You’re never quite sure how people will react when you tell them you enjoy prickly (really sharp) needles marching up and down your face. Smoother, tighter skin, check! Under-eye bags gone, check! Acne scars visibly smaller, check! Is there nothing derma rollers can’t do? While you may be tempted to try one of these nifty devices, we suggest you first understand how it works. Word of warning from one who knows: even though these are touted as at-home products, it’s best to let a qualified technician or dermatologist use it on your face at least the first time so you know how much pressure to apply and what to expect. Let’s get rolling!
What is a derma roller?
A derma-roller has hundreds of tiny, sharp needles. When it’s rolled on the skin surface it creates many microscopic injuries on the skin (that can bleed). This prompts the body’s natural healing mechanism that sends collagen and elastin production into overdrive to heal the injuries. The result: your complexion becomes tighter and plumper.
Nykaa Recommends: GUBB USA Derma Roller 0.5 Needle (Pink), House Of Beauty Derma Roller - 0.25mm, The Rolling Concept Jade Facial Roller
How does derma rolling work?
Micro-needling with derma-rollers have long been believed to be an ideal—though gradual, so you’ll need multiple sittings—way to fill in fine lines and wrinkles, reducing under-eye bags and dark circles, improving skin texture, reducing the size of pores, and fading blemishes and marks. The reason it’s effective for long term benefits is because it penetrates deep into skin, and any serums used during the procedure, can penetrate skin much deeper than they would have if just applied topically. Dermatologists believe serum absorption goes up by almost 90% when applied during a procedure.
Just a couple of cautions: you need to have a fairly high pain and discomfort threshold to undergo this procedure. Secondly, you need to exercise great care to ensure the needles are very fine (about 0.5 mm) because thick, blunt needles risk damaging skin. It’s also understood that you shouldn’t be sharing your derma-roller with anyone for hygiene reasons.
So, what are the formulas that should be used in conjunction with a derma-roller?
Look for serums that contain Hyaluronic Acid, Stem Cells, Peptides, and growth factors. We recommend Innisfree Perfect 9 Repair Eye Cream, The Face Shop White Seed Brightening Serum, MCaffeine Naked Detox Green Tea Face Serum and The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser that contain ingredients to maximize the effects of micro-needling. This in turn boosts collagen production, speeds up cell turnover, fades hyperpigmentation, smoothens out fine lines and makes skin look plumper.
However, using ingredients like Retinol, Vitamin C or undiluted essential oils is a big no-no because these can irritate skin and cause sensitivity. What are you waiting for?
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