You’ve no doubt heard women everywhere singing the praises of the revolutionary anti-aging treatment known as microneedling. And, if you make a habit of staying on top of skin care trends, you’ve probably witnessed hoards of courageous women attempting the procedure from the comfort of their bathrooms. But here’s a word of caution: While those women are proactively taking skin care into their own hands, they’re also risking significant skin damage and even (gasp!) infections.
At Arijai Aesthetics, we’re passionate about helping you create a stunning complexion, and we’d hate to see you fall victim to internet and magazine hype. So, to help you make the safest decision for your skin, we’re addressing three of the most glaring issues with at-home microneedling below.
Lack of Training & Experience Leads to Damage
You wouldn’t give yourself stitches just because you have a needle and thread at home, would you? Then you shouldn’t practice minimally invasive skin care procedures on yourself either!
Professional microneedling works by creating tiny punctures in the upper layer of your skin to stimulate deep healing and renewal. Your immune system then steps in and stimulates your body to repair those punctures through new skin cell creation and bolstering its collagen matrix. However, if you don’t know precisely what you’re doing, you could leave behind far deeper skin punctures than your body is able to heal effectively.
Unfortunately, far too many women who attempt DIY microneedling or dermarolling end up with tiny scars marring the surface of their complexions. Or, they focus too heavily on specific areas, which leads to even deeper skin damage. Ultimately, the untrained, end result completely defeats the purpose of the procedure.
Even if you’ve heard stories of successful at-home treatments, that doesn’t mean they’ll be successful for you, too. Each person’s complexion is unique, which means you should only trust a trained cosmetic dermatology professional to address your skin.
Poorly Designed Equipment
If you’re considering DIY microneedling, where will you acquire your tools? Do you know exactly who manufactured those tools? Were they produced in a random factory halfway across the world? What kind of materials are they fashioned from?
These are all critical considerations that many DIYers never think twice about, and unfortunately, lack of foresight often leads to unanticipated skin complications and damage. Since the purpose of the treatment is to heal and enhance your skin, you need to know — beyond a shadow of a doubt — that the tools you’re using are professional caliber.
Hint: Unless you’re a licensed professional, you won’t have access to such tools. But what about those DIY dermarollers you can get off Amazon? Don’t bother; they’re not even in the same universe as the SkinPen most professionals rely on.
Professional microneedling tools contain multiple tiny needles of varying lengths (typically between 1 millimeter and 3 millimeters) that are designed to address various skin textures and thicknesses. Though each area of your complexion appears relatively even, your facial skin varies in thickness and texture. Considering the nature of your skin, DIY tools have a few major problems:
● Their needles typically aren’t long enough to induce change
● There’s no variance in needle length
● The needles are far duller than professional-caliber needles
Using these tools is unlikely to stimulate observable, lasting changes in your skin because their needles cannot puncture deep enough to make the procedure effective. Bottom line? You’re basically damaging your skin with no appreciable end benefit — and that’s not what you’re after, is it?
Poor Sterilization & Skin Complications
We saved the most important point for last: You must ensure a sterile environment during any treatment that punctures the surface of your skin. And, no matter how thoroughly you clean your bathroom, it’ll never be as sterile as a cosmetic dermatologist’s treatment room. Moreover, how do you plan to ensure your tools remain sterile when you’re not using them?
TL;DR: Unless you’re willing to risk skin damage or a skin infection, please, don’t take a stab at microneedling your own face.
Craving a Younger, Tighter Complexion? Let Arijai Aesthetics Transform Your Skin
At Arijai Aesthetics, we understand that feeling great about yourself begins with feeling comfortable in your own skin — it’s the premise behind every service we provide. Whether you want to turn back the clock on aging skin, give your complexion a touch of fullness, or reduce areas of your body that make you feel self conscious, our team is here to deliver stunning results.
To learn more about how our cosmetic dermatology specialists can help you transform your skin and body, feel free to contact our team at 952.435.0605. If you’re ready to get started, go ahead and upload your photos to get started with your free virtual consultation. We’re excited to accompany you on your journey toward youthful, luminous skin!