Derma rollers: hot beauty appliance here to stay or fleeting beauty “hack” trend to avoid at all costs?

We feel you. We have complicated feelings about derma rollers, too.

It’s hard to know the difference between the two these days. Thankfully, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about derma rollers in this post.

And by the time we’re done, you’re going to know whether or not this is the tool for you.

Let’s roll on 😜

What Is a Derma Roller?

So what the heck is a derma roller anyways? 

Let’s start with one key thing – derma rollers are often called microneedlers. And (as you might guess) they involve tiny needles. In this case, these teeny little needles press into your skin and create magic.

Well, not literally, but if you ask longtime celeb supporters from Angelina Jolie to Kim Kardashian, it’s the ticket to anti-aging.

How it works: Dermarolling involves creating microscopic wounds to increase collagen and elastin production. In case you don’t know, collagen is the body’s most abundant protein and is responsible for holding connective tissues like skin, muscles, tendons, cartilage, and bones together.

Collagen also keeps us looking young, but once we hit 20, our collagen production slows down, so you’ll need to stimulate and boost it through skincare.

Although it sounds horrifying, derma rolling is a minimally invasive procedure with little to no downtime. The recovery process does depend a lot on the length of the needles. The longer the needles, the deeper the wounds – so it’ll take longer to heal.

About Micro Needle Rollers

The ticket to this technique? A derma roller.

Microneedling has its origins in early dermatological practices, where it was known that removing skin cells – with “chemicals” like sour milk or abrasives like pumice stone – would leave skin looking young and glowing. This proves we’ve always wanted to look just a little bit younger and fresher, even in prehistoric times 😂

In the early 90s, dermatologists were working on a way to use a single small needle under the skin to reduce acne scarring, called subcision. In 2000, a German inventor developed a drum-shaped device with multiple fine needles and used it for percutaneous collagen induction. A plastic surgeon developed a similar device in 2006 that had fine protruding needles, giving us the typical derma roller we’re used to seeing today.

Micro needle rollers for home use today typically have:

• A handle
• A rolling drum
• Microneedles

The rolling drum has tiny needles all over it, so that as you pass it over skin on your face or body you create tiny punctures, allowing you to create a targeted approach.

Just how many punctures depend on the size of the derma roller.

Medical derma rollers are usually 12 centimeters long and have a 2 by 2 centimeter drum-like cylinder on one end that has 8 rows and 24 circular arrays of fine microneedles, which are usually 0.5 to 3 millimeters long and 0.1 to 0.25 millimeters in diameter. That means that an area of skin that is rolled over 15 times with a standard derma roller will have approximately 250 holes per square centimeter when all is said and done.

Home beauty versions may be larger, or smaller. For example, it may have a narrower width of drum meant for smaller areas such as eyelids and nose, or a wider one, for arms, legs, or decolletage.

Do Derma Rollers Work?

Of course, you want to know if derma rollers work! You don’t want to waste time and money on something that doesn’t do anything for you, or worsens a problem you’re trying to solve.

The good news is that there has been plenty of research about the effectiveness of derma rollers for:

1. Skin rejuvenation
2. Acne scarring
3. Rhytides
4. Surgical scars
5. Dyschromia
6. Melasma
7. Enlarged pores

In fact, according to one study, four micro-needling treatments spaced four weeks apart dramatically improved lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and skin texture 90 and 150 days after the initial treatment. Another study comparing scar grades before and after micro-needling found that the mean scarring grade decreased significantly after being treated, or in non-scientific terms – pretty much everyone’s skin improved through using derma rollers.

The other reason this treatment works is how little downtime and recovery there is, compared to more invasive procedures like laser skin resurfacing and deep chemical peels. Derma rollers cause almost no pain, discomfort, or long recovery time, meaning you can use these tools regularly to get that selfie-ready glow anytime, without downtime.

Dermaroller for Hair

Who doesn’t want healthier, fuller hair?

And if you could roll your way to success a few times a week, of course, you’d want to try it!

Enter – the dermaroller for hair. Using this handy skincare tool on areas lacking hair growth is a trick that seems to be effective for some people.

Patients with hair loss participated in a randomized trial that compared individuals given a typical hair loss medicated lotion to apply twice a day versus individuals given the medicated lotion plus derma rolling every day.

At the end of the study (after 12 weeks), 82% of the patients who used derma rollers and medicated lotion reported more than 50% improvement, compared to only 4.5% of the patients in the medicated lotion only group.

So what’s the deal? Why did the derma rollers help improve the outcomes of the patients with hair loss?

Consider this: the derma roller creates tiny holes in the skin. This allows topical medications and treatments, as well as products like hair oil to penetrate through the scalp better, stimulating hair growth. So, hence why using a dermaroller for hair growth is a popular option for curbing hair loss.

This same logic also applies to the face, which is why many men rely on beard rollers for a fuller beard.

What Size Derma Roller for Hair

Make sure you know what size derma roller for hair to use. It’s recommended that you choose a derma roller for hair with needles that are between 0.8 to 1.5 millimeters in length. This is deep enough to help the product penetrate the scalp, but also not so deep the hair follicle will not be damaged.

Derma Roller for Face

Using a derma roller for face helps to stimulate the skin’s regeneration and make it look totally flawless and healthy.

But let’s get a little science-y for a second to understand why (don’t worry, there’s no test at the end).

Derma rollers stimulate collagen and elastin production in your papillary dermis, the layer below your epidermis, like in the diagram above. It happens when you press the tiny needles into your skin, opening up your skin with tiny tears and creating a kind of controlled injury. Then, healing promotes collagen production, which helps fill in and smooth out wrinkles and fine lines, as well as reduce scarring.

This gives you a smoother and brighter complexion, all in just a few rolls a few times a week!

What Size Derma Roller for Face

Make sure you know what size derma roller for face and complexion microneedling is best. Ideally, you want to choose a derma roller for the face that has needles suited for your goals.

Depending on what area of your face you’re working on, different needle depths are best:

• Derma roller for acne scars: 1.5 mm derma roller
• Derma roller for wrinkles: 0.5 derma roller
• Derma roller for preventative care: 0.1 mm derma roller

Derma Roller for Stretch Marks

Let’s be real – there’s nothing wrong with stretch marks. Really. When our skin stretches or shrinks quickly, like when we grow, we develop these scars. There’s nothing wrong with them, and there’s no medical reason to remove them.

But sometimes, we just want to reduce their appearance as a matter of personal preference.

Derma rollers for stretch marks can help reduce their appearance and fade the marks, thanks to the collagen and elastin-creating abilities a derma roller has when it passes over your skin with tiny needles. The outcome? Your skin has a firmer, plumper, clearer appearance.

Depending on the severity of your stretch marks, and how long you have had them, as well as a number of other personal factors (hello age!) can impact how successful the results of a derma roller for stretch marks can be. In some cases though, you can see speedy results in a matter of weeks!

Derma Roller for Stomach

When bodies stretch and change from pregnancy or weight loss or gain, as we’re all apt to do, it leaves behind some evidence, in the form of loose skin or sagginess that wasn’t always there.

Using a derma roller for stomach imperfections is a common application of the derma roller for body use. It can help tighten and smooth skin out thanks to that increased collagen and elastin production you get from a derma roller. It also allows you to apply products for firming and tightening like Stivectin’s Crepe Control Tightening Body Cream afterward for better penetration and results.

How to Use Derma Roller

Alright, the most important thing you need to know about derma rollers is how to use one. You may think you can just start rolling away, in any which way, and it will do the job.

There’s probably nothing wrong with that, but you may want to consider some step-by-step instructions to get the best results.

Derma Roller Instructions

Let’s get into the specific instructions for how to use a derma roller, so you can enjoy flawless results, and avoid experiencing a beauty DIY fail (we’ve all been there).

Before you get started, there are a few prep steps to take into consideration before you grab your derma roller:

Step 1: Disinfect your roller for 5 to 10 minutes using isopropyl alcohol. Don’t roller using a dirty derma roller! It can make things worse for your skin and cause infections and rashes – no fun 😨

Step 2:  Make sure you wash your face with a mild cleanser first. You also need to wipe down your face with isopropyl alcohol before using a derma roller with needles longer than 0.5 mm to be safe.

Step 3:  Worried about the pain of using a derma roller? Now would be the time to apply lidocaine or other numbing cream to your face. This is especially important for using a derma roller that has needles longer than 0.5 mm.

OK so now you’re ready to move on to the main event. Here’s how you should approach derma rolling:

Step 1: “Divide” your face into a few smaller sections. That way you can focus on one area at a time.

Step 2:  Roll upwards (or really any direction, just pick one and stick to it) six to eight times, covering the skin surface of the section you’re working on. Pick your roller up after each pass to avoid those clawing-type marks that say ‘yikes’ and not ‘yass’.

Step 3:  Once you have gone one direction in each area, go back to the first section and use your derma roller in the perpendicular direction of your first roll. This would be horizontal versus vertical in our example.

Step 4:  Repeat for each remaining section. Finally, you have the option to do one more pass on each section, this time going in an upwards, angled direction, like the black arrows in the diagram below. This shows the three directions you need to roll in. Be careful when rolling diagonally, however, as it can make for uneven micro-tearing if done incorrectly.

Alright! That’s the last rolling step. Now it’s on to aftercare!

Here are a few derma roller aftercare tips to keep in mind:

• Rinse your face with water only after rolling.
• Make sure you know how to clean derma rollers! Use hot, soapy dish detergent water to clean the roller. Let it sit in a container with soapy water for a few minutes and rinse.
• After you clean it, sanitize it in isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes, and then pat dry to make sure you get any debris out before storing.
• Store your derma roller in a clean, dry place like a storage case to avoid getting gunk in there you definitely don’t want to press into your face.
• Once your face is dry and clean, proceed with your regular skincare routine. This is a great time to use products that you want to penetrate your skin’s outer layer, like serums, but be careful not to apply chemical exfoliants or irritants like benzoyl peroxide-based cleansers PanOxyl.

Derma Roller Benefits

You’ve probably heard people sing the praises of derma rollers and how they can benefit your skin.

But what are the actual benefits of derma rolling?

There are three primary derma roller benefits we’re going to cover:

1. Younger-looking, rejuvenated skin
2. Reduce the appearance of scarring
3. Allows your skin to soak up product more effectively

Let’s roll into them, shall we?

Benefit #1: Younger Looking Skin

Who doesn’t want to look and feel younger? In fact, that’s the reason

many people turn to a derma roller in the first place.

Derma rollers penetrate the skin with tiny needles that cause microtears, which are then naturally repaired by the body. This allows the body to make new collagen and elastin.

And what do you lose or see a decrease in as you age?

Collagen and elastin, of course!

As you get older, you produce less collagen and elastin, and thanks to that, your dermis (that middle layer we mentioned earlier) gets thinner. This is when skin can sag and develop wrinkles.

Stimulating your skin with a derma roller is a great complement to your anti-aging routine. Just remember you can never stop aging, as nice as it would be. You can just try to keep your skin healthy by using sunscreen and avoiding tanning (unless it comes from a bottle), as well as skipping nicotine products like cigarettes and vapes.

Benefit #2: Bye-bye Scarring

Scarring can happen in so many ways, but no matter how we end up with scars, we may not always want to keep them.

If you’re hoping to get rid of some scars with a derma roller, you’re in luck! Derma rolling is actually very effective for treating and reducing the appearance of scarring. The boost in skin rejuvenation factors (good ‘ole collagen and elastin) is to thank for that.

Common sources of scarring that are known to be treatable with a derma roller include:

• Acne scars
• Varicella scars
• Smallpox scars
• Hypertrophic scars
• Post-operative scars
• Post-traumatic scars

Benefit #3: Absorb Product

No matter how much we love our fave skincare products, we may wish they were more effective.

More good news – derma rollers help make better product absorption possible.

How exactly?

Well, think about a piece of cardboard – if you spill a liquid on the cardboard, it will spread all across the surface, and slowly penetrate the layers below to a mixed effect. If you ran a microneedle across the surface, however, you can imagine the liquid would reach the bottom of the cardboard much faster in this case.

Consider your skin the cardboard in this case, and you can see why you’d want to apply your favorite serums as part of your derma roller routine. You get more value for money out of the product, and better results at the same time!

Best Derma Rollers

It’s time to run down the best of the best derma rollers.

Here are the derma rollers that made the cut for us:

1. Best Derma Roller Overall: Akiyro Titanium Micro Derma Roller
2. Best Derma Roller for Acne Scars: Face Gym’s Faceshot Electric Microneedling Device + Liquid Vitamin Ampoules
3. Best Derma Roller For Wrinkles: AnteAGE’s Home Microneedling Intro Kit
4. Best Derma Roller For Body: ORA Body’s Microneedle Roller System
5. Best Derma Roller For Hair: Beauty Bio’s Rejuvenating Scalp + Fuller Hair Therapy Set
6. Best Derma Roller For Budget: Grace and Stella’s Microneedle Derma Roller Set
7. Most Versatile Dermaroller: Dermaroll by Prosper Beauty

Best Overall

This micro size derma roller from Akiyro will help you glow with beauty and confidence. It supports anti-aging, luminosity and elevates the overall skin texture. And the best part is the ergonomic design and simple ease of use.

Why we love it: Derma roll please 🥁🥁. We love this device as it’s painless, easy to use, great looking ergonomic design and has visible results after just a few roll sessions.

Best Derma Roller For Acne Scars

Face Gym’s Faceshot Electric Microneedling Device + Liquid Vitamin Ampoules

Why we love it: A literal workout for your face, this high-tech tool is designed to deliver a shot of liquid vitamin to your skin for extra strength capabilities, perfect for scarring.

Best Derma Roller For Wrinkles

AnteAGE’s Home Microneedling Intro Kit

Why we love it: Another option that delivers a serum for combating wrinkles at the source, we love the agile size, perfect for handling the contours of your face prone to wrinkles (we’re looking at you crow’s feet).

Best Derma Roller For Body

ORA Body’s Microneedle Roller System

Why we love it: This wide roller is perfect for getting legs, thighs, and arms and is comfortable and easy to handle, plus 0.50 millimeters derma roller needles are ideal for safe home use.

Best Derma Roller For Hair

Why we love it: A perfect duo, this serum, and microneedle combo is highly rated and effective.

Best Derma Roller For Budget

Grace and Stella’s Microneedle Derma Roller Set

Why we love it: When you need to ball on a budget, this well-reviewed roller has a fantastic return policy and product guarantee, so it’s not just cheap but you know its good value, too.

Most Versatile Derma Roller

Why we love it:  We love this uber versatile kit from Prosper Beauty with 6 pieces to take care of a variety of areas and concerns.

Derma Roller Sizes

Here are some of the most common sizes of derma rollers:

Derma Roller Size	Example
0.5mm	PIN
1.0mm	PIN
1.5mm	PIN
2mm	PIN

Derma Roller Before and After

Let’s check out some before and after photos so you can see some real derma roller results.

1 Month Derma Roller Results

Reddit

Here is one example of what the results after 1 month of using a derma roller look like.

Acne Scar 1 Month Derma Roller Results

Source

Acne scars are pesky. But check out these results to see what acne scars looked like after 1 month of derma rolling.  You can see the scars are diminished and the skin is smoother.

Derma Roller Stretch Mark Results

Source

This Mom’s results of using a derma roller for loose skin shows how impactful the tool can be with consistent use.

Derma Roller Results Hair

before and after derma roller results hair

Source

Hair growth is often a goal with using a derma roller, and these results photos show just how effective it can be. The hair appears thicker and there’s definitely more of it in the second photo.

Home Derma Roller Results

Reddit

Many of the most popular derma rollers are home derma rollers. And these derma roller results are awesome!

Summary

Whether you’re using a derma roller for stretch marks, derma roller for hair growth, or derma roller for scars – be sure to choose the best tools for the job and keep those sanitation tips in mind, too. Now happy (derma) rolling! Interested in BBL face laser treatment? Read on to find out more.