Dermaroller/stamp for follicular macular atrophy

[Mya]

Hi sarah, I have small bumps/lesions on my chest, shoulders and sides known as follicular macular atrophy, I think these remain after cystic acne. Would I be able to treat these with a 1.5mm dermaroller or 1.5mm dermastamp or would this make them worse? I have had them for years and thought they would disappear but this hasn't been the case.

[SarahVaughter]

The lesions are centered around the hair follicles and there is a loss of elastic fibers. The lesions will eventually disappear by themselves but it can take years. You can speed it up by rolling the whole area up to three times a week with a 0.5 mm regular dermaroller and by stamping the individual lesions with a 1.5 mm dermastamp - apply a 0.5 % Tretinoin cream (we sell it) right after stamping. On top of the Tretinon, apply a moisturizer. You do not have to stamp all the lesions in one session if you have very many. Divide your area into several parts and stamp one or two parts per session. It will take some time for the bumps to disappear and it may even look temporarily worse because stamping and Tretinoin will make it red for a while. It will subside.

[Mya]

Thank you for replying Sarah. At the moment I can only afford to buy the one item. I have the 1.5mm dermaroller, would it be ok to use this every 4-5 weeks on them the same time that I roll my stretch marks and then stamp them once within the next few weeks before I roll again? I have the 0.1 % Tretinoin, will this be ok to use? I wil cleanse skin with tepid water, Then apply Tretinoin straight away and apply infadolan or a moisturiser half an hr later? Does this sound right?

[SarahVaughter]

OK, then buy just a 1.5 mm dermastamp and "crush" the bumps with it. Roll the whole area with your 1.5 mm roller every three weeks.

If you have uneven skin tone – post acne redness and spots or an overall uneven skin texture, a 0.5 mm regular roller is very useful. If you have just the bumps, you may not even need it.

Yes, the 0.1 % Tretinoin is also OK.

The skin must be dry before applying Tretinoin.  You do not have to wait half an hour to apply the moisturizer.

[Mya]

ok, i will purchase the normal 1.5 dermastamp..should i roll the bumps first with the dermaroller and then use the dermastamp straight after in the same session?
stretch marks i will probably roll every 4-5 weeks then dermastamp straight after or over the next few days?

[SarahVaughter]

You can use the roller and the stamp during the same session or you can stamp the bumps later. The same with stretch marks.