A plastic surgeon told me that Derma Roller would only destroy my skin further. Is this true?

Question

I've had a baby about 15 months ago. I am a black female and I got lots of stretchmarks after rapid pregnancy weight gain.

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question.  I agree with your plastic surgeon.  Dermarollers open your skin barrier with tiny slits.  Causing trauma to the surface of the skin with these rollers really won't do more than open yourself up to infection.  After a complete consultation in a medical setting, you would probably be a candidate for a several treatment options depending on your skin type, severity of the stretch marks and how much downtime you can take.  Keep in mind that more intense/deeper treatments require more downtime, but you will need less treatments.  If you choose a short downtime treatment plan, you will need more treatments in the series.  The most gentle would be something like the PicoSure FOCUS treatment with almost no downtime for both scars and sun damage.  It is safe for all skin types, but you would probably need 2 to 4 treatments.  Another option would be a fractional 1540 nm laser treatment like ICON or Fraxel.  With these treatment you could have redness and swelling for 1 to 3 days, but need less treatments.  Based on your skin type, you ARE NOT a candidate for a fractional CO2 treatment with 7 days of redness and swelling.  Look for a medical setting with a doctor in house, where they have multiple laser options and experience treating your scars.  Prices vary by market.  Best of luck.

Carolyn Jacob, MD · Answer

Multiple studies have shown microneedling (performed by a board-certified dermatologist or certified physician assistant) can help the appearance of stretch marks. Around 5-7 treatments are required. Sadly, stretch marks cannot be completely removed, but they can be improved.

A plastic surgeon told me that Derma Roller would only destroy my skin further. Is this true?

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Everything you need to know about Derma Roller

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A plastic surgeon told me that Derma Roller would only destroy my skin further. Is this true?

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Derma Roller

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