The search for flawless and perfect skin seems to me like an endless and insatiable quest. I’m yet to meet someone who is completely satisfied with their skin. I mean, at one point or another we have to accept our flaws, but that should never stop us from trying. If you can get blemish-free, smooth textured and glowy skin, then nothing should stop you from going after it. What is important is that throughout your skin journey, you remember that you are not defined by your flaws, whether it be acne, hyperpigmentation, or even just a seasonal skin breakout.
The best thing about life is that technology will always come up with new solutions to our problems. Dermarolling is one of them. Dermarolling is the practice of using a dermaroller device to gently puncture the skin so that products penetrate deeper, dark spots fade, and rough patches smooth over.
It is also referred to as micro-needling or collagen induction therapy and involves thousands of tiny little needles being inserted into the surface of the skin via a rolling or stamping device.
Benefits of dermarolling
While the process may be a little painful, depending on your pain tolerance, dermarolling has numerous benefits. Here are some of them.
- Reduced wrinkles and stretch marks.
- Reduced acne scarring and skin discolouration.
- Increased skin thickness.
- Facial rejuvenation.
- Enhanced product absorption.
How does it work?
Dermarolling creates microscopic wounds that induce collagen and elastin production. Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body and is responsible for holding together connective tissue like skin, muscles, tendons, cartilage, and bones. This protein is also what keeps us looking young and gorgeous.
Anyone could use it. Someone that has acne scarring, someone with larger pores, someone who just wants a skin-tightening boost. The size of the needle depends on what you hope to achieve from the process. For scarring, you’ll want a thicker and deeper needle. To refine pores, you’ll need thin, short needles.
Precautions to take
Just like with many other procedures, there are a number of precautions to be taken if you choose to do it.
- First and foremost, hygiene is paramount. Ensure that you’re disinfecting your roller correctly
- People should avoid a dermaroller if they have a history of blood-clotting problems, or are using Accutane or other medical treatments.
- Dermarollers should not be used on areas of skin that have eczema, sunburn, or cold sores. Anywhere there are moles, skin inflammation, or rosacea should also be avoided.
- Never share the device with another person.
- Use sunscreen in the days after use, as skin could burn more easily than usual.
Possible side effects
While dermarolling has many good reviews and has worked perfectly for some, there are some online sites that do not recommend it at all. According to Oumere, the claims of its benefits have no basis in biology, and dermarolling is a skincare gimmick that does more harm than good. They describe mechanical damage of the whole collagen production which is induced by puncturing the skin with a needle. The needle tears down the collagen fibres, causing degradation. Collagen, when broken down in a destructive manner such as with dermarolling can be replaced in youth, but as one age, the ability of the body to make more collagen slows down and eventually stops.
While many people go for dermarolling as an anti-ageing technique, the same website states that in the long run, dermarolling causes premature ageing. Collagen made from dermarolling is a stress response by the body, and collagen made as a result of a stress response is not healthy. When you dermaroll, you expose your body to a stressor which destroys collagen, and the body quickly tries to replace the collagen lost from dermarolling by making more collagen. Collagen made from exposure to a stressor may give the appearance of plumper skin, but this is an insidious illusion. What you are really experiencing is inflammation and scar tissue formation, all of which causes ageing, and is often irreversible.
Here is more about how to prepare your skin for dermarolling – What is dermarolling and does it hurt?
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