Skin Care Archives • Page 8 of 8 • Living Gorgeous

The pursuit of flawless skin is universal. Every person in every part of the world wants to rock beautiful skin. Wherefore, there are always new products on the market for making your skin smoother, softer, and more appealing. Everyday people want to rid themselves of stretch marks, scars, and other skin blemishes. Top among the newest products on the market is the derma rollers. Derma Rollers are all the rage in the skincare industry. In this article, we want to guide you on the best derma rollers and how to use them properly. What is a Derma Roller? A derma roller, also known as a skin roller, MTS Roller, or a Microneedler, is a gadget used to make tiny piercings on your skin. A derma roller resembles a small paint roller covered in tiny sterilized titanium needles. The rolling mechanism is made of high-quality plastic. How Does a Derma Roller Work? A microneedler typically has between 180 to 1000 spikes. It works by penetrating the outer layer of the skin. The ideal derma roller’s spikes invade the stratum corneum, unclog the skin pores, and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are the two most important proteins for keeping your skin young and healthy. The size of needles on a skin roller depends on the area of the body they are meant for and the condition you need to treat. The lengths include 0.2mm, 0.5mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm, and 3.0mm. Smaller size needles are ideal for sensitive areas of the body like the face. You can use 0.2mm up to 0.5mm on your face. The most common spike length for home face treatment is 0.28mm. This is because it does almost no damage at all to your skin and you can perform it at home without worrying about over rolling. If you are looking to dispense with stretchmarks or cellulite, you can use the 1.5mm or the 2.0mm. As for scalp treatment or follicle stimulation, a 2.0mm to 3.0mm derma roller will do just fine. By repeatedly opening up your skin pores, you encourage increased blood flow to the surface of the skin and make your skin more receptive to skin care products. When done right, the process should be relatively painless since each needle should fall squarely in a skin pore. However, beware that as the spikes get longer so does the intensity of the pain. You may also experience some bleeding, especially for needles from 2.0mm to 3.0mm. However, do not be deceived that the more you bleed the more effective the treatment. Always remember that you are dealing with skin and you need ample time to heal. Incorrect use of the MTS roller can cause damage to the skin epidermis and ultimately lead to an infection. Other than the face, a skin roller can be used to exfoliate your skin on any part of your body. Many dermatologists use the microneedler technology to reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles, cellulite, or stretch marks. You can also use a derma roller on your scalp to stimulate your hair follicles and promote hair regrowth. How Often Should You Use A Derma Roller? As earlier mentioned, you should exercise caution when using your Derma roller. A microneedler has the potential to cause considerable damage to your skin when not properly used. Here is how often you should use the Derma roller depending on the area of the body and the length of the spikes. 1. Dermal rollers with 0.2mm to 1.0mm spikes The 0.2mm to 1.0mm needles are the shortest in the Derma roller treatment industry. The smaller size needles like 0.2mm to 0.25mm are often used on the face. They are too short to really puncture the epidermis which makes them safe to use daily or once every few days. The main reason for using this length of the needle is to aid in the absorption of face products into the skin. The 0.5mm to 1.0mm needle is mainly used to reduce the appearance of mild scarring, fine wrinkles, and simple stretchmarks. These spikes are perfect because they don’t penetrate too deep but they go deep enough to trigger the production of collagen and elastin. This also means the damage to the skin is not massive. Consequently, you can use the 0.5mm once every 3 weeks and the 1.00mm once every month. Allow your skin enough time to heal completely before attempting a new derma treatment. 2. Dermal roller with 1.5mm to 2.0mm spikes Derma needles measuring above 1.0mm to 2.0mm are perfect for regenerating skin on areas with wrinkles, fine scars, surface stretchmarks, and mild lines on the face. Since the needles go a little deeper than the aforementioned, expect a bit of bleeding. It is imperative that you allow your skin enough time to heal. Also, new collagen and elastin regeneration takes approximately 40 days to complete a whole cycle. You are, therefore, advised to use these size of spikes under medical supervision and only once every 6 weeks. The trauma from a 1.5mm-2.0mm needle is nothing more than a tiny puncture. Your skin may turn red and be a little sore for a few days. You may also notice tiny scabs where the needles punctured but they usually heal within a few days. Even though your skin may seem healed, do not be tempted to apply a derma roller until the full 6 weeks are over. 3. Dermal roller with 2.5mm to 3.0mm spikes These are the longest needles used on derma rollers. They are mainly used on deep scars to completely rejuvenate and regenerate new skin. You can also use them on deep stretchmarks, and cellulite. People with balding issues use these spikes to unclog their follicles and stimulate new hair growth. When using these spikes, expect moderate bleeding and a moderate level of pain. These needles pierce deep into the skin to the base of the epidermis. After application of the derma roller, you may experience redness, swelling, and soreness. Due to the depth of the piercings, it will take a tad longer to heal and you may need to give your skin some TLC to boost the healing process. Also Check: Best Body Wash for Sensitive Skin Most people prefer trusting a dermatologist to carry out such treatments. Because of the length of the needle, the potential to cause plausible damage to the skin is very real. Make sure you wait for at least 8 weeks before conducting another dermal roller treatment. How to Use a Derma Roller on the Face Obviously, our biggest skin issues rest on the face. This is because the face is the first part of your body that people see and you want to look vibrant and glowing. For that same reason, you need to be careful how you use the derma roller on your face. The face is sensitive and the goal should be to make the situation better, not worse. The most common issues on the face include wrinkles, acne scars, age lines, hyperpigmentation, and other types of blemishes. The best size of microneedler to use for your face should depend on the issues you want to address. Use 0.1mm to 0.5mm for general issues. If you have the normal blemishes like a pimple scar here and there or you just want your skin to breathe and exfoliate, use the 0.1mm to 0.5mm. If you have deep-seated age lines, acne blemishes, scars, or wrinkles, upgrade to a 0.75mm. This size of skin roller will give a deeper penetration and therefore a more motivated nudge for your skin to regenerate. Things to keep in mind before applying a Derma Roller on your Face Timing Most of us are busy on-the-go professionals who barely get time to ourselves. Therefore, select a period when you have ample time to carefully perform the treatment without rushing. Our preference is at night. Considering the skin has to rest without makeup or activity, bedtime seems to be the best time to do your treatment. Start Small According to our experience, it is important to slowly wean yourself into a regular Derma roller treatment. For example, if you are using a 0.5mm skin roller, start by applying it once every 2 weeks. This slowly eases your skin into the new routine and gives your body time to adjust to the pain and discomfort that comes with Derma rolling. After 3 or so treatments, or whenever you feel comfortable, you can adjust the treatment to once a week or once every few days. Always Sanitize your Derma Roller before Every Treatment A derma roller essentially creates little wounds all over your face. Wherefore, you must make sure the spikes are as clean as possible. Immerse the entire Derma roller head in an alcohol solution (70% isopropyl) for at least half an hour before use. Allow the derma roller to air dry before commencing your treatment. Never roll over an active skin condition Any active zit, eczema, mole, pimple, or irritated skin on your face is a bacteria stronghold. As many dermatologists advise, do not disturb an active skin condition lest it gets worse or spreads to the rest of the face. Rolling over a pimple, a zit, or any active skin condition will spread all the bacteria from the area to the rest your face. Avoid using your roller or roll over the healthy bits of skin as you wait for whichever condition you have to get better. Have a look at: Best Airbrush Makeup Kit Additionally, do not apply your derma roller under your eyes or on your eyelids. For starters, your eyelid skin is too thin and considering these are actual needles, too close to the eye is dangerous. Secondly, the area below the eyes is also too close to the eye. However, if you really want to, draw the skin from under the eyes by pulling it down so that the derma roller can access it safely. Ensure your skin roller is working properly A defective derma roller can ruin your skin. Do a quality check that all the needles are upright and sharp. Also, ensure the rolling mechanism of the skin roller works without stalling. Roll it up and down on a soft smooth surface just to be sure. If you notice some of the needles are bent or defective, do not use the derma roller as it. Purchase a new roller head. If you have been using your derma roller head for more than 25 days, damaged or not, it is time to replace it. How to use a Derma roller on your face Below is a step by step guide on how to use a derma roller on your face. Cleanse your face Before applying a microneedler on your face, make sure your face is as clean as possible. Remove all your makeup and incorporate a quality cleanser to ensure your face is completely free of makeup and dirt. You can wash your face with an antiseptic or an antimicrobial solution to ensure you are not only clean but sanitized. Some people like to dab a bit of alcohol on a cleansing pad and use it to give one final wipe of the face. Though using alcohol may seem extreme, it does help to get rid of any and all makeup residue. Only apply the alcohol cleanser if you are going to be using a 0.5mm roller. Anything less than that is not necessary. Apply the serum Most derma roller kits come with a recommended serum. Now that your skin is squeaky clean, apply the serum all over your face to prime your skin for the roller. If you anticipate a good amount of pain, you can apply a numbing cream to the areas you intend to treat. However, you must remember to wash off the numbing cream before commencing the derma rolling. How to Roll Holding the microneedler in your hand, start rolling on your desired area first horizontally and then vertically and then from Northwest to Southeast and from Northeast to Southwest. Do it in a systematic manner whereby you select a certain area, roll it until you’re done before moving on to the next. Each direction should be rolled over at least 4-6 times. Apply medium pressure as you roll. Not too much to dig deep into your skin but not too light to barely nick the surface. After every roll, lift the microneedler clean-off so that each new roll creates a new row of piercings. Do not drag or force the roller to move in an alternate direction without lifting it and placing it in a convenient position. Attempting to change the direction of rolling without lifting and turning the roller will create a dragging effect on your skin. This will in-turn scratch and bruise your skin which is an undesirable result. Clean your face After completing the rolling treatment, clean your face using a gentle cleanser. This will remove any specks of blood and leave your skin ready for the healing process. Apply a moisturizer if you so wish or just leave the face as is to recuperate. You may experience slight redness or heat on the face but this is completely normal. The moisturizer will go a long way in reducing the uncomfortable aftermath of the treatment. You can also Check: Best Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin How to Use a Derma Roller for Acne Scars At some point, we all get a pimple or a zit. The scar left behind after a pimple is healed is one of the most frustrating skin blemishes to deal with. Lucky for us, derma rollers are great at reducing the appearance of these monstrosities. Why a Derma Roller? A derma roller is among the few 100% natural treatments for acne scars. There is no application of chemicals to the skin and therefore no chance of a reaction. The derma roller treatment is cheap and can be DIY all you want until you achieve your desired results. Other treatments for acne scars include laser treatments and high-end creams which will both break your bank. Some of the so-called treatments later backfire and cause irreversible hyperpigmentation. This is the absolute worst case scenario because it means you have to apply tons of concealer every day since your skin tone is ruined. Derma rolling cannot possibly cause such a reaction especially if you use the correct size of spikes and in the correct manner. How does it work? Essentially, a scar is the haphazard way our bodies seal an open wound. Depending on the severity of the wound, the body works as fast as possible to seal the area and therefore there is not much finesse as far as rebuilding new skin is concerned. So a scar really is too much collagen concentrated in the same area which makes it impossible for the typical pored skin to grow. When you use a skin roller over a scar, it breaks down the composition of the scar. This breakdown is done gradually which gives the body time to rebuild brand new skin over the scar. The micro-traumas to the skin force the body to release collagen and elastin which regenerates new flawless skin. How to use the Derma Roller for Acne Scars Ensure your roller is clean and sanitized. For instructions on how to sanitize, soak the entire head of the roller in 70% solution of isopropyl alcohol for at least half an hour. Remove and allow to air dry. Clean your face and sanitize it with a dab of alcohol. This ensures that all the makeup and dirt residue is non-existent. Spread the skin on the scar so that it is as tight as possible and then run the roller over it. Do it vertically, horizontally, and diagonally both ways at least 4-6 times each way. After the treatment is done, clean your face with a gentle cleanser to remove any specks of blood resulting from the piercings. Apply an acne scar clearing cream or any other blemish cream you may be using. The treatment will have opened the pores of your skin to allow better absorption of the skin treatment cream. Repeat the procedure after 2-3 days. Top Derma Rollers on the Market Now that you know all about derma rollers and how to use them, you must be wondering which one to buy. Do not fret. Here are the 2 most recommended derma rollers on the market. 1. Derma Roller Cosmetic Needling Instrument For Face This derma roller from Sdara Skincare is the perfect solution for all DIY microneedling. It rocks 0.25mm needles which, according to dermatologists, are the perfect length for home treatments. You will love the easy to handle stylish shape and 540 spikes which are made of titanium. The Sdara Skincare Derma roller is very affordable and perfectly safe to use on scars, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and age lines. In case you do not like the product, there is a 30-day 100% money back guarantee. The kit includes a carrying case. 2. MATKAS Derma Roller 540 This derma roller from Matkas makes the list of our top 2 best microneedling gadgets because of its high quality and exceptional performance. It has 540 titanium spikes of 0.25mm. This is the perfect height for home skin rolling treatments. The Matkas derma roller is great for treating acne scars, fine age lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and other skin blemishes. The manufacturer advises that you replace the roller head after 25-30 uses. Do not use it under the eyes of on the eyelids. The kit includes a carrying case. Conclusion Derma rollers are still relatively new on the market although they have gained traction in the beauty world. Even though they are new, you cannot argue with the results. All the people who have used skin rollers as instructed have experienced positive results. That being said, there is no product that is perfect. Since the treatment involves deliberately puncturing your skin, it is always advisable to exercise caution as you practice derma rolling. Ultimately, we are all trying to achieve that elusive flawless skin, and derma rollers have gotten us a step closer.