What to Look for in an At-Home Derma Roller

I never know how people are going to react when I tell them that I really enjoy rolling tiny needles into my face and neck every night. Fortunately, after I tell them my real age and how this amazing blue roller I use at home helps keep my skin firm and fine lines away, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and many of them want to get in on the action themselves. I receive requests quite often for more specific details on how to try it out at home. And I get it…when you’re planning on rolling your face at night with a roller that contains tiny micro needles, you probably want to know exactly what you’re doing before you start rolling your face all over with them.

If you want to try skin derma rolling at home (a.k.a. micro needling, skin needling, skin rolling, or micro exfoliating), you may feel overwhelmed by all the different brands available. Don’t feel bad as it can be a bit confusing on what to purchase. One thing I will say is that cheaper is NOT better when it comes to purchasing an at-home derma roller. Here are some helpful tips on selecting a roller that is right for you.

What is Derma Rolling?

Young skin has healthy amounts of collagen and elastin fibers, keeping it firm and supple. Physiological changes, environmental factors (especially sun exposure), and detrimental lifestyle choices (like smoking) all contribute to skin’s loss of these supportive fibers as people age. With a reduction of collagen and elastin, you see sagging skin, wrinkles, and enlarged pores.

Derma rollers are fit with a rotating head lined with tiny acupuncture-type needles that delicately pierce skin where the roller is rolled. You divide your face into sections - forehead, right cheek, left cheek, jowls, lips, chin, neck, and even your upper chest area. With little pressure, you roll over each section 4-10 times, changing directions with each pass...up and down, back and forth, and diagonally over each section, creating little tiny holes in your skin. The tiny punctures from the needles signal to your body that the skin has been wounded. The body rushes collagen and elastin to that area to repair it. After rolling, you then apply a serum and night cream to help fortify your skin’s protective barrier. Derma rolling encourages skincare products to be absorbed deeply and penetrate better into the skin.

The depth of the needle is varied and individually tailored when it comes to derma rolling treatments done in a dermatologist or other skin specialist's office versus and at-home derma roller. In-office treatments can cost about $250 each while an at-home derma roller can cost anywhere from $20 to $220 (rollers typically last one year before being tossed). At-home skin rollers have much smaller needles than the ones used in a medical office, so they aren't supposed to hurt, and can be very beneficial as part of at-home skincare maintenance. In-office treatments often have immediate and dramatic results, but also have side effects like pain and bleeding. They also tend to be more costly. Fortunately, at-home derma rolling is a much thriftier alternative that still gets great results with regular maintenance. It requires a much lower pain threshold, too.

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When it comes to derma rolling at home, it is VERY IMPORTANT to keep the roller as clean as possible. No sharing of the roller as well. A safe and effective at-home roller I use that provides a proper cleansing environment is the Redefine AMP MD system. It utilizes fractioned exfoliation that occurs at the point of contact between micro needle tips and the surface of skin. When done 3-5 times a week or daily at home, fractionated exfoliation improves the tone and texture of complexion as skin responds to the contact of the micro needle tips. When used in conjunction with retinoids and/or hyaluronic acid, the result is firmer, younger-looking skin. The AMP MD system comes with a clear tube and purification tablets to disinfect your roller after each use.

How to Choose an At-Home Derma Roller

Here are several recommendations and tips on what you should look for when choosing a derma roller for at home use.

Cheaper isn’t better: A low price should not be the main factor when buying a derma roller. Do your research and shop from a reputable company/brand. Make sure the roller you purchase is backed by a money back guarantee of 30 to 60 days. Personally, I would be very suspicious if a derma roller is cheap. Cheaper isn’t always better when it comes to your skincare.

Choose a safe needle: Choose a roller with needles that won’t wear down and become blunt. Blunt needles reduce the effectiveness of the roller and can cause quite a bit of pain. While titanium needles are a stronger alloy and can give a sharper edge, titanium isn’t as hygienic as stainless steel. Stainless steel is the cleanest of metals when it comes to rolling your skin and it’s strong enough to be effective on your skin. I strongly recommend choosing stainless steel over titanium when it comes to purchasing a skin roller. Medical professionals, tattoo artists, and acupuncturists all use stainless steel needles. The only advantage titanium has over steel is that it’s stronger. However, when choosing a derma roller for your skin, factors such as cleanliness and toxicity levels are far more important than sturdiness, which is why stainless steel is the best option. Besides, stainless steel is still an incredibly strong metal.

Check customer feedback: The market is flooded with derma rollers all claiming to be the best, while most of the cheaper ones are low quality knock offs. Do your homework and carefully check brand reputation and customer feedback.

Choose the appropriate needle length: The common derma roller needle lengths available for at-home use are 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, and 1.5 mm. Although there are some online shops that offer rollers with needle lengths up to 2.5 mm, be aware that longer needles have the potential risk of doing more damage than good. It is recommended that you avoid any roller longer than 1.5 mm, especially for your face and using at home. Personally, I recommend staying within the 0.2-0.3 mm needle length range for at home use.

When it comes to at-home derma rolling, there can be potential risks involved if you don’t choose a roller wisely. Be sure to take the time to educate yourself fully before starting to use your derma roller and again…I can’t stress enough, cheaper ISN’T better when it comes to purchasing a derma roller for using at home. Skin is a beautiful thing, wear it well by choosing a safe and effective derma roller for at home use.

Have any questions or comments for me? Please comment below or email me at [email protected].

Source:

https://www.realself.com/forum/tips-buying-derma-roller1