results? No! According to a recent study published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the formation of collagen was not dependent on the length of the needle and also that regular micro-needling was very important. In addition, the finer the needles, the less downtown and the more frequent you can micro-needle. Therefore, when it comes to at-home micro-needle length, think small!
Clean your micro-needling tools properly
After selecting the appropriate micro-needling device size, the next step is to sanitize your derma-roller. Just as micro-needles are designed to make tiny wounds on the skin, they equally penetrate the skin minutely. That’s not to say that at-home micro-needling is not safe, in actual fact it has been proven to be extremely safe, but we must sanitize our derma-roller after every use in order to avoid any risk of infection. Keep in mind when disinfecting your at-home micro-needling tool that it’ll be used on your face. Be careful not to expose your most sensitive skin to harsh cleaning materials like bleach.
Note: Remember to wash your hands before every use. Most people remember to clean their tools but often forget to wash their hands. This is extremely important!
Regularly change your at-home micro-needle device
Micro-needles on derma-rolling devices have the tendency to become dull easily and so will cease to be as effective after using repeatedly. Subject to the frequency of the rolling, it is advisable to replace your tool every quarter (3 months). If your derma-roller is properly stored and cleaned with the above suggested method, you ought to enjoy quite a handful treatments from your roller.
Select the ultimate serum
The best products to use with your derma-roller are serums because of their ability to absorb speedily into the skin and provide great benefits to the skin tone. You may already know that serums have the highest active ingredients as far as the skincare world is concerned. This is particularly important while making use of a derma-roller because the numerous micro-needles gently prepare the skin to absorb the product. When you combine your facial serum with the act of the derma-roller, it boosts your anti-aging benefits and the lightweight feel of the serum will penetrate effortlessly into the skin.
