Just discovered dermarolling

[Tomas]

Hello everyone,

I have just found out about dermarolling. Have been going through posts here and read the PDF.

It seems like there are a few different approaches how to treat acne scars and wrinkles. Some people stamp, some roll, some combine both.

If you guys could give me some staring tips based on your experience, I'd appreciate it very much.

I am a 37 year old male. My main concern.. acne scars. Mostly on my cheeks, a little bit on my temples.

After years and years of battling acne (I still break out), my skin took a beating. I suspect some of the products really dried it out and now I have wrinkles on my forehead and around my eyes (under and on the sides) that seems to have appeared within the last 2 years.

Currently, I'm using Retinoin and just started Obagi Blender and Clear. I'm hoping it will help with the red marks that the acne break outs are now leaving. It wasn't the case in the past. I'd have a break out, it would heal and be gone. Now it seems like most break outs leave marks and scars.

What do you think would be appropriate routine for me? Should I get a roller, stamp, single needle or a combination of all? What length?

Since I'm already using the products I listed, what additional after care products should I get from Sarah's shop?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Tomas

[SarahVaughter]

If the area of the scars is relatively small, you need just a 1.5 mm dermastamp with 35 needles. If the area is quite large, buy a regular 1.5 mm dermaroller and a 1.5 mm dermastamp.

During the same session, stamp the scars and then roll the entire area.

If you have the ice pick acne scars, add the single needles to your purchase.

If you have the rolling type of scars, add the suction pump.

If you are using Tretinoin cream, it should help prevent acne breakouts and speed up diminishing of post acne marks. Dermarolling will help it as well.

For your wrinkles, I recommend to start with a 1 mm dermaroller around the eyes and on the forehead. Read the link in our dermarolling instructions that concerns "how to roll around the eyes".

You can add the "scotch tape method" described by our customer:

https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/results/

Some of our customers have good results with our Infadolan ointment around their eyes:

https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/infadolan-experience-thread/

Do not apply Infadolan elsewhere than around your eyes because in your case, it could trigger  breakouts.

[Tomas]

Thank you so much, Sarah!

I had to google the various types of scars you mentioned. I definitely don't have ice pick scars.

Based on the pictures I have seen, I'd say I have a combination of boxcar and rolling type scars. I also have red marks / dots, but perhaps those are not technically scars... just a form of discoloration.

I'm not sure what's considered small or big as far as the area... I'd say about a half or more of each cheek is covered with them and some are on my temples as well.

To sum it up, for my acne scars, I'll get a 1.5 mm dermastamp (and possibly the same length dermaroller) and a suction pump.

For my wrinkles, I'll get a 1 mm dermaroller and Infadolan. I'll apply it only under my eyes and on the sides (crow's feet).

The only thing I couldn't find was the scotch tape method description. In the thread you gave me a link to, the lady just mentions that she uses tape, but she doesn't really describe what exactly she does:

"I also later added tape suction to my forehead, 11s, crows feet, and acne scars on my cheeks every night (scotch tape)."

"I think this had been especially helpful with decreasing my forhead lines and 11s along with the tape at night."

"I have noticed in the last few months that one of the keys in preventative maintanence, and keeping crows feet looking good after you have achieved desired results is to continue to do tape suction meathod on this(any) area every night."

[Tomas]

I'm sorry, I forgot... I don't need vitamin C or copper peptide at this point, just Infadolan, right?

[SarahVaughter]

For the time being, do not buy the 1.5 mm dermaroller. You can use your 1 mm roller on your cheeks as well. If you see improvement with your 1.5 mm dermastamp you can later buy a 1.5 mm dermaroller.

If you have post acne spots or red marks, buy our Tretinoin cream. It speeds up diminishing of spots and pigmentations.

Concerning Infadolan, it is very oily so apply just a little (you can apply it overnight).

Apply the tape to the wrinkles and pull the skin up with the tape. Repeat it several times during one session.
Vit. C helps establishing ideal conditions in the skin for collagen production but it is not strictly necessary.

[Tomas]

Got it... just one roller for now. I have an almost full tube of Obagi Tretinoin, so I'm gonna use it up first and then, later on I'll get the cream from your shop.

I'm still not clear on the scotch tape method, Sarah.

Based on what Lisa wrote, I thought she'd leave the tape on over night.

You wrote "Apply the tape to the wrinkles and pull the skin up with the tape. Repeat it several times during one session."

By "one session", do you mean stamping/rolling session?

I'm sorry if I'm missing the obvious.

Thank you again!

[SarahVaughter]

>Based on what Lisa wrote, I thought she'd leave the tape on over night.
 

She says:
 
"I have noticed in the last few months that one of the keys in preventative
maintanence, and keeping crows feet looking good after you have achieved
desired results is to continue to do tape suction meathod on this(any) area
every night."

 
 
Tape suction means you stick the tape to the skin and pull/suction the skin up with the tape.
 
 
>By "one session", do you mean stamping/rolling session?
 

I mean one "taping" session. Pull it up repeatedly during one "taping" session. However, the skin around the eyes is very thin and sensitive so you must do it gently.
 
In case of "frown" wrinkles in between the eyebrows (the so called 11's), if the muscles are basically in a permanent spasm and frowning becomes more or less the default facial expression, using some tape (for example Micropore Surgical Tape) overnight or even during the day to prevent the frowning reflex can help.

Stretch the frown lines apart with your fingers and place the tape over the stretched skin. The tape should hold the skin in such a way that it makes it hard to frown.
 

[Tomas]

Oh, I completely misunderstood.

For some reason, when I read pull the tape up, I was thinking up as in... how should I describe it... towards the top of my head. I thought I'd be basically stretching the skin and that would help. That's why I thought Lisa would leave the tape on over night.

When you say up, you mean towards the surface. I put the tape on and as I peel it off, it pulls the skin with it.

Thanks again, Sarah. I'm gonna order all of the supplies by the end of this week.

[Tomas]

Hello Sarah,

I wanted to ask you what rolling/stamping regimen you would suggest I follow.

The manual recommends to use 1.5 mm every third or fourth week, 1 mm every ten to fourteen days.

Since I'll be using the same 1 mm roller for both my wrinkles and acne scars, should I just roll my whole face in one session?

I thought I could do this once a week (since 05. mm can be used up to three times a week), but now I'm not sure. Is once a week too often for 1 mm? Should I let two weeks go by in between?

I'll start with one monthly 1.5 mm stamping session and see if I get handle one every three weeks later.

Since I have been using Obagi Tretinoin 0.1% combined with Obagi Blender for a while, my skin got used to it. A little bit of redness, but no major peeling. I know the manual says not to apply it after rolling, but I also saw that you suggested to some people on the forum to go ahead and try it. Actually, the manual says to use Tretinoin as a pre-care. Should I apply it after or before rolling/stamping? It will be my only product for now (except for Infadolan, but I'll be following your suggestion and only apply it around my eyes).

Do I need to wipe my face with alcohol before rolling or is it optional? I'm afraid it might make me break out more... but it might not, I'm not sure.

Thank you very much..

[SarahVaughter]

Every ten days with a 1 mm roller is ideal in your case.

You can roll your entire face but dermastamping is better to be done in multiple sessions. Stamp only half of the face (or even less) during one session. When it heals, stamp the other.
 
You should pretreat your skin with Tretinoin.
 
Applying Tretinoin right after dermarolling is done among other reasons to induce intensive peeling. It stings and it usually irritates the skin. Do a test patch first to see how your skin react.
 
You can read about it in this forum thread (reply 25 from Cesamaddictaol and my reply 26):
 
https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/evenly-spread-acne-scars/15/
 
Keep your skin moisturized after the session.
 
Concerning disinfection, it is much more important to disinfect the dermaneedling instruments after the session (the skin debris on the needles will be a breeding ground for bacteria) than disinfecting the skin before the session and there are many users who do not disinfect the skin. There should be no problem with it because your immune system will handle everything and to be honest, there is no way how to perfectly disinfect the skin. However it is not something that I officially recommend. I recommend disinfecting the skin and if you decide not to, do it at your own risk. In any case, do not slack on cleaning and disinfecting the instruments.

[Tomas]

My order is already at the local post office, as I missed the delivery today. It was super fast, took only 5 days.

I'm gonna stamp one cheek and roll my whole face tomorrow.

Just to make sure... the star patten is not recommended anymore, right? Instead, I should roll horizontally and vertically.

One last question... how long before the rolling should I apply Tretinoin?

Thank you again, Sarah.

[SarahVaughter]

You should in principle roll horizontally and vertically but certain areas can be rolled only in one direction, for example under the eyes, the temples, above the lips etc. Roll in a way that is doable for you. Do not forget to lift the roller after each movement to prevent the needles going back and forth exactly into the same channels.
 
Pretreat for at least one week with Tretinoin.