What is a Derma Roller and Do You Need One?

Jennifer Connolly bought herself a Nylea Derma Roller – and liked it. Read more from Jennifer on her blog, A Well Styled Life.

I earned the scar in an innocent way.

It was over a dozen years ago, we’d just moved into our second home on Vancouver Island. While I was exploring it like an excited kid, I brushed into a screw the previous owners had left protruding from a wall. Idiots!

I used to love to watch the world go by from my chaise on this deck

I’d been checking the under-house storage, without bothering to turn the lights on. (who’s the idiot?) It was a brilliant move requiring 6 hours at the emergency room. The result was a 4″ nasty Keloid scar on my upper arm.

A year later I had the scar removed and re-stitched by a plastic surgeon, hoping for better results. A year later the surgeon tattooed nothing over the scar. He explained that by making tiny needle punctures in my skin, it would cause me to rebuild collagen in the area. He said it should soften the scar and help blend the loss of pigmentation. I was skeptical, but it did help!

After all that… I was just done with this badge of my well-lived life and moved on.

We all earn scars and battle wounds from the lives we lead. This was an unattractive one, but it’s a reminder of a home I loved very, very much.

travel case

I’ve heard about Derma Rollers for several years. A girlfriend has her esthetician use one as part of her regular facials. It sounded like bunk to me and I don’t get regular facials, so hadn’t been exposed to one.

Then Kimberly, who I met at BAM, did a post on hers and a dim bulb lit up in my brain.  Could this be the same concept the plastic surgeon used on my scar? Yes! Could this help repair years of sun damage on my face?

I hoped over to Amazon and ordered this Nylea Derma Roller. After plunking down the huge investment of $14.99, I read through its glowing reviews and skated all over the web collecting more information.

closeup of needles

Once it arrived, I was a bit scared of it. After I finished using it I wondered what I’d been so afraid of.

Here’s how I use mine:

While I wash my face, I soak the roller in rubbing alcohol. After my face is thoroughly clean, I give my chin a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol.

soak in rubbing alcohol before use

Working in small areas, I roll up and down, then sideways, then diagonally in both ways. It smarts a bit but doesn’t  hurt.  I’m not putting pressure on the roller, just letting it do its thing.

Another quick swipe of rubbing alcohol over the area I rolled, and I’m done. Then I resoak the roller in rubbing alcohol, and let it dry, before putting it away. Simple and quick.

soak in rubbing alcohol after use

I’ve been using it on the decades old, sun damage on my lower face, followed by my Vitamin C serum. The price is right, it only takes moments to use and the promised benefits are awesome.

This is what Amazon has to say about this Derma Roller:

– Scar removal including acne scars

– Stretch Mark removal

– Wrinkle removal/reduction

– Cellulite reduction

– Large Pore reduction

– Hair Loss restoration

– Hyper Pigmentation treatment

After 2 weeks I can report my skin looks better already. The rough texture on my chin is softer and the pore size is smaller. More feedback after I’ve used it longer. So far I’m thrilled!

Do you use one of these or had one used on you?

Would you?