What are the Different Types of Dermarollers? Is One Better than the Other?

Did you know that there are many different kinds of dermarollers classified as to usage and as to the materials used?  If you are planning to buy a dermaroller, you should first know the different classifications of rollers, so you would know which is better than the other. It will also guide you on choosing the right dermarollers that is perfect for your skin.

There are many classifications or types of dermarollers as to:

• Usage – Medical or home care rollers
• Material used – Titanium versus Steel

There are two major types of dermarollers used in the market – the medical dermarollers and the home care dermarollers.  The main difference of the two is that medical dermarollers are used in the doctors clinic and it is only used once while homecare dermarollers are used at the convenience of your own home and can be used for several times as long as the microneedles are in good condition. More so, medical dermarollers have longer needles and is used for moderate to deeper scars, while home care dermarollers have shorter needles which are used for mild skin conditions.

As to the material used, dermarollers are made of two different materials one is titanium while the other is steel. There is a continuing debate as to which type of material is better than the other.  As you go along, you will learn more about the differences of the two.

Actually, there are many different kinds of dermarollers depending on the manufacturer of the device.  In here, the focus will be on the two major classifications of dermarollers as to usage and materials used to help you decide on choosing the best dermaroller for you.

Which is Better Medical or Homecare Dermarollers?

You may have heard about having your dermarolling therapy in a medical clinic or at the comfort of your own home. So what are the factors that will make you decide whether to do it in a clinic or just do it at home, so you can save more dollars?

No one can argue that medical procedure is the safest and most reliable treatment method.  At the doctor’s clinic, you will have a more thorough skin assessment done by a medically trained professional. More so, you will be given topical anesthesia so you won’t feel any pain. You will also be prescribed antibiotics to prevent any infection.

If you have sensitive skin, deep scars, and other severe skin conditions, it is best to perform dermarolling therapy at the doctor’s clinic. They have the skills and knowledge to address these issues, so you won’t suffer any adverse side effects. More so, in medical clinics, they can perform difficult cases such as deeper acne scars and so on, that requires longer microneedles.

The length of microneedles determines the depth of penetration. Only trained medical professionals are able to use it proficiently. If you do not have any training, you should never use longer needles because you may damage the dermis which may result to permanent scarring.

Home care dermarollers or do-it-yourself dermarollers on the other hand are used for mild skin conditions.  Most of home care dermarollers have shorter microneedle length which is used for transdermal drug delivery. You can use it safely to deliver topical cream like anti-aging creams.

When using home care dermarollers, there are some safety profiles that you need to follow. You should always make sure that you properly seal your dermarollers using a clear cover so you won’t accidentally prick or cut your fingers.  You should also sterilize it every after use so you won’t spread any infection. If you have rashes, wounds, or active skin lesion, better to postpone your dermarolling therapy and wait until the lesions are healed.

Titanium versus Steel Dermarollers: Which material is better?

The materials used in dermarollers determine the:

• Level of resistance against decay,
• Durability,
• Sturdiness,
• Hygiene
• Sharpness and
• Even the skin’s response to the material used.

There is a lot of debate as to which material is better than the other. So let’s find out which is which?

The first thing that you need to look into is the durability of the dermaroller needle. It is important to note that it should not easily wear down. If it does, it reduces the effectiveness of the dermaroller and worst it may cause pain after used.  Thus, as to durability titanium made dermaroller is more effective because it is stronger and can provide a sharper edge. The thing is the titanium is not hygienic as stainless steel. More often than not, titanium alloy are either gold plated, silver plated or copper plated to increase its sterility.

On the other hand, stainless steel is better than titanium in terms of hygiene. Without a doubt, among the metals used for dermarolling, stainless steel is considered as the cleanest. More so, there is a distinct low level of toxicity in the stainless steel.  This is why, it is considered as the ideal metal to use in your skin.

It is also undeniably strong; you don’t actually need to worry of the needles becoming blunt when using it for a long time.

Even though, titanium is more sturdy compared with stainless steel, most dermatologist recommends stainless steel. In fact, most of the medical dermarollers are made of stainless steel. Even acupuncturist and tattoo artists also used stainless steel.

So when you are using a dermaroller, it is best if you choose the one made up of stainless steel because the level of toxicity and cleanliness does matters. Sturdiness is of course important, but you also have to consider which works better for your skin.

Bottom line

Dermarolling therapy is a safe, minimally invasive and effective therapeutic technique. [1] It was initially used for skin rejuvenation, but now it is widely used in various skin indications such as removal of wrinkles and stretchmarks, post-acne scarring[2], and for hair treatment. No wonder, there are many people who are attracted to try this new and emerging therapy.

Actually, there are many different kinds and designs of dermarollers available in the market depending on the manufacturer of the brand. When choosing your dermaroller, you have to carefully check every features of the device including the needle size, materials used, and so on.  Bear in mind that you will use it in your skin, so you need to be very careful so you will not have any adverse skin reaction.

 

Bibliography

[1] Aashim Singh and Savita Yadav. (2016). Microneedling: Advances and widening horizons. Indian Dermatol Online J. , 244–254.

[2] Suneva Medical, Inc. (2015). A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Microneedling and Bellafill to Treat Facial Acne Scars. ethica Clinical Research Inc.