Derma Rollers: Usage, Side Effects And Important Tips

Derma rolling is a skin rejuvenating treatment done by a handheld device that has a roller with hundreds of tiny microneedles attached to it. These tiny needles puncture the top layer of the skin so that the skin will create new collagen and elastin to get rid of the bumps, fine lines, blemishes, scars, discoloring, and other skin concerns. It also increases the firmness of the skin and reduces the size of the pores. Derma rolling treatment can be done on both skin and hair.

The treatment can be done at home, but thorough knowledge is required for the same. If derma rolling is not done properly, it can damage the skin and can cause more skin problems than before.

Let talk in brief about the process, side effects, and important tips regarding derma rolling.

How is the derma rolling treatment done?

In this treatment, microneedles, ranging from 0.5mm to 3mm in length, are rolled over the skin surface for 10-15 minutes, once a week. One thing to be noted is that this process is slow and can take up to 4-6 weeks to show the best results.

The main purpose of this treatment is to create short-term wounding the skin so that it can trigger the skin to produce new collagen, thus repairing the already damaged skin. Collagen is a bodily protein made up of amino acids.

The collagen created will help in:

Removing scars
Removing fine lines
Removing wrinkles
Removing cellulite
Filling of pores
Removing sun damage
Removing sunburn
Reducing Acne
Anti-aging

Who can use derma rollers?

Different people have different skin types, tones, sensitivity, and concerns. If you have skin concerns like scars, acne, dark spots, pores, stretch marks, wrinkles, and fine lines, then you are fit to treat those conditions using a derma roller.

If you have very sensitive skin that is reactive to new products and treatments, then you should avoid derma rolling.

However, it is always advised to consult a skin specialist before opting for derma rolling therapy.

Side effects of derma rolling

Derma roller is one of the safest and easiest skin treatments. But if not used properly, there are chances of some minor side effects. Some of the most common side effects you will notice are redness of skin that will last for a few hours, mild inflammation and dryness, also some sun sensitivity for the first couple of days. Generally, derma rolling takes at least 4 to 6 weeks to show better results. As for the side effects, some of them hardly last for a couple of hours and some may last for a couple of days.

Post-treatment guidelines

After doing the derma roller process, there are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind to avoid any major side effects. Here are some tips:

Apply aloe vera gel to calm and soothe the skin.
Don't touch your face with dirty hands
Wash your hands, before touching your face
New and aggressive products should not be used
Avoid intensive sunlight, avoid sauna, avoid hot showers until the redness of the skin is gone
Fake tan should be applied after 7 days of the complete treatment

Some important tips:

If you are using the derma roller on your face at home, splitting it into multiple sessions will make your job much easier
Skip the areas around your eye
Rolling the derma roller diagonally will create uneven pattern distribution, creating more stress on the center of your face. So it is better to avoid it
While using the device, do not put too much pressure on your skin as it will be very painful for you and the injuries will take time to heal
Make sure that you lift the derma roller up after each roll so that there is no appearance of track marks
You can decrease the number of rolling in one direction based on the sensitivity and pain tolerance of your skin
After using the derma roller, you must not treat your skin with chemical exfoliating agents, or other hard skincare products that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, tretinoin, etc.
Never derma roll your skin more than twice a week. Give your skin enough time to heal before undergoing another session
Avoid derma rolling if you have a history of blood-clotting problems
Avoid derma rolling if you are using Accutane or other medical treatments
Avoid using the derma roller around infected acne