Did I permanently damage my skin with a .25 Derma Roller? (Photo)

Question

I rolled my face with a .25 dermaroller at home on 1/19, it wasn’t aggressive. I applied hyaluronic acid serum immediately afterward. It was 3 days later when I noticed track marks all over my face, needle holes, new scars that previously weren’t there. My skin is dry, itchy &irritated. I can see more wrinkles & fine lines than I ever had before. I am devastated. Did I do permanent damage to my skin? Is there anything topical I can put on my skin in the meantime so it doesn’t feel so dry?

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question and posting pictures.  We never recommend dermarollers because it causes unnecessary dermal trauma.  Microneedling is better because the needles travel perpendicularly to the skin surface.  If you think about the rollers, they go in at an angle, straighten up and come out in the opposite direction.  You end up with long slits instead of tiny pinpoints.  It is illegal to sell medical devices to the public.  These home use devices are dumbed down to not be medical grade (or effective).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 scars 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 1 to 3 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 may be 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.

Did I permanently damage my skin with a .25 Derma Roller? (Photo)

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Did I permanently damage my skin with a .25 Derma Roller? (Photo)

Answers (1)

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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.