As far as beauty trends go, there’s no topic being talked about more than microneedling. Also known as derma rolling, microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small needles to prick the skin. Whether you’re doing it yourself with an at-home roller or having it done by a professional, microneedling boasts a wide variety of benefits. From skin-boosting benefits like the reduction of wrinkles, scars, acne, and rosacea to hair-enhancing benefits like a boost in collagen production and hair growth, there is no shortage of miraculous claims out there. The claims sound wonderful. But is there any science behind them? We’ll break down the science of microneedling, the types of treatments available, and get to the bottom of whether these beauty-boosting benefits are real!
What Does Microneedling Actually Do?
First used in 1995 by Dr. Desmond Fernandes, microneedling was originally intended to reduce wrinkles and scars. It has gained immense popularity in recent years thanks to social media — specifically YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Microneedling uses thousands of tiny needle punctures to encourage your skin to make more collagen. Professionals typically use needles with a length between 1.5 mm and 2 mm to treat patients with deeper skin issues like scars and acne. Smaller needles between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm are more common for at-home treatments and for skin issues like wrinkles and sagging. When you prick the skin with these needles, you cause slight injury to your skin — stimulating your body’s natural wound-healing process. The skin then responds to the needle pricks by producing new collagen. Although the science is still in its early stages, there is proof that microneedling can significantly improve lines, wrinkles, and skin sagging — with minimal pain, discomfort, and downtime. As far as hair growth goes, there’s proof for that too! A scientific study in 2013 determined that “Microneedling is a safe and a promising tool in hair stimulation and also is useful to treat hair loss.” We know, we were shocked to hear such positive results, too. Science is typically lacking when it comes to beauty claims.
What Types of Microneedling Treatments Are Available?
There are two main types of microneedling: the professional procedure performed at a board-certified doctor’s office and at-home rolling.
Professional Microneedling | Simply put, professional microneedling is more effective than at-home microneedling. By using more advanced microneedling devices with longer needles, professionals in a controlled setting can create more controlled wounding — yielding deeper, longer-lasting results. Another benefit of professional microneedling is that it does not require multiple treatments. One in-office microneedling treatment is typically sufficient for 3-6 months for most patients. Of course, the downside of professional microneedling is that it’s much more expensive.
At-Home Microneedling | At-home microneedling is a much cheaper alternative to professional needling. The shorter needles used to make at-home derma rollers make it the less painful option as well. It’s important to note that at-home microneedling requires multiple treatments to start seeing the desired results. While the results you wish to see might take longer to achieve and do not last as long as professional microneedling, it is a much more convenient and cost-effective method. Just be sure to thoroughly wash your face with soap and water and clean the needles with an alcohol solution before derma rolling, as an infection is much more common when microneedling is not performed in a controlled environment by a professional.
Are There Other Ways to Achieve the Results of Microneedling?
