DERMA ROLLER

Pros

• Derma rolling is highly accessible. It’s much more affordable than most skin rejuvenation treatments, and you can do it yourself at home.
• With essentially no downtime, it’s a quick and undetectable treatment. 
• Derma rollers increase the absorption and efficacy of serums and other products used alongside the device, which means quicker and better results.  
• Discomfort is minimal. The sensation of the tiny needles passing over your skin feels akin to a cat lick.

Cons

• At-home derma rollers can cause scarring, textural problems, or other skin damage if used improperly or without proper sanitation. 
• You’ll see derma roller results only with continued and routine use, so you’ll need to commit to performing the treatment regularly.
• It provides short-term improvement for scarring, wrinkles, and uneven tone, but the effects aren’t permanent.
• Home devices don’t penetrate deeply enough to reach the dermis and impact skin infrastructure, the way in-office microneedling can. You’ll get more significant results in a doctor’s office.

A high-quality at-home microneedle derma roller device costs about $125, but the price varies based on the type you choose and its needle size. Most at-home roller needles are 0.30 mm or shorter, but a doctor may prescribe a home-use device at 0.5 mm. The quality of the roller typically decreases with price, so be aware that cheaper devices may be more damaging to the skin.

Begin with clean skin and a freshly disinfected device. Applying a serum as a buffer between your skin and the device will help it glide more smoothly. 

You can treat your whole face or target specific areas. Many at-home derma rollers come with multiple different-size tips of various needle lengths made specifically for certain areas, such as the eyes and lips. Choose the one intended for your treatment area.

Moving slowly and steadily, roll the device over your skin, making six to eight passes over the same area in one direction. Roll over the area vertically and then horizontally, or vice versa. This can be slightly painful, given the repeated pricking.

RealSelf Tip: You can apply a numbing cream from your dermatologist, to minimize any discomfort, particularly if the needles are longer than 0.5 mm.

Immediately after derma rolling, rinse your face with water only and apply a gentle serum and moisturizer. 

There’s no real downtime, but your skin may be a bit inflamed. “The skin is a little red for many people, and there can be a little swelling,” says New York City–based dermatologic surgeon Dr. Ron Shelton. This should fade quickly, especially if you use a soothing serum. 

It’s best to go without makeup for several hours, but you can continue with your typical skin-care routine. 

Be wary of using more powerful formulas, however. The tiny holes now in your skin allow for increased absorption, so whatever you apply can be extra potent. Active ingredients such as retinol, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and alpha hydroxy acids can cause irritation and redness.

On the other hand, you can maximize the effects of certain skin-care products by applying them after microneedling. Apply a hyaluronic acid serum, for increased hydration, or an antioxidant serum, for improved brightness. Studies have also shown that the application of a vitamin C serum after microneedling can be particularly effective, with positive results shown both for the treatment of acne scars and in fading melasma.

After microneedling, proper sun protection is crucial, so wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Doctors on RealSelf recommend physical sunscreens containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide over their chemical counterparts.

Related: The 8 Best Foundations That Cover Up Redness After Microneedling

Derma rollers should be used consistently over several months to see a noticeable difference, since skin cells are constantly regenerating.

How often you should use your derma roller depends on the length of your device’s needles. 

• 0.25 mm can be used every day or every other day (so long as you don’t have sensitive skin).
• 0.5 mm should be used once or twice weekly.
• 0.75 mm (and longer) treatments are best performed monthly—and in-office, by a doctor or aesthetician.

It’s important to follow the instructions for your device or those given by your provider and pay attention to your skin. If you notice prolonged irritation, you may be using it too frequently or the needles may be too long for your skin type.

Yes and no. Microneedling is considered collagen induction therapy, with its primary purpose being to spark new collagen production. When it’s performed in-office, longer needles reach into the lower layer of the skin where collagen-producing cells called fibroblasts reside. The smaller needles of an at-home device don’t go as deep.

“In-office microneedling penetrates the dermis, where collagen and scars form, while at-home derma rollers penetrate just the epidermis,” says Dr. Shelton. 

Derma rolling still triggers a healing process, given the pinpricks in the skin, but it won’t be as effective as in-office microneedling or other doctor-administered anti-aging treatments. Treatments from doctors are also safer, with less potential for skin damage or infection. 

Anecdotally, RealSelf members’ derma roller reviews report an immediate boost of radiance and glow afterward, but doctors are skeptical of the long-term results. “Derma rolling is a superficial treatment that doesn’t affect the infrastructure of the skin—specifically, the dermis—so there are no long-term improvements,” says Dr. Shelton. “For considerable improvement in acne scarring and wrinkles, at-home microneedling would not produce any significant improvement.”

As part of an overall routine, derma rolling can increase the potency of your skin-care products and temporarily plump the skin, so you may have satisfactory results—so long as you keep it up.

While derma rolling is considered a mild treatment, even at-home devices with shorter needles can damage the skin when misused, leading to scarring and uneven skin texture. Stick to the recommended number of passes and avoid applying too much pressure when rolling the device over your skin.

The risk of infection is high, since punctures in the skin allow easy entry for bacteria and keeping your device completely sterile can be difficult at home. Most home-use device manufacturers recommend replacing your roller heads every two to three months, to decrease the risk of infection—and potential damage from dulled needles.

Avoid microneedling if you have active acne (or are currently taking Accutane) or have eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or warts. Derma rolling can trigger breakouts and worsen those conditions.

Before using an at-home device, check with an experienced provider who can assess whether it’s right for you and demonstrate the proper technique. 

Related: 3 Treatments You Should Never Do At Home—And What to Do If the Damage Is Already Done

Cleanliness is key when it comes to DIY home treatment with a derma roller. After each use, rinse your device with warm water and then soak it in 60–90% rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide for an hour before giving it another warm water rinse and letting it air-dry. Then place your device in its protective case, where it should always be stored when not in use.

A derma roller is a manual, handheld device used to roll microneedles of fixed size over the skin, while the Dermapen is a motorized tool with the ability to adjust needle depth (ranging from 0.5 mm to 3.5 mm) that rapidly punctures the skin vertically as a provider moves the device across the treatment area. 

Many providers use electric microneedling devices like the Dermapen in their offices because they have single-use, sterile needles tips that puncture more deeply and in a more controlled way.

“The Dermapen does many more penetrations, with smaller needles, and they are perpendicular to the surface,” says Dr. Steven F. Weiner, a facial plastic surgeon in Destin, Florida. “A derma roller makes fewer, larger holes that are more traumatizing to the skin because they enter and exit at an angle.” For this reason, derma rollers carry a higher risk of scarring, hyperpigmentation, and uneven texture.

For deeper skin rejuvenation, microneedling is often combined with radiofrequency (RF), to boost its efficacy. Popular RF microneedling treatments include Infini RF, Morpheus8, Vivace, and Secret RF. 

If you’re opposed to needles or have more severe acne scars, uneven tone, or wrinkles, you’ll see more dramatic and longer-lasting results from laser treatments or chemical peels. 

An experienced doctor can recommend the best procedure (or combination of procedures) to help reach your goals.

Iriarte, Christopher, et al. “Review of Applications of Microneedling in Dermatology.” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, vol. 10, Aug. 2017.

Ismail, Esraa Salah Ali, et al. “Efficacy of Microneedling with Topical Vitamin C in the Treatment of Melasma.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 18, no. 5, 15 Feb. 2019.

Nada, Essameldin, et al. “Efficacy of Microneedling with Topical Vitamin C in Treatment of Acne Scars.” Sohag Medical Journal, vol. 22, no. 1, Jan. 2018.