In the world of DIY skincare, microneedling is becoming an increasingly popular method for countering signs of aging and treating common skin conditions. But with every trending skincare DIY, there's always the risk of misinformation circling the internet, resulting in consumers using products incorrectly. In the case of a dermaroller, this could prove to be pretty harmful.

It's of utmost importance to use a microneedler carefully, safely, and for its intended purpose. That's why I've compiled a list of necessary dermaroller do's and don'ts to make it that much easier to avoid pitfalls and make the most out of your DIY microneedling care.

Dermarolling Before and After Care

What you do before and after your dermaroll plays a vital role in what kind of results you can expect to see. Paying attention to pre and post care can mean the difference between subpar results and remarkable progress.

Before You Dermaroll

DO: Sanitize Your Dermaroller and Skin

Not sanitizing your dermaroller can lead to a buildup of bacteria that may collect on the needles. When used, the needles penetrate the skin, inflicting microscopic puncture wounds that allow that same bacteria easy access to your deeper layers of skin and even the bloodstream, which can lead to nasty infections and unwanted problems.

After You Dermaroll

DO: Wash Your Hands Before Touching Your Skin

Whether you're dermarolling the face, legs, hands, or elsewhere, it's important that you keep your hands clean when touching these areas. Again, it only takes one bacteria to enter through the skin to cause an infection, and your skin will be the most susceptible to infections the first 24 - 48 hours after you dermaroll.

DON'T: Expose Skin to Sunlight

Exposing freshly dermarolled skin to sunlight, harsh chemicals, or exfoliation is a big don't. The skin needs time to heal and these things in particular are only going to agitate the skin more and hold up the healing process. It's recommended to avoid direct sunlight for at least 48 hours after dermarolling.

If you need to go out in the sunlight, be sure to wear protective clothing, hats, or scarves to shield your skin from the sun's potent UV rays.

Dermarolling For Fuller Lips

This may come as a shock to some, but dermarolling has actually proven just as effective at bringing about fuller lips as some fillers on the market. Granted, it definitely takes patience and commitment, but when performed over time, dermarolling the lips can create fuller, more voluminous lips.

DO: Gently Lift and Roll

When dermarolling an area as sensitive as the lips, it's best practice to perform your DIY microneedling practice with caution, and with care not to overwork or irritate the skin. Rolling back and forth with a dermaroller can cause uneven punctures or bleeding, so it's important to make sure you roll and lift after each stroke. Ensure that you're rolling gently, not pressing too hard. Remember, more pain doesn't necessarily mean the dermaroller is working more efficiently. Always listen to your body and discontinue use if painful or if you experience excessive discomfort.

DON'T: Dermaroll Your Lips More Than Twice a Week

Sometimes, less is more, and that's certainly the case with lip dermarolling. Remember, your skin needs adequate time to heal and repair the damaged skin cells and produce collagen in the microneedled areas. Dermarolling sooner than your lips have had time to recover is just postponing your progress, not speeding it up. Also, keep in mind to be using the correct dermaroller needle length, which is around 0.25mm to 0.5mm.

Dermarolling For Hair Growth

Dermarolling the scalp can have remarkable results for regrowing hair. Fun fact, dermarolling the scalp can lead to thicker follicles, boosted collagen, and over time, regrown hair, even in those suffering from specific forms of alopecia.

DO: Stay Consistent!

Hair regrowth is not going to happen overnight. Like any DIY skincare practice or at-home remedy, the only two things that are going to bring you results are time and consistency. For those suffering from hair loss conditions such as male pattern baldness, consistency is more important than anything, because inconsistent practices can lead to regressive patterns and a loss of newly regrown hair.

DON'T: Expose Your Scalp to Harsh Chemicals

It's crucial to stray from doing things that will harm your hair follicles are irritate your scalp in ways that hinder your hair regrowth process. Dermarolling may improve hair thickness and regrowth, but using harsh chemicals, shampoos, or hair products could prove counterproductive and shatter all your hard work.

Be sure to read product ingredients, warning labels, and do your research on what's best for your scalp and what might work to compliment your dermarolling hair regrowth journey. And remember to

Choosing a Dermaroller

When buying a dermaroller, remember quality over quantity. If a dermaroller is cheap, off-brand, or makes you raise an eyebrow, chances are you should listen to your intuition. It's of utmost importance to choose high quality real-needle dermarollers over fake needle dermarollers. This will save you time, save your skin, and can mean the difference between making or breaking your complexion.

DO: Use Real Individual Needle Dermarollers

There are two types of dermarollers out on the market today. Those with real needles, and those with fake needles. Needless to say, using a fake needle dermaroller isn't going to be pretty. Results will be mediocre, you may scar or damage your skin, and overall you'll be unsatisfied with the entire microneedling experience.

Buying real-needle dermarollers such as those from Gin Amber Beauty, ensures that when you're rolling over the skin, you're inflicting precise micro-punctures that will heal correctly, allow faster product absorption, and boost collagen in the right way.

DON'T: Pick the Wrong Needle Size

Size matters when it comes to dermarolling. And with so many different dermaroller needle sizes, bigger isn't always better. Larger needles can actually be harmful when used on the face right away, especially for beginners, while small needle sizes may not be enough to get rid of things like stretch marks and acne scars. When in doubt, start with a smaller size and work your way up, rather than going big right at the start.

Do your research and choose the dermaroller needle size that's right for the results you're trying to achieve. And if you're new to the dermarolling game, check out this short YouTube video on how to select the proper needle size.

The Takeaway

With so much information swimming the internet, I felt it was crucial to provide you with real do's and don'ts of the dermarolling world. With so many different uses and so many different areas a dermaroller can be used on, there's a need now more than ever to distinguish falsity from fact. Being equipped with the right knowledge as a consumer is such a benefit, and I feel that it's my job to inform my audience and clients as much as I possibly can, so that they can take home the best results and most positive experiences.

Feel free to leave comments and questions and don''t forget to visit me on TikTok, as well as on IG, @ginamberx, where I go over remarkably effective skincare tips, trends, and topics!