Is DIY Microneedling At Home Safe?

Do you want to turn back time and recover your youthful, vibrant skin? Microneedling treatments offer you a proven anti-aging therapy to enhance collagen production, giving your skin that glowing look that’s the envy of your friends.

You’ve probably heard about devices like the dermaroller and the positive effects of microneedling. However, microneedling at home might not be a great idea.

It turns out DIY microneedling is risky.

Most people that are new to the practice of microneedling don’t understand that there are two distinctly different types. Clinical (dermal-needling) and cosmetic (epidermal-needling) might seem similar, but they are entirely different treatments.

Most at home microneedling devices, like the dermaroller, come with needle lengths of between 0.1mm to 0.3mm. The goal of these devices is to enhance the absorption of other skincare products through the skin.

Professional treatments use devices that penetrate the outer layer of the skin at depths between 0.5mm to 1.5mm, with some even going as deep as 3mm. These treatments occur in medically-licensed spas and dermatologist offices, intending to create an inflammatory response to the wound, initiating an increase in collagen production in the skin.

It might surprise you to learn that some ofthese professional microneedling devices are available online for use at home. However, that’s not a good thing. Professional therapeutic microneedling devices are only suitable for use by trained professionals.

Treatments using professional microneedling devices require proper aftercare and follow up, and using them yourself could end in disaster.

What are the Risks of Microneedling at Home?

Using professional-grade equipment by yourself creates several at home microneedling risks. Consider the following before ordering your device.

Adverse Immune Reactions

As mentioned, professional microneedling tools puncture deeper into the skin. Many people decide to add a topical cream, lotion or serum to their injured skin to accelerate healing. It makes sense, right? After all, adding some aloe vera should help with limiting swelling and inflammation from the procedure.

What people don’t realize is that topical creams and lotions have a formulation for topical use – not penetrative use into the skin. As a result, the ingredients may enter the epidermis, sparking an adverse immune response to the materials in the skincare product.

Applied post-needling, these lotions, creams and serums may trigger allergic reactions and immune responses that result in rashes, skin sensitivity, and irritation.

Granuloma

As mentioned, penetrating the skin and using topical products can cause problems with your recovery. One of the dermaroller risks involved with this practice is “granuloma.” A granuloma occurs when foreign bodies, such as cleansing beads in skincare products, enter the skin after microneedling.

The immune system sends white blood cells to neutralize the invading particle, but they don’t know how to deal with the synthetic compound. As a result, they crowd around it, causing a hardened mass. The last thing you want is small bumps appearing on your face after attempting a beauty treatment.

Infection Risk

Dermarolling creates hundreds of small punctures in the skin. While it might not feel like much at the time, especially with the use of numbing cream, you’re doing some serious damage to the skin. If you don’t have any experience with dermarolling and you don’t follow the correct hygiene protocols, you could end up contracting an infection.

Some dermarollers may also experience blunted needles after just a few uses. Blunt needles cause more damage and extend recovery after your microneedling sessions. When you get your microneedling therapy in a professional setting, infection risk is next to zero.

Permanent or Semi-Permanent Skin Damage

Some unfortunate individuals may end up experiencing permanent or semi-permanent skin damage from DIY microneedling.

Using the wrong device may initiate an adverse immune response, granuloma, or even permanent scarring. If you’re going to use a DIY microneedling tool, speak to your dermatologist before finalizing your purchase.

Is It Safe to Microneedle at Home?

From the risks outlined above, we can see that microneedling is probably not something you want to play around with at home. Anytime you’re puncturing your face with needles, it’s best to do so at the hands of a trained and qualified professional at a medically licensed practice.

Sure, the thought of saving money on your anti-aging treatments might seem appealing. However, is it worth the risk if you experience an adverse event from the effects of the therapy?

If you speak with most medical professionals about DIY microneedling, you’ll find that most of them agree it’s a bad idea. Most consumer devices have short needles that don’t allow you to see the real benefits of the procedure.

Using a professional microneedling device by yourself could end in disaster. Therefore, the best plan is to book a session with an experienced medical practitioner for the therapy. Your doctor or therapist will have the necessary training and the best professional microneedling equipment.

Reduce the risks of complications with self-microneedling practices. Go with professional assistance and an FDA-approved microneedling device like the SkinPen.

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