Chances are you have heard of microneedling. It’s a process that uses a specialized device, such as the SkinPen®, to create microscopic holes in the skin to improve its overall appearance. While wildly popular and successful at the dermatologist’s office, people are seeking ways to perform this treatment at home by use of a dermaroller. However, braving this procedure on your own is not without its risks and dermatologists don’t recommend it.
Why?
At-home devices are not as efficient nor do they offer the same results as having the procedure done by a professional. As such, tackling the treatment at home won’t significantly impact skin conditions such as acne scars and wrinkles and could, in fact, make them worse!
Safety is also an issue.
If you fail to execute the appropriate techniques or the needles are not sharp enough, you risk tearing your skin. In addition to tears, other risks to consider are:
- Infection
- Nerve and blood vessel damage
- Disease transmission
- Scar formation
- Hyperpigmentation
- Skin inflammation
- Allergic reactions and more!
In attempts to prevent these risks, the FDA released a “draft guidance,” which assists in determining if the at-home microneedling device you are using is considered a medical instrument that should only be used by trained professionals or safe to use at home.
If your device claims any of the following, it’s a medical tool and not recommended for home use:
- Treats scars
- Treats wrinkles and deep facial lines
- Treats cellulite and stretch marks
- Treats acne, dermatoses alopecia
- Stimulates collagen production or angiogenesis
- Promotes wound healing
Those safe to use at home claim to:
- Facilitate exfoliation
- Improve skin’s appearance
- Give skin a smoother look/feel
- Illuminates skin
While you may be tempted to give microneedling at home a try, you risk making the condition you are trying to correct worse. At Denver Vein Center our trained professionals can give you the results you’re after with little to no downtime. So don’t risk damaging that beautiful face of yours!
Call now to schedule your FREE consultation with our Aesthetician to see if the procedure is right for you!