Ask yourself one simple question. What are you willing to do to attain ‘the perfect skin’? Is puncturing your face with a large number of needles on the list? I guess not. But when you study about dermarolling, you may have to reconsider your answer. Before getting into the facts about dermarolling, its important to know what a dermaroller is first.

A dermaroller is a skin care handheld face-roller device consisting of a handle on one end which is accompanied by a roller with a large number of micro-needles on the other. This revolutionary device is used for the treatment of acne scars, fine lines and signs of ageing. The treatment goes by the name of Dermarolling or Microneedling.

What is dermarolling or microneedling and how does it work?

As we just read, a dermaroller is a device which is rolled onto the skin in order to cure various skin problems. But how exactly does that happen?

The device is rolled onto the skin so as to puncture it. However, these holes are really tiny and considered to be superficial, which in turn doesn’t make this treatment invasive. The puncturing of the skin leads to the creation of a controlled skin injury. This injury doesn’t cause any damage to the outer layer of the skin.

The controlled injuries to the skin lead to superficial bleeding. This triggers the body’s wound healing response, and the following occurs:

• The skin releases substances that stimulate growth
• New blood vessels form in the skin
• The skin starts to make more collagen

Collagen and elastin are the two proteins that act as building blocks for the structure of our skin. Over the next 5 days, the collagen produced by the body is deposited in the area of treated skin.Curing such big skin issues, the microneedling process itself is quite small consisting of just two steps-

Step 1: Application of an anaesthetic cream on the face so there is minimal chance of discomfort.

Step 2: The practitioner will begin rolling the needle roller onto the skin. The depth of the needles vary and is decided by the practitioner depending upon the skin problem of the patient.

So many of you must be thinking that why would I want to go through something like that. Let’s first hear out the benefits you get from microneedling and then move further with our research.

Benefits of microneedling

Microneedling caters to a number of skin problems including-

• Wrinkles
• Acne
• Scarring
• Saggy/loose skin
• Skin pigmentation
• Stretch marks
• Fine lines
• Open pores

Apart from all this, it helps in rejuvenating the skin as a whole. But with great benefits, comes great costs too. Not everything is perfect right?

Risks of microneedling

The treatment doesn’t provide any downtime. There may be mild redness that stays for few hours to a day. Thus, the treatment doesn’t affect your routine activities. However, you may have to consult your doctor if you encounter any of the following-

• Peeling/flaking of skin
• Swelling
• Bleeding (very rare; may occur after a deep treatment)
• Bruising

After the treatment you must protect your skin from sunlight, more than before. For that, use a good sunscreen as suggested by your doctor.

Can anyone get it done?

Microneedling is not one of those procedures that can be experienced by anyone. You shouldn’t engage in the process if you-

• have active acne
• have an active skin infection or cold sore
• have keloid scarring
• are taking any blood thinning medication
• are pregnant

Verdict

The process is less time consuming and caters to a large number of skin problems. Like everything, it has its pros and cons. If you are wishing to undergo one, consulting your doctor first will be the right way to go.