Will a Derma Roller actually make my pores small?

Hard one to answer as pores are genetic, and blackheads predispose to open pores. Here is my suggestion for a safe and effective method of pore size reduction without the risk of scarring, nor the expense of seeing a laser dermatologist. 1. Get your blackheads under control. Do NOT pick or your scars may worsen. Trauma leads to collagen breakage, in turn enlarging pores. For blackheads, try a strong AHA like Neostrata 15. 2. Do not mix AHA with BHA like sal. acid- this leads to irritation. Use either the above or pick a 2 % wash with Sal Acid. 3 Once under control, you can try a roller. 0.25 mm is a super safe depth. Remember pores are not deep (technically they are as they are flask shaped), but in this context, superficial treatments are safe.  Roll as per directions. Do not invest in an expensive roller- they blunt after a few uses. 254 titanium needles from eBay, buy-in bulk and they should by 5- 8 dollars each. 4. Use a bland emollient after rolling. 5. Start with a medium retinol like 0.5 then go to 1.0. IF tolerated go to a prescription based retinoid acid like tazorac or tretinoin. Go slow, work up. 6. Apply 3-4 days after rolling. You will notice a difference in the first few days to weeks- not due to collagen stimulation but due to swelling. 7. iF this program works, you have saved a lot of time, money and research. 8. iF it does not, see a laser or procedural dermatologists. We use high powered lasers like the Pico or fractional high density Fraxel or the Clear and Brilliant. In tough cases I use INFINI RF microneedling with PRP. Pores can be reduced in size, its just a matter of finding the correct combination for your type of pores. Hope steps 1-7 works for everyone, so all of us will not have to deal with pores. If steps 1-7 fail, energy devices are required by specialist to help reduce your pore sizing. Dr Davin S. Lim. Brisbane. Australia. More on treating pores in the website below. Share this post if you find it useful.