Derma Roller – A Guide

A derma roller is a device similar to a rolling pin, equipped with needles that create tiny punctures in the skin. This process of puncturing, also known as micro-needling, is gaining popularity for its positive effects on both hair and skin. This blog is thus dedicated to exploring these benefits, while also recommending the best derma rollers available in the Indian market.

But more importantly, it’s also to inform you about the right way to go about a derma roller. There is a certain way to use it to maximize benefits and minimize injury. There are also certain side effects you must be aware of. And finally, before buying, you must know the type of derma roller you must opt for. Because, although the needles are small, the impact they can have is huge.

How Does A Derma Roller Work?

It sounds odd to hear that the derma roller punctures your skin. But what’s more interesting is how these punctures benefit your skin, & hair.

According to a study on micro-needling, derma rollers work on the principle of injury for regeneration. They create tiny injuries on your skin, which then prompts your skin to heal itself. It’s similar to how your muscles grow stronger when you exercise at the gym. And FYI, just like in working out, recovery – interval gap(add link) – is important in micro-needling.

When the needles penetrate the upper layer of your skin, they fool the cells of an injury. This triggers the cells to initiate a recovery step, which starts the process of regrowth. This process is also seen to remove the excess sebum in that area, to remove dead skin cells and clear out clogged pores & acne.

Additionally, the study suggests that the use of derma rollers also activates cell membranes. This leads to an increase in the electrical potential of membranes, which in turn prompts the release of proteins, potassium, and other growth molecules. In other words, new collagen is deposited to the skin.

Derma Roller Benefits: An Overview

Based on the same study done on micro-needling, there are 4 broad benefits a derma roller provides:

1. Collagen Induction:

Collagen is a vital protein in the body responsible for preserving the skin’s health & appearance. As mentioned above, derma rollers puncture the skin. These micro-punctures in turn trigger the body’s natural healing process, leading to increased collagen synthesis. As a result, the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and fine lines look less visible. Derma rollers also help the skin look smoother by making more collagen. This in-turn also helps address issues related to acne.

2.Stimulated Hair Growth: 

Micro-needling has been found to activate hair follicles, boosting hair growth, particularly in the beard area. By creating micro-injuries in the skin, derma rollers increase blood flow promoting health of the hair follicles. As discussed above, derma rollers also help in collagen induction. This indirectly promotes the health on skin underneath the hair & provides a healthy environment for hair growth. All of this affects your hair, & beard, in two ways. It boosts the hair growth process. It promotes the health of the hair, creating an appealing appearance.

3. Enhanced Blood Circulation:

When derma rollers create micro-injuries on the skin, they directly help blood flow better. This improved circulation also gives a boost to the skin’s health. To give you an example, consider when you do any kind of exercise. As a result your heart pumps causing more blood circulate around the body & making you feel energised. In the same way, with improved blood flow, your skin gets all the essential nutrients it needs to nourish.

4. Increased Absorption of Skincare Products:

By now you must have been familiar with the micro-injury process. These punctures help the skincare products absorb better in your skin. This increased efficiency boosts the potency of whatever product you use. To take advantage of this advantage, you can use a beard oil along with regular derma rolling. By having access to a wide open door, a good beard oil can do their work best.

All in all, there are a wide array of benefits a derma roller provides with. Although, different benefits require different lengths of derma roller needles. We’ll soon talk about how the size of the needles on derma rollers helps with different skin concerns.

Best Material for a Derma Roller

There are mainly 2 types of derma rollers in the market. Titanium & stainless steel. Although both are very effective in doing their job, their are subtle differences in both of them. These differences can align differently with the objectives of different personalities. To elaborate:

Which Derma Roller Size is Best for Hair?

The needle length of a derma roller is a determiner of the effect it’s going to have on your skin. There are various derma roller lengths in the market. But we’ll focus on the only 3 lengths you’ll ever need for home-use.

1. 0.5mm – Best used for hair growth.
2. 1mm – Best used for acne scars, pigmentation marks, light scars
3. 1.5mm – Best used for stretch marks & deep scars.

A needle length of 2mm & above is not safe for home use. If you wish to get treated by a 2mm needle, please consult a dermatologist.

We have selected 2 best derma rollers for each of the above lengths. One of those is made of titanium needles & the other one of stainless steel. Select the right material based on its traits. Refer to the section above for details on both types of materials.

• 0.5mm – This the minimum required needle length for collagen induction. If you wish to use a needle length of a smaller size than this, don’t expect any significant results. This is also the derma roller length for a beginner. That is, if you’re new to this concept of micro-needling, you can go for a 0.5mm derma roller for a safer experience. You can put into practise the process of micro-needling with a 0.5mm needle length & then move on to longer lengths once you grasp the technique. Use every 3-4 days.

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Rubab Men Derma Roller

• 0.5mm – 540 Titanium Needles
• For Beard, Hair Health & Growth
• Made in India

Check Price

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E ELMASK Derma Roller

• 0.5mm – 540 Stainless Steel Needles
• For Beard, Hair Health & Growth
• Made in India

Check Price

• 1mm – Best suited for clearing out acne scars & open pores, 1mm needle length also works well for hair growth. This length is a perfect mixture of efficiency & safety. Although, it is still advised to start with a 0.5mm derma roller if you have no prior experience, to avoid any damage. Use every 10-14 days.

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Man Matters Derma roller

• 1.0mm – 540 Titanium Needles
• Another short feature description
• Made in India

Check Price

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COSMO LIFECURE Derma Roller

• 1.0mm – 540 Stainless Steel Needles
• Another short feature description
• Made in India

Check Price

• 1.5mm – This length is best for treating deep scars & even stretch marks. This length has not seen any significant added benefit for hair growth. Some mild pain is also experienced using a 1mm derma roller. It is generally advised to apply a soothing cream before using a 1mm or longer derma roller. Use once every 3-4 weeks. 

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EASYMART Derma Roller

• 1.5mm – 540 Titanium Needles
• Another short feature description
• Made in India

Check Price

Expand your list of top Indian products with a quality disinfectant, essential for keeping your roller clean and bacteria-free. This versatile product serves multiple purposes beyond derma roller cleaning and lasts a long time. To purchase a reliable Indian-made disinfectant, click here.

The Whole Process

How to Clean a Derma Roller?

To clean your derma roller most effectively, use rubbing alcohol. All you need to pour some rubbing alcohol in a glass & soak the roller for 3-5 minutes in that glass. After soaking let the roller dry itself out for about 10 minutes.

There is another way to clean your roller, if you don’t have rubbing alcohol handy. According to the micro-needling study, you can soak it in hot water & dry it out naturally. 

Before Using a Derma Roller?

It’s important that you prepare both, your skin & the roller, before starting to rub the derma roller on your face. 

1. Make sure you clean your face before using a derma roller. The roller creates punctures on your skin, so it’s important to clear out any bacteria that could have a clear path to enter. Using a simple daily-use cleanser to remove any dirt or bacteria is enough.
2. Clean your roller, as mentioned in the section above. This is done to clean any bacteria present on your roller which can easily enter your skin.
3. Add a numbing cream. If you have a sensitive skin, or are using a roller of 1mm or longer needle length, use an effective soothing cream. This helps alleviate itching or redness & also addresses any micro-bleeding that may occur due to longer needles.

How to use a Derma Roller?

There is a specific way in which you’re supposed to use a derma roller. Following these steps ensures efficiency & also avoid any skin damage.

There are 3 motions you’ve to cover – Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal. And for after you complete rolling in one direction, lift up your roller to go back to the starting position. For example, say you’re rolling vertically from point A to B. After you go from A to B, do go in a reverse direction from B to A. Lift up your roller & start again from A.

Roll over in each direction for a maximum of 10 times. This depends on your skin sensitivity & irritation tolerance.

What After using a Derma Roller?

After using a derma roller, your skin & the roller both get exposed. The roller gets exposed to any bacteria. And owing to the process, your skin becomes more sensitive and is exposed to environmental elements, as well as potential bacteria.

It’s important to only wash your face after rolling. Give it some time to relax.

In the meantime, clean your derma roller, as explained above. And after disinfecting & drying out your roller, put it back in an isolated box or a case.

After you’ve given your skin some time to heal, add any natural moisturiser with no chemicals, or any oil (like Coconut, Argan or Jojoba oil). But to make the most use of derma rolling for beard growth, you can put on a good natural beard oil. ince derma rolling enhances your skin’s absorption abilities, applying beard oil allows for efficient absorption, enabling it to work more quickly and effectively.

How Frequent should I use a Derma Roller.

As discussed above, derma roller works on a principle of injury & heal, just like working out for muscle growth. And as any gym-goer knows, it’s important to allow a recovery period for the injury heal system to work. 

The longer the needle length, the longer the recommended interval. 

1. If you use a 0.5m derma roller, use it every 2nd or 3rd day. 3 times a week maximum.
2. If you use a 1mm roller, use in once every 10 to 14 days.
3. And if you use a 1.5mm roller, use it once every 21-28 days. Once a month for best recovery.

You should be aware of your skins health & how it feels. Based on this, you should decide whether to proceed with another session or wait for some time.

Precautions

There are some things which you must avoid doing at all costs, if you wish to maintain your skins health.

1. Don’t use the roller for more than 5 minutes, at-least in the beginning. You should get used to derma rolling consistently until you increase the session timing. After every 1-2 months of consistent rolling increase the timeframe by one or two minutes. You can judge the effectiveness of the newly implemented timings by observing how your skin feels.
2. It’s also important that you change your derma roller in 2 or 3 months. A used derma roller might get caught up in bacteria & causes more harm than benefit to your skin.
3. You should also avoid rolling over active-acne. This can further irritate the skin & can also spread the infection to other areas as well as your roller.
4. Don’t start rolling with a longer needle in the hope of quick results. If you’re new to it, it’s best to start with a 0.5mm roller to avoid any damage to skin & yet get impactful results.
5. Finally, always clean your roller before & after using, as mentioned in the section above. Failing to do so can infect your skin. 

Side-Effects of Derma Roller

Although the needle length is very small, it can still cause bigger problems. The common side effects of derma rolling are – skin irritation, erythema (reddening of skin), itching. These symptoms can last anywhere from a few minutes to few hours. You can address these issues by taking proper precautions as mentioned above and following the correct steps while derma rolling.

Stop rolling if you face any of these situations, symptoms:

1. Excessive pain
2. Excessive bleeding
3. Acne outbreaks
4. Growing number of ingrown hair
5. Newly formed skin infections

Until these issues resolves, you should avoid using a the roller. And if the pain or any symptom persist for an extended period of time, consult a dermatologist.

Who should avoid Derma Rolling?

To quote a study – Microneedling: Advances and widening horizons – “Microneedling is relatively safe to use in Indian skin because it rarely leads to hyperpigmentation unlike other ablative and resurfacing procedures.”. With that said, there are certain individuals who should avoid using a derma roller. 

If you have any of the following conditions you should refrain from using a derma roller:

1. Active acne
2. Skin infections
3. Going under chemo/radiotherapy
4. Eczema or psoriasis

If you fall under any of these categories, avoid using a derma roller. You can use other products for similar results. Like using a good quality beard oil for beard growth & health. Or a chemical free moisturiser for skin health. And if you’re unsure of using a derma roller, consult a dermatologist.

Resources

All of the information presented in this blog comes from thorough research and study. There are various experimental studies and expert blogs referred for a credible knowledge.

Microneedling: Advances and widening horizons – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976400
Review of applications of microneedling in dermatology – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556180
The beard club –
https://thebeardclub.com/blogs/beard-culture/how-to-use-a-derma-roller-for-beard-hair-a-step-by-step-guide