What skin conditions may be improved with microneedling?

Wrinkles

Wrinkles and fine lines begin to form as the dermal layer of the skin starts losing its elasticity due to aging, sun damage, smoking and poor diet. Usually these signs of aging appear first around the lips and eyes where the skin is thin and on the forehead due to habitual expressions (frowning, raising the eyebrows).

The answer to this problem is skin cell regeneration through microneedling – numerous studies have demonstrated that the micro-trauma to the skin which occurs through using a micro-needle dermaroller stimulates new collagen and elastin which improve the thickness and smoothness of your skin.

Microneedling studies show that using the dermaroller increases the absorption of skin care products.

This is highly beneficial due to the fact that the skin is a barrier, and the problem with most serums and lotions is that they sit on the outside layer of your skin and can’t be absorbed.

Due to this increased absorption of applied skin care products, it is also important that you thoroughly read the ingredients of any skin care product you add to your skin care regime during the microneedling treatments.

Sagging Skin

Sagging skin is due to the loss of elastin in the skin which normally causes the skin to ‘snap back’.

Although a surgical facelift can help sagging jowls, not much can be done for other problem areas. Even celebrities cannot escape the saggy knees and loose elbow skin. Until now, there was no answer to this problem.

Studies indicate that microneedling with dermarollers increase elasticity and reduce the appearance of sagging skin. However it is important to understand that if skin is very much sagging then microneedling may not be as effective as you could wish it was.

For extreme cases of sagging skin only plastic surgery is effective.

Acne Scars & Atrophic (depressed) Scars

Scars are wound closures by the body’s own connective tissue, so-called fibrosis. Microneedling creates minuscule skin damage and initiates the healing process of the scars – basically it encourages your skin to continue healing the damaged scar tissue. 

Research shows that dermarollers may reduce the visible appearance of acne scars and atrophic (depressed) scars by up to 70%.

A 2009 study showed that 34 of 38 people experienced an improvement of in facial scars after treatment with a dermaroller. Any depressed (atrophic) scar such as a chicken pox scar or acne scar may be treated effectively with the dermaroller or dermastamp.

Pore Size

The cause for large pores is often blocked ducts of the sweat glands by old and sticky scales dead skin and dirt.

The fine needle tips on the dermaroller remove these “blockers” mechanically. As the gland ducts are kept open, the appearance of pore size may reduce significantly.

Skin Texture and Color

The more skin ages, the longer it takes for skin cells to be renewed. As a result, the uppermost scales start to dry out and lose their transparency – they look like a grayish layer.

The needles of the dermaroller help to remove the grey scales giving the skin a more youthful less dull appearance, and a softer feeling and finer texture.This is done without stripping the skin of its epidermal layer as in a chemical peel.

Cellulite

Cellulite is dimpling of the skin primarily on the buttocks and back of legs due to changes in connective tissue structure and loss of skin elasticity. Lack of circulation, poor lymph drainage, sedentary lifestyle, and heredity all contribute to cellulite. Cellulite has nothing to do with being overweight, and no amount of exercise will remove it.

The dermaroller helps to reduce cellulite in several ways:

• Increase circulation in the area of the cellulite

• Help to tighten and thicken the skin by increasing the production of collagen fibers and elastin formation and it may

• Increase the transdermal absorption of any anti-cellulite skin care product by up to 200 times in a single treatment.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks (striae) form when skin gets forced to stretch faster than its capacity to expand. This type of scarring is very common during pregnancy, teenage growth spurts, rapid muscle growth and during weight gain.

This rapid stretching results in skin ruptures that finally transform into scars. Glucocorticoid hormones are responsible for striae. They prevent the transformation of fibroblasts into collagen and elastin fibers. Until recently the cure of stretch marks has been nonexistent, with creams lotions and laser having very little effect.

Studies have shown that microneedling stimulates cell regeneration and proliferation of fibroblasts a dramatic amount. Dermarollers may be used to break up the existing stretch marks while stimulating new collagen in the area.

On average an improvement of 70% may be expected when treating stretch marks with microneedling.

Hair Loss

Male pattern baldness affects upwards of 80% of the adult male population. For women, hair loss on the scalp can be an issue as well. There are many reasons for hair loss – stress, heredity, childbirth, menopause, poor diet and disease.

Daily use of a dermaroller helps to reduce hair loss and to restore normal hair regrowth. In order for hair to maintain a healthy growth cycle, hair follicles must be supplied with nutrients through the blood.

Microneedling the scalp removes the sebum (a fatty substance that accumulates in the scalp around the hair follicles) and reduces DHT (a hormone which undermines the absorption vital nutrients required for healthy hair follicles) from the hair papilla.

By removing the sebum, and reducing DHT, the hair follicles are exposed to more nutrition from an increased blood supply. Hair follicles have resting and growing phases, without proper nutrients their resting stages get longer while their growing phases get shorter. This can result in a shrinking of the hair follicle, which makes hair growth more difficult and makes hair more vulnerable to falling out.

Daily use of a dermal roller increases the nutrient supply to the hair, feeding and strengthening the hair, and making it healthy again.