The Truth About Microneedling: A Professional’s Perspective on Treatments
Microneedling is currently one of the most popular treatments worldwide, generating a lot of buzz and raising numerous questions. Is it a beneficial treatment for the skin on your body, face, and even scalp? Let me share my perspective on this. I am a skin and laser therapist with nearly 20 years of experience, and I am also a Trichologist. I completed my education at the Medical University in the pharmaceutical department and hold a master’s degree in Cosmetology. Additionally, I specialised in Trichology at the Medical University in the experimental dermatology department in Poland where I got post graduation degree. I believe that my knowledge, qualifications, and years of experience will speak for themselves.
In this article, I will delve into the world of microneedling and dermaroller treatments, exploring their benefits and potential drawbacks for the skin on your face, body, and scalp.
What is Microneedling?
Microneedling, a procedure with over 20 years of history, was pioneered by Dr. Des Fernandes, the founder and scientific director of Environ. This visionary plastic surgeon and scientist created microneedling to stimulate collagen production in the skin. The treatment is suitable for nearly everyone dealing with aging, scarring, stretch marks, lack of elasticity, and even hair loss. Microneedling works by creating controlled inflammation in the epidermis and sometimes the dermis, triggering a cascade of anti-inflammatory and healing cytokines and factors, such as growth factors. This process mimics the body’s natural wound healing mechanisms. When you cut your skin, your body heals the wound through a natural process involving stem cells, which are abundant in skin and blood. These cells can transform and produce new cells or even organs. While stem cell science is still in its infancy, understanding how the skin works and how to stimulate it for various issues is crucial for effective microneedling.
source: dermapenworld.com
The Right Way to Approach Microneedling
To achieve the desired results and avoid complications, it is essential to follow the correct approach to microneedling. The first step is to find a specialist who can diagnose your specific skin or hair loss issue accurately. Without a proper diagnosis and understanding of your condition, it is impossible to tailor the treatment effectively. This is akin to trying to treat thyroid issues, diabetes, and high blood pressure with a single pill—it simply won’t work. A comprehensive in both cases approach is necessary, involving
1. Specialist Consultation: Seek out a professional who can diagnose your condition accurately.
2. Personalised Home Care: Develop a home care routine that addresses your specific concerns.
3. Diet, Supplements, and Blood Tests: Incorporate dietary changes, supplements, and necessary blood tests to support your treatment.
4. Tailored Treatment Plan: Create a customised treatment plan based on your diagnosis.
Attempting microneedling at home without the proper knowledge, competence, diagnosis, and using cheap, influencer-recommended dermarollers poses significant risks. Professional guidance ensures that the treatment is safe and effective, addressing your unique skin or hair concerns comprehensively.
Differences Between Micro Channels from Professional Microneedling Pens and Wounds Created by Dermaroller Home Devices
Microneedling involves creating micro-channels in the skin to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Professional microneedling devices, such as the ones used by experienced practitioners, create sharp, clean, and straight channels in the epidermis and dermis.
Wounds versus microchannels.
source: www.dermapenworld.com
This precision ensures that the surrounding undamaged tissue can effectively trigger a healing response, bringing cytokines, growth factors, and stem cells into action. The result is a controlled and beneficial healing process that promotes collagen production and skin rejuvenation.
The photograph below shows the type of wounds created in the skin by a dermaroller.
The photograph below shows the type of micro channels created by a professional dermapen.
source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51832630_Fractional_Transepidermal_Delivery_A_Histological_Analysis
In stark contrast, dermarollers often used in home treatments do not have actual needles but rather metal wheels that resemble saw blades. These saw-like wheels create irregular, scraggy wounds with uneven edges. This uncontrolled damage can lead to increased scarring, hair loss, and conditions such as scarring alopecia or traction alopecia. The surrounding tissue is too far apart to effectively initiate the healing process, resulting in micro-scarring and hyperpigmentation. Instead of stimulating collagen production, the skin is forced to focus on healing the unstructured wounds.
source: www.google.com
Wound! Not micro channel!
source: www.google.com
The Importance of Sharpness in Microneedling Devices
The sharpness of the needles used in microneedling is critical to the effectiveness and safety of the treatment. Professional microneedling pens use single-use cartridges with sterile, sharp needles that create precise micro-channels in the skin. These needles are designed to remain sharp throughout the treatment to ensure consistent and controlled results. Sometimes, depending on the case, multiple cartridges may be used in a single session to maintain needle sharpness and effectiveness.
Gin Amber on her you tube channel shows under microscope difference between original needle roller and fake dermaroller. Check the difference between channels and woulds.
source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrayM91bBz0
Conversely, dermarollers, with their saw-like wheels, lose whatever minimal sharpness they might have had after just a few uses. Using dull or broken "needles" not only fails to stimulate the skin’s regenerative processes but also causes further damage. This is similar to using a dull knife in the kitchen—while a sharp knife cuts cleanly and efficiently, a dull knife tears and damages. Expecting effective results from a dull dermaroller is unrealistic and counterproductive. While you sharpen your knife for better and easier cut you are keen to use unsharp devices for your scalp and skin. Think about that.
source: www.google.com
The Reality of Using Dermarollers at Home: Sharpness and Sanitization
While there are many cheap, fake rollers with saw-like wheels flooding the market, it is important to note that some dermarollers do come with actual needles. The original dermaroller was indeed created by a doctor and surgeon, aiming to provide a beneficial skin treatment. However, my stance on the use of dermarollers at home remains cautious and critical for several reasons.
Sharpness and One-Time Use
Even if you are using an original dermaroller with genuine needles, the sharpness of these needles degrades rapidly. After a single use, the needles become dull, which diminishes their effectiveness and increases the risk of skin damage. For each treatment, you should be using a new dermaroller to ensure the needles are sharp and capable of creating clean micro-channels in the skin. This, however, is rarely practiced by home users due to the cost and inconvenience of constantly replacing dermarollers.
Sanitization and Safety Concerns
Sanitisation is a crucial aspect of microneedling. Professional treatments ensure that each cartridge is individually packaged and sterilised before use. After a single treatment, the used cartridge is disposed of as medical waste, preventing any risk of cross-contamination or infection. This strict sanitisation protocol ensures that the treatment is safe and hygienic.
In contrast, home users often attempt to sanitise and reuse dermarollers, which is highly unsafe. Proper sanitisation requires specialised equipment like an autoclave, which most people do not have at home. Additionally, many home dermarollers have plastic components that cannot withstand the sterilisation process. Reusing these devices increases the risk of infection and further skin damage.
While there are many cheap, fake rollers with saw-like wheels flooding the market, it is important to note that some dermarollers do come with actual needles. The original dermaroller was indeed created by a doctor and surgeon, aiming to provide a beneficial skin treatment. However, my stance on the use of dermarollers at home remains cautious and critical for several reasons.
The Importance of Professional Diagnosis
Without a proper diagnosis of your scalp and skin condition by a professional, using a dermaroller at home can lead to more harm than good. Each skin and hair condition requires a tailored approach to treatment. A specialist can determine the appropriate needle length, treatment frequency, and aftercare necessary to achieve the best results safely. Without this professional guidance, you are essentially guessing, which can lead to ineffective treatments or even exacerbate existing issues.
Conclusion
While the original dermaroller with needles was designed with good intentions, using it at home comes with significant drawbacks. The needles become dull after one use, and the lack of proper sanitization poses a serious risk of infection. Moreover, without a professional diagnosis, you cannot be sure you are addressing your skin or scalp issues correctly. The best approach is to seek professional treatments where you can benefit from medical-grade equipment, proper sanitization, and expert knowledge. This ensures safe, effective, and personalised care for your skin and hair needs.
As a professional skin therapist and trichologist, I am against using a dermaroller at home, especially on your face and scalp. Without consulting a specialist who is educated in treating your skin and scalp, it is impossible to do it correctly without causing harm. Each time I perform any scalp needling treatments— and to be honest, this is always my last choice when no other treatment can stimulate hair regrowth—I ensure thorough evaluation. I never choose microneedling or even mesotherapy, which is a form of needling treatment, as the first option.
Before each needling treatment, I always check the scalp under a trichoscope to see if anything has changed since the last time. My goal is to see results, stimulate the skin and scalp for hair regrowth, and provide help, not cause damage or create more issues.
I know microneedling treatment is expensive, and it should be expensive, this is part of medicine, your health and requires qualification, competence and that costs as well. There is nothing more precious than your health. Value yourself.
Yes, I agree that professional needling with dermarollers can be very effective in stimulating the skin, but only under professional supervision. After three uses, I would discard it, after each uses I would sanitise it thoroughly, and never use it on the scalp without a professional trichological diagnosis. Period.
Please note: The information provided here is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have any serious health issues, are taking medications, or have concerns about your health, please consult your GP or a medical advisor.