Microneedling Machine At Home: What Patients And Dermatologists Need To Know

Microneedling is a widely popular procedure that’s shown a lot of benefits in skin rejuvenation. Plenty of innovations have been made to microneedling instruments and methods, allowing for more flexibility with treatment. It’s even become possible for patients to use microneedling machines themselves, saving money and time that they’d otherwise use to go to a dermatologist.

But what should dermatologists and cosmetic practices advise their patients about microneedling machines at home? Aside from keeping in mind the proper methods to prep their skin and maintain their machine, they need to set expectations on how effective the results will actually be.

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A Brief Explanation Of Microneedling

Microneedling (or collagen induction therapy) is a process where the skin is lightly pricked with hundreds of tiny needles. The resulting micro-wounds encourage collagen production and skin tissue growth. Microneedling may initially scare away patients because of the visible amounts of bleeding involved, but it’s a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure with almost zero side effects.

While the exact efficacy of microneedling will vary from person to person, it has some very real and tangible benefits that almost anyone can enjoy. It can treat the following skin disorders:

Acne scars
Stretch marks
Wrinkles
Open pores
Other skin conditions

However, it’s crucial to remind patients that microneedling is not a miracle cure for any kind of skin condition. Any benefits that they will receive will almost always be aesthetic, and any serious skin conditions should still be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional.

Before microneedling machines, treatment sessions would usually be done in a dermatologist or a cosmetic practice clinic. But today, derma rollers and home kits are available so almost anyone can benefit from microneedling treatments at home.

The Benefits Of Microneedling At Home

Given these benefits, why are patients leaning towards doing their own microneedling sessions at home instead of a clinic? There are two primary reasons for this shift:

Convenient treatment of acne scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks

Buying a derma roller or a microneedling kit to use is more convenient than going to a cosmetic clinic every so often for treatment sessions. Patients that don’t have the time or access to a dermatologist can easily enjoy the benefits of microneedling without having to set appointments and travel to receive their treatment. Not only does this make their treatment sessions easier, but it also allows patients more flexibility with their exact method of treatment.

Derma rollers in particular can make this versatility work in several ways. Because they can be maneuvered to other parts of the body, it becomes possible for patients to fine-tune their microneedling to the exact areas that need it. This works well with areas of the body like the hips, back of the hands, and even around the neck and chest area.

Of course, it’s still recommended that patients consult with their doctor about the best possible way to use their derma roller. Even if using a microneedling machine at home isn’t very dangerous and the entire procedure itself isn’t risky, there are still complications that can happen from improper use.

Sometimes, dermatologists may recommend that the patient checks in the clinic regularly when using a microneedling machine to check on their progress.

Pricing compared to other skincare treatments

The other major benefit of microneedling at home is the price. An average microneedling session in-clinic might cost up to hundreds of dollars, but buying a microneedling machine to use at home is a fraction of that cost. The patient also saves on the expenses on doctor’s fees, travel costs, and other things they need to get to their appointment.

Because microneedling is an ongoing treatment, this results in significant savings long-term, especially if the patient’s need for the procedure is minor. Since the technical skills required for operating a microneedling tool are relatively minor and they’re extremely accessible to the market, any patient can simply buy one and start their treatment as soon as possible.

However, this means that there are more potential hoops that a patient needs to jump through to get a good microneedling machine. These products will often differ from pricing to the areas of the body they can be used on. Patients will need to do their research if they want to use a microneedling machine on their own, since they won’t have the guarantee of quality that a dermatologist’s choice has.

Combined with the burgeoning movement towards self-care, it’s easy to see why most patients would inquire about or even prefer microneedling machines to use at home. However, this approach has its fair share of drawbacks.

What Are The Drawbacks Of Microneedling At Home?

There are three significant issues that patients will encounter with microneedling at home:

Maintenance of the device

Because the needles of the microneedling machine still penetrate the skin, these devices need to be maintained and cleaned to ensure that they’re sterile and free of bacteria and germs. The microscopic wounds that they make in the body are not debilitating at all to the patient, but they can still serve as effective channels for pathogens and other organisms to enter.

If the patient uses their microneedling machine regularly and without maintenance or cleaning, they have a higher risk of getting skin infections or other skin disorders. Infections are frequent with patients who don’t have either the experience or the patience to clean their microneedling machine regularly.

Higher risk of side effects or injuries

Even if using a derma roller doesn’t require a lot of skill, the unsupervised nature of the activity means that the patient has a higher risk of injuring themselves, bungling the procedure, or breaking their microneedling machine. In most microneedling sessions, the dermatologist’s training will avoid all of this; but patients will most likely not have this skill set.

Microneedling without professional skill isn’t impossible, but there are caveats that a patient needs to accept. The most significant one is that there’s the possibility that their treatment method won’t be as effective as the actual procedure that’s done in the clinic. Dermatologists need to set expectations or the patient may suffer injuries trying to get a better result.

Less effective than in-clinic treatments

Finally, the most significant drawback is that a derma roller isn’t as effective as a clinic-operated microneedling machine. For safety reasons, the needle design of derma rollers is shorter and is blunter than the ones in a professional setting. While this is sufficient to prick the skin and induce collagen growth, it will not have the same effect that a medical-grade device or treatment will have.

The best-case scenario for the use of derma rollers would be to apply medical serum and other products to the face and body. Since the needles create openings that serums can go through, microneedling becomes very effective if combined with the right skin rejuvenation products.

These drawbacks aren’t really deal-breakers for anyone looking into microneedling, but dermatologists and patients must be on the same level of understanding with these factors. Because microneedling can be so easy to do, there’s a risk of patients oversimplifying or overstating the actual effects of doing it at home.

At the end of the day, a professional microneedling session at a cosmetic practice or a dermatologist’s clinic still provides the best results.

Using Skin Rejuvenation Products Like PEP Factor With Microneedling Machines

One thing that can close the gap between home microneedling sessions and in-clinic treatments is with purchases of the right serums and skin rejuvenation formulas. One thing that can complicate this is the action of microneedling itself: because of its relatively traumatic effects on the skin, there are some substances that patients should stay away from.

Some of these products include:

Vitamin C
Retinol
Any exfoliating acids

One excellent alternative that patients and dermatologists alike can consider is PEP factor products. PEP factor is a proprietary mix of peptides and proteins (specifically fibroblast growth factor) that may help with rejuvenating skin. These products are easy to integrate with a patient’s skin treatments and may improve results overall.

For microneedling applications, PEP factor products may be applied liberally to the face and body before using a derma roller or microneedling pen on the area. For the best results, dermatologists can recommend medical-grade PEP factor products that mix well with collagen treatments.

Buy High-Quality Medical Supplies And Skin Rejuvenation Treatments at FACE Medical Supply

Microneedling machines are an excellent alternative if the patient wants to get the benefits of microneedling sessions at a fraction of the price. However, these machines are only meant to improve the effects of other skin rejuvenation treatments, and should not be considered as a primary method to improve skin.

At FACE Medical Supply, we have extensive experience with providing high-quality yet affordable medical supplies at competitive prices. Working as a partner with cosmetic practices across the country, we pride ourselves on helping our clients grow their services with a steadfast commitment towards quality while not worrying about their bottom line.

For more information about our products and stocks, contact us today.

Learn more: Vitamin C Or Hyaluronic Acid Serum: What’s The Difference?