is microneedling safe to do at home?
microneedling is an old school treatment that's recognized as one of the most beneficial anti-aging and skin rejuvenation treatments out there, giving anyone with acne scars, large pores, and stretch marks, a glimmer of hope. personally, we LOVE to perform this treatment on clients and are often asked if it's safe to do at home (with a device known as a dermaroller). while we're always looking for cost/time efficient methods that can be done safely at home (such as face shaving), this is not one of them. before becoming medical aestheticians, we tried the at-home method and cringe at the very thought of the damage we might have done! at the time, we didn't have the proper education and understanding of how both methods work, so allow us to break it down for you...
the facts...
microneedling is a collagen induction therapy that uses a device with fine needles to create tiny punctures in the skin. these punctures create controlled micro-injuries to stimulate collagen production, as well as create channels for active ingredients to be delivered into the dermis
the difference between at-home dermarolling and microneedling
#1- a microneedling pen punctures your skin vertically, while the needles on a dermaroller enter at an angle and exit at an angle. the angle causes tears to the skin as it's rolled out, which creates a world of problems including larger than intended channels and potential scarring#2- needle depth can be adjusted with a microneedling pen (up to 3mm), whereas a dermaroller can only reach a single depth (typically under 1mm), making it far less effective and problematic when treating specific skin concerns such as acne scarring (requires a deep setting), or delicate areas of the face such as the under eyes (requires light setting)#3- professional microneedling devices must pass FDA clearance, while at-home devices are not held to same standards. the professional device tips are single-use only and then discarded post-treatment, whereas dermarollers are used over and over again and typically not in a sterile environment. no matter how much alcohol you use, your device will never be clean enough. it will eventually start to harbor bacteria, which leads to infection#4- you will see the best results when it's performed by a professional who knows how to properly control the injury to the skin using a much more advanced device