The skin is a significant part of a person’s outside appearance. It can serve as a reflection of what and how you are as an individual. It also indicates how healthy you are as a person. That’s why it needs to be properly taken care of.
Gone are the days when people only settle with their literal woke-up-like-this-look. Healthy and glowing skin is now being glorified.
However, the steps to achieving good skin are not easy. Washing your face with a face wash alone is not a skincare routine because you’re doing merely cleaning the surface.
As we all know, the skin has three main layers, namely the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, aka subcutaneous tissue. A good skincare should be able to get past the second layer, the dermis. But not all skincare products can do that.
When talking about skincare, the primary goal is for the products to sink deeper into the skin for the active ingredients to work their wonders. How are we going to do that, you may ask? Well, derma rolling is the key!
Have we piqued your interest in this skincare procedure? Know more about it through this ultimate guide to derma rolling.
What is Derma Rolling?
Is the term derma rolling new to you? What about micro-needling?
Derma rolling, a form of micro-needling, is a minimally invasive skincare procedure done at home using a small handheld tool with a roller covered with needles attached to the end.
When rolled over to your face, these needles create tiny pinpricks that cause a very low-level trauma on your skin surface. As scary as it may sound, we assure you that this procedure, like any other skincare procedure, is completely safe as long as you have conducted enough research and know your skin well before doing so.
Since the needles leave tiny pinprick marks on your skin, your body’s natural wound-healing response gets triggered, resulting in collagen and elastin production. As you may know, when the collagen and elastin levels in your skin remain at an optimal level, it creates a more youthful and fresh skin appearance.
What does a Derma Roller look like?
You may be curious as to what a derma roller looks like. Well, to make you picture it out easily, just imagine your ordinary razor, but instead of a head with a blade, there is a roller attached to it that is covered with needles.
Needle Size
The needles vary in size depending on the purpose you’re using them. If you’re targeting your face, neck, and other body parts with thinner skin, to treat fine lines, open pores, pigmentation marks, acne scars, and light scars, you can go with a needle as short as 0.25mm up to 1.0mm. However, if you want to use a derma roller on your back, thighs, or stomach to treat cellulite and stretchmarks, go for longer ones with sizes ranging from 1.0mm to 1.5mm.
Moreover, if you wish to treat wrinkles and aging, go for needles with a 0.5mm size for your face and 1.0mm to 1.5mm for your other body parts. When targeting this concern, know that you cannot use a needle size lower than 0.5mm as it is not enough to trigger collagen production.
While needle sizes range from 0.25mm to 3.0mm, it is not advisable to use needles longer than 1.5 mm when doing derma rolling at home, as it can cause severe effects on your skin. These longer-sized ones need to be administered by a professional.
Needle Material
If you want your derma-rolling session to go how you expected it to, ensure that your needles are sharp, thin, and rust-free. You don’t want blunt or think needles going over your skin, especially thinner skin surfaces, as it may cause injury.
Go for titanium needles, as they are the perfect ones to use for this purpose. They are ultra-sharp, thin, and resistant to rust buildup. If no titanium needles are available, go for ones made of stainless steel. You could never go wrong with stainless steel as they are sterile and safe for use on the skin.
Handle
Aside from the needle size and material, another factor you should consider when buying a derma roller is its handle. A good derma roller should give you some grip so as not to slip and hurt you while you’re in the middle of your session. The handle should also be long enough for your hand to grasp comfortably.
Benefits of Derma Rolling
Now that you know the basic information about derma rolling, let’s learn what they can offer. Will your skin be bright and glowing? Will the acne scars disappear? Can you really achieve an even skin texture after? Find out the answers to these questions and more by reading further.
1. Reduces wrinkles
You can now say goodbye to wrinkles and say hello to younger-looking skin through derma rolling.
As has been said before, the pricking of the needles triggers collagen and elastin production in the skin. Once the collagen and elastin levels are boosted, fine lines and wrinkles are filled in and plumped up. They also help in the thickening and strengthening of aging skin.
2. Reduces acne scars
Using the same principle with collagen created by needle pricks, derma rolling also reduces the appearance of acne scars. It also helps smoothen skin surfaces.
However, derma rolling should only be used and is only effective on shallow acne scars. If you suffer a more severe case, the best solution is to seek the help of a dermatologist.
3. Breaks up hyperpigmentation
The act of needle pricking during a derma rolling session encourages skin-cell regeneration, which helps break up skin hyperpigmentation caused by melasma or sunspots. Better results can be achieved when this procedure is paired further with hydrating and brightening serums.
4. Helps skincare product penetration
As said before, the goal of skincare is deeper penetration of the product on the skin. Through derma rolling, you can easily achieve this.
The needles open very fine channels on the skin during the process, allowing any skincare product to be better absorbed and work more effectively.
5. Treats enlarged pores
You don’t have to worry about getting your pictures closely captured and fear that they may emphasize your enlarged pores anymore! Derma rolling is your solution!
Collagen production stimulated by derma rolling can cause the collagen in your skin and around the pores to plump up, making them look significantly smaller.
From children whose skin is religiously applied with child-safe lotion to adults who actively search for skincare treatments that can either retain or bring back their youthful glow, taking care of the skin has become a priority. Almost everyone has been joining in with the skincare craze.
Not that it is a bad thing. Of course, everyone should be joining in. It is never too late to make your skin feel that it is also important.
There are various kinds of skin care products and procedures that you can try. Derma rolling is just one way to help you achieve your skincare goals. However, do note that it is always best to consult a skin expert when it comes to ‘experimenting’ with the skincare you use or try because you might end up ruining your skin instead of taking care of it.