Dermarollers - Types, Uses, Procedure, Results and Side Effects

Introduction:

Dermaroller therapy is very popular these days. This therapy can best treat acne scars and aids in skin rejuvenation and tightening.Dermarollers are hand instruments having fine needles on their top and handles at their bottom. These instruments are used to puncture the skin with their fine needles, and hence they cause injury to the skin. These injuries promote collagen production and help in skin rejuvenation and removing scars. This therapy is called dermaroller therapy or micro-needling therapy, or sometimes it is called collagen induction therapy. This can be done by a dermatologist or at home. Furthermore, this is an invasive procedure as it punctures the skin.

What Does a Dermaroller Do?

Dermarolles not only rejuvenate the face and skin but are also primarily used to treat several skin problems. Below are the indications of the derma roller therapy:

• Treatment of scars, generally acne scars.

• Treatment of stretch marks.

• Treatment of wrinkles.

• Rejuvenation of face.

• Treatment of fine lines.

• For open pores.

• For changing skin texture.

How Does a Dermaroller Work on Skin?

Dermarollers are gently rolled over the skin in many directions at a specific depth. During this process, the very fine needles on the dermaroller create minor and superficial punctures or holes on the outer surface of the skin (stratum corneum). This promotes blood flow in that area and releases some growth factors essential for producing new collagen and elastin in the inner layer of the skin (papillary dermis). These growth factors are:

• Platelet-derived growth factor (PGF).

• Transforming growth factor-alpha.

• Transforming growth factor-beta.

• Connective tissue growth factor.

• Fibroblast growth factor (FGF).

• Connective tissue activating protein.

In addition, these fine needles act on the old, hardened strands of the scars. They break these strands and restore blood circulation (revascularization).

Therefore, this process rejuvenates the skin and lightens the scars by the formation of new collagen and new capillaries in the skin. Collagen is responsible for skin firmness and tightening.

What Is the Procedure of Dermaroller / Microneedling Therapy?

This therapy can be done by the dermatologist in the clinic, which is called in-office treatment, or by patients themselves at home with the instrument.

What Is In-Office Dermaroller Therapy?

Before starting this therapy, the assessment of the patient's skin is done by the dermatologist, which includes the following:

1. Depth of the scar (superficial or deep, as this therapy is not effective in deep scars).

2. The number of the scar.

3. Type of the scar.

4. Skin texture.

5. Skin quality.

These assessments are important to decide the treatment plan for the patients and help to determine the duration of the treatment, the number of sittings, and which dermaroller device to use.

• There are several dermaroller or microneedle devices available in the clinic with different depths, shapes, sizes, and the number of needles. Out of these, dermapen is best to use as it creates less widened and uniform punctures, which aids in better healing.

• The depth of the needle varies from 0.5 to 3mm. The depth of the needle is decided based on the type of scar, skin surface, and the area to be treated. For example, it is different for the cheek region, temple region, etc.

• According to a study conducted in 2016, to increase collagen production, vitamin A and C formulation for the skin should be taken twice a day before one month of dermaroller therapy. This will give better results.

• This therapy is done under anesthesia which is applied to the skin before starting the treatment.

• After that, antiseptic as well as saline is applied to the skin to start the procedure. Then, finally, the derma roller is rolled over the skin, or the area which has to be treated in a gentle manner, and very tiny injuries are made.

• After this procedure, minor bleeding occurs on the skin, which is easily manageable. This procedure takes around 10 to 45 minutes or longer, depending upon the scar or skin condition. Patients can return to their daily routine work after the procedure. There is not much discomfort after the therapy.

As this is a multiple-sitting procedure, the gap between the first and second sitting should be three to eight weeks depending on the skin condition. In addition, studies have found that the effects of dermaroller therapy increase with it being used in conjunction with platelet-rich plasma (PRP therapy).

When Are the Results of Dermarollers Visible?

The temporary improvement in the scar can be seen soon after the treatment as the scar is covered with swelled tissues which minimizes the appearance of the scar. But as soon as the swelling disappears, the scar will be visible again. After three to six months of complete treatment, the final results will be visible.

What Are the Side Effects of Dermaroller Therapy?

As such, there are no major side effects of dermaroller therapy. As this therapy causes minor intentional injury to the skin, post-injury signs occur, which resolve within two to three days. These are:

• Redness in that area.

• Swelling in that area.

Some studies showed that in very few people, some other complications like hyperpigmentation occurred after the derma roller therapy.

What Are the Precautions to Be Taken After Dermaroller Therapy?

• Sunscreen application.

• Prevention from sun exposure.

How to Use a Dermaroller at Home?

Dermarollers can be used at home but with precautions and the appropriate method. Below are the important precautions to be taken before using dermaroller at home

• Always consult the dermatologist before using dermaroller at home.

• The dermaroller device should be used for a single time only. It should not be reused at home due to a lack of proper sterilization.

• The depth of the needle should be less than 0.15 mm.

• Before application, the skin should be thoroughly cleaned with cleaners, and there should not be any makeup product residue or dirt on the skin.

• It should not be done on the face if any allergic reaction or acne is present on the skin.

Conclusion:

To conclude, dermaroller or micro-needling therapy is a good method that uses the body's own healing process to boost collagen production for treating scars, minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, and rejuvenating the skin. In addition, it is a safe and effective therapy.