Derma roller damage - Can it be fixed?

Question

i've been using a 2 mm derma roller for my acne scars, it helped a little bit, but my face now looks jacked and the skin's thickness looks a bit uneven, can this be fixed?

Mitchell Schwartz, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Rollers such as the Dermaroller create an erratic pattern of "tears" through the skin rather than the clean, more evenly distributed punctures seen with the motorized micro-needling machines. Also, 2 mm needles are also much too long to be safe for home use. These tears lead to greater inflammation and higher risk for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and potential scarring. In my office, we use the ProCell Therapies system which combines motorized micro-needling with concentrated human growth factor serums made from human stem cells. These serums are very "anti-inflammatory" which reduces the risk of hyperpigmentation. Our patients also use growth factor serum at home after the office treatment.In time your skin should settle down, so give it a rest for now. Smaller needles ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 mm would be much safer in the future.

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

Yes, - scars take 6-12 months to remodel. If you could use a 0.25 mm needle, this would be much safer. Lasers such as C and B , Fraxel and QSL or Pico can help. 
Acne scar revision comprises of specialised procedures. For the best results, one should target the acne scar type with ideal treatments METHODS. Using one device is not optimal. As everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring, the best solution is a tailored one.  The web reference below will take you to a resource to help you understand acne scar revision at a specialist level. I embedded all the videos in one page to help.

As an example deep ice pick scars, and narrow box car scars are best treated with TCA CROSS. Deep narrow scars respond better to this treatment than even the most expensive lasers. On the flip side, rolling, and atrophic acne scars can improve with fractional devices such as Fraxel, fractional lasers, ProFractional erbium lasers, Infiini –Intensif –Intracel radiofrequency microneedling. Atrophic scars (depressions) can be treated with either fat grafts, PRP or dermal fillers. Tethered and anchored scars are best treated with surgical techniques such as subcision. Other surgical techniques that I use include punch elevation, surgical elevation, punch excision and traditional excision for focal scars. Early and very mild acne scars respond well to eMatrix and non-energy microneedling, as well as vascular lasers. Skin colour changes such as PIH or dark marks respond best to sun protection, creams, and Q switch lasers in the nano and pico pulse durations.

The majority of patients will have a collection of different scar types, and hence a tailored treatment METHOD will be best. Careful examination, especially under angled lighting with scar mapping will give you an understanding of what are the best options for your scars. Additionally tactile examination namely touch will give me an understanding of the amount of subdermal fibrosis, as special equipment is needed for this sub-set of acne scars.  In the majority of patients its finding the correct combination that give you best results, and everyone is unique! It is never about the device, its about the specialist behind the equipment that will deliver the best outcomes. All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Acne scar dermatologist specialist. Brisbane, Australia.

Derma roller damage - Can it be fixed?

Answers (2)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Derma Roller

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Derma roller damage - Can it be fixed?

Answers (2)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Derma Roller

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.