Have you tried DermaRoller? Could skin needling be effective for antiaging?

I don't know yet, but I sure hope so! I am a lot older than you and I just used my new DermaRoller (with 1.5 mm needles) for the first time today. It hurt like hell, so I am definitely hoping to see an improvement! I have stubborn wrinkles around my lip area, despite using antiwrinkle creams for many years and having used glycolic acid occasionally. Not all DermaRollers are created equal, so for now my one bit of advice is to look around and not to buy the cheapest one you can find.

Dermarollers are skin needling devices with microscopic needles ranging between 0.13 and 3 milimeters in size. Because the needles are so small, you cause tiny little injuries to the skin that promote collagen production — but normal collagen, not the scar type that is caused by some other cosmetic procedures. It works on the face and the body and you can even use it to make scars less pronounced. It comes with instructions on which needle to use for which purpose, and with after care instructions. I have not used it myself so I cannot give you any definite conclusions, but it looks like something promising, though people say that they are not sure why it works. 

I don't wanna be a downer or anything, but you gotta be aware that dermarolling/skin needling does have its potential side effects, which you probably wanna know about before getting something like that. Infection is the major one. Unless you disinfect the thing right after use, you may be sending bacteria and fungi right into your skin with them microscopic little needles, you know? Not an appealing thought. Some folks also get irritation, redness, bruising, dry skin, breakouts and even hyperpigmentation after they start using skin needling. Again, not something you really want. My advice isn't not to use skin needling but to make sure you're aware of how to clean it properly and what side effects you can expect. It ain't right for everyone. Some skin don't react right. But yeah, that's something you can find out about before you buy anything like that. 

I had a dermaroller treatment expecting better looking skin. I came out with damaged skin. The initial redness was something I was expecting. After that followed weeks of waiting for healing and still hoping that my skin would be improved. It never did happen. It has been five months ago, and my skin is still not the same. I have rough and dry patches which I believe were irreversibly scarred by the treatment. Later on I heard that this treatment was never proven to be safe. I feel so stupid. I have no idea what I can do to fix my skin now.

Here are some things you need to keep in mind when considering which dermaroller to purchase:

- Only rollers with needles up to 1 mm can be used on the face. Never use rollers with longer needles on your face. Longer needles are for the body, or sometimes for the face but only ever when used by a professional! If you use longer needles on the face anyway, you can end up with a scarred and damaged face.
- You need to look out for the materials used. Only titanium needles are recommended to prevent damage.
- Make sure you know what the roller is designed for. Thick needles (as opposed to the length) are only meant for the body and never for the face.
- Look for a modern roller with 540 needles. This ensures even coverage.

The best rollers actually have detachable heads so you can use different needle sizes depending on the area treated, and also allow for reaching those hard to reach areas like your nose, under your eyes. Those are different thinner attachments. Also look for rollers that do come complete with a thorough instruction manual.

Skin needling is simply the application of a device containing many fine needles to the skin, in multiple directions. By puncturing the skin, proponents say, it is possible to increase collagen production, which then in turn reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging. Does it work? Well, let's put it this way: there are plenty of studies that show skin needling reduces wrinkles, but in those studies people using skin needling also use retin-a. That means that skin needling can help, but probably not on its own. And though it's a hot topic right now, other treatments that were all the hype before like peels and microdermabrasion still work as well.

Hi there,

I bought a dermaroller last year. That was after procrastinating on it for ages. I started with 1.5 mm for my stretch marks and 1.0 mm for my face. The improvement has been amazing, far beyond what I initially expected. My face looks plumper with fewer wrinkles and the stretch marks? They are not gone completely but they are so much better that they may as well be gone. It makes the difference between feeling bad about my body and being OK with it. I should say though that dermarollers aren't a product that you see improvement with after a single treatment. It takes a lot of patience, and the treatments are not pleasant. It is true that you shouldn't be bleeding, but it does not feel good in any case. If you are squeemish and just want something pain free then dermarollers are not the right solution for you and you should probably look into certain types of lasers instead. Then again, those are a much bigger investment to be making. Just my two cents. As far as how to use it exactly and which one to get, yes, there is a lot of information around. Following the instructions is definitely essential.

I got a dermaroller quite some time ago as a present and never really used it, basically shoved it towards the back of my cupboard and forgot about it... until I happened upon a blog about the possible benefits of dermarolling. That's when I started thinking that skin needling could really be an effective anti-age tool, which came at a very welcome time because now I'm 34 I am really starting to see some signs of aging as well as a generally dull looking skin that I was not happy with at all.

It's starting to look a bit worn now so I should probably get a new one. I'm still not quite sure how to maintain it properly. My skin, on the other hand, looks great: more radiant, cleaner, smoother, more elastic, hard to explain really, but I definitely look younger as well as just healthier. It sounds weird when you first hear about it but really, dermarolling is one of the best self-treatments out there that you would pay so much more for in a salon. Don't discard it as an option too quickly, ladies, because dermarollers do work.

I'm now wondering if I can find another length to use on the rest of my body as well.

So, I just ran across a case study in which dark circles under the eyes were treated with Dermafrac, which sounds like an exciting and promising new treatment. I'm mentioning it here because it's based on microneedling but combines that with deep tissue infusion, where specially formulated ingredients are delivered subcutaneously during the treatment. Essentially delivering a really good serum while microneedling, if I understand the Dermafrac treatment well, it sounds like a brilliant idea that may be of interest to people reading this thread because they are interested in dermarollers. Dermafrac is now advertised as an effective treatment for wrinkles, sun damage, acne scars, and clogged pores.

There is a topic about Dermafrac right now as it happens, and I'm quite interested in the benefits this method could provide. It makes a lot of sense to me. Meanwhile, for at home treatments, I am really curious about dermarolling right now. I have read about its benefits a bit and know dermarolling has been proven to increase collagen production and how. Now I am just wondering how to select a quality dermaroller and how to make sure that I would apply pressure evenly. I am also wondering whether dermarolling causes pain.

Dermarollers sound like a great idea I agree, but do be careful as there are risks associated with doing it as well as the benefits you are looking for, wrinkle reduction, scar reduction, etc.

- If you use a dermaroller that is even slightly dirty even if it looks clean to the naked eye, you are introducing derms to the skin and are inviting infections that will make you look bad and feel bad.
- At the same time, if your skin itself is not 100 percent clean, you are doing the exact same and making punctures into which germs can then nestle!
- You think you can apply anything like serums to make dermarolling more effective? Watch out. Ingredients that are fine for ON the skin may cause great irritation when introduced below the skin.
- Do not overdo dermarolling. Do not make yourself bleed and do not use it every single day.

So, I'm interested in trying the dermaroller. Judging by what little I have seen about it so far it looks like a very promising thing. I want to have it for both my face and to try to see if it has any effect on my stretch marks. What dermaroller would you recommend for me, and what length needles do I need for these purposes? Especially for the face I don't want to risk doing anything wrong, you know? It can cause bad scarring if the needles are too long I think. So advice appreciated.