We've Been Pricked by the Derma Rolling Bug!  Get more from your serum! 90% more? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could simply roll away dark circles, erase scars, and make wrinkles vanish?  Well the most recent beauty tool that everyone has been buzzing about claims to try and achieve this (when used with a serum).  It’s called micro rolling or derma rolling.  There are so many tools hitting the shelves these days for use at home.  The truth is these ‘new’ beauty devices have been used by aestheticians and dermatologists for years, and this one’s no exception. Since most of you aren’t professionals, there are some things you’ll want to understand before getting started! Here’s what you need to know about how it can be added to your beauty routine and what it actually does.  

What we like about it, is that it’s affordable, it can be done at home, and you only need to do it once a month!  It gives you high end results for pennies of what it would cost you at a plastic surgeon's with the added convenience of not having to make an appointment!   Not many downsides to this one.  Read on and decide if you will be rolling with this trend.  

What is it and How does it work?

Skin needling, also called micro-needling therapy is a collagen induction therapy (CIT) (which means it stimulates the body’s natural production of collagen), and percutaneous collagen induction (PCI), is a minimally invasive skin-rejuvenation procedure that involves the use of a device that contains fine needles (the micro roller).  The needles create hundreds of little micro punctures on the skin to create a controlled skin injury.  Sounds scary, but it actually just feels like a tingle on your skin.  This ‘injury’ basically tricks your body into repair mode, and your face will get some extra attention and collagen.  

Staked Skincare’s founder Kerry Benjamin (who’s micro-roller is often recommended among beauty experts and celebs) explains, “Basically, the skin around your eyes is very thin and delicate. When you see dark circles, you’re actually just seeing the blood pool around your eyes through the skin.  By micro-needling and making those tiny injuries in the skin, you’re putting collagen production into overdrive and literally thickening that skin.” Doing so makes the blood much less visible and fills in those bags and lines, too.  Here’s what sold us on this trend: Micro-needling plumps and firms skin by activating EGF's (epidermal growth factors) and significantly increases product absorption up to 90%.  So you can get the best results from your serums ingredients! We like that!

Which one to buy

When choosing a derma-roller to purchase, you need to pay attention to the needle size. Most experts I’ve spoken to advise anything between 0.2 mm and 0.75 mm for use at home. For sensitive areas use 0.2 or 0.5 mm  (lips and underneath eyes).  

How to use it

Experts recommend a variety of different use frequencies.  We’ve read that if you’re sensitive, you should use it once a week.  We’ve also spoken to people who use it as little as once a month and see results.   Other fanatics use it 3-5 times a week (which requires monthly replacement).  However, we recommend  starting slow and seeing how your skin feels (or even patch testing).  Once every two weeks is reasonable, and will be more affordable, since you can use it for much longer.  You’ll want to replace your micro-roller after a few uses, because just like a razor would, the needles get dull.   We like to think of derma rolling as an occasional boost rather than an everyday routine since it is essentially pricking your skin.

The process

Cleanse your face and apply a super hydrating and collagen boosting serum (with hyaluronic acid).  Now it’s time to use the roller which will literally be pushing those powerful ingredients into your skin for maximum absorption—up to 90% more.  Next, stretch your skin taut, and roll across it diagonally, horizontally, and vertically, pressing as hard as you can tolerate. Don’t roll over the same patch of skin more than 2-3 times and never roll on open wounds or breakouts because you can spread bacteria and make things much worse. Lastly, apply another layer of your serum to soothe and protect.

Note: your skin may be slightly red and flushed for an hour afterward. This is normal!

Once you’ve rolled: Make sure you disinfect the roller head in some rubbing alcohol for 5 minutes and then store it in a sterile case.  

Will you be rolling with this trend?  Do you know someone who's tried it?  Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!