With pressure to socially distance, many are turning to at-home treatments and skin care tools in order to address their own skin concerns. One of these tools that has risen in popularity is the dermaroller. Dermarolling as been dubbed by the internet as a great alternative to microneedling. But is it truly a good dupe or is this treatment best done by an aesthetic professional?
Before comparing these two treatments, it’s important to understand both of them. Microneedling, or SkinPen — is a collagen induction therapy (CIT) treatment designed to promote skin rejuvenation by creating controlled damage to the skin. This treatment uses small needles to create small punctures to the top layer of the skin, causing the body to being a wound response, which then creates new collagen and elastin.
Dermaroller is another form of CIT that can be done at home with a lower price point but comes with higher risk. A dermaroller is a handheld device containing a wheel that has approximately 200 needles attached to it. The dermaroller rolls over your skin manually to create micro wounds in the skin.
MICRONEEDLING WITH SKINPEN
SkinPen is the only FDA cleared device for CIT. At SKN BAR RX, we believe in the safety and efficacy of treatments and devices. SkinPen tips come individually wrapped in sterile packaging and is for one time use only. Once the tip is removed from the SkinPen, a special safety mechanism ensures that it cannot be placed back onto the device. This safety mechanism makes SkinPen unique and a much sought after treatment for antiaging and scar reduction treatments.
During the treatment a topical numbing agent is applied to ease any discomfort that may be felt during the treatment. Once the numbing cream is removed a special lift serum is applied to the skin to allow for gentle gliding of the needles over the skin’s surface. When the needles penetrate the skin, it does so in a straight/vertical movement allowing for smooth controlled micro injuries which is the key factor in promoting new collagen growth in the skin. The SkinPen tip also allows for manually adjustments in the needle length. This adjustable depth is important to treat various issues or concerns of the skin. If rejuvenation is your goal, a shallower depth is used overall. If you are concerned with scar or wrinkle reduction, the treatment depth is adjusted to a longer needle length for a slightly more aggressive treatment that is results oriented.
AT-HOME DERMAROLLING
Dermaroller performed at home is traditionally a less expensive alternative to the in-office SkinPen treatments and is why many patients invest in them. This treatment can be effective but does come with the risk of introducing and spreading bacteria into your skin as home-users typically do not sterilize the tool. Equally important to note is how the needles enter the skin – with a dermaroller, they enter on an angle, which can increase the chance of micro tears in the skin – potentially creating more damage than good in the skin.
In comparison, SkinPen is an electronic handheld device and allows for greater control and accuracy throughout the treatment. The motor allows the needles to move at a rate of 17,000 RPM’s which can create up to 15,000 clean smooth controlled micro injuries per square inch.
Dermaroller has 200 needles on its wheel. You would have to do a lot of manual rolling to get the same benefit as the mechanical SkinPen, as well as being able to perform the treatment on yourself.
Overall, a SkinPen microneedling treatment is preferred over dermaroller home treatments. It is:
- A safe and effective way to build collagen and strengthen the skin
- A proven treatment that addresses scarring
- delivers controlled damage without causing micro tears
- sterile
- promotes long lasting results with minimal downtime and is provided by a licensed aesthetician in a safe way
- a treatment that allows for manual depth adjustment of the needles resulting in a customized, more effective treatment
If you’re someone who has been considering microneedling, a great first step is to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our aesthetic professional. During your consultation, your provider will address your unanswered questions and set you up with a treatment plan that best suits you!
