When microneedling is done right, either at home or in a clinic, you can enjoy smoother, healthier-looking and ageless skin over time. But be warned, at-home microneedling gone wrong is a different story.
If you put your skin in the hands of an inexperienced practitioner using inferior and unsterile equipment, it can result in nasty microneedling side effects — the kind you might have seen splashed on the Internet. You could even end up with permanently damaged skin if the proper protocols aren’t followed.
This article is for you if you’ve ever asked one of the following questions:
“What are the side effects of microneedling?”
“Can microneedling damage my skin?”
“What are the risks of microneedling?”
Stick with us as we reveal the answers to all these questions and more.
First Things First: What Is Microneedling?
Also known as collagen induction therapy, microneedling is an innovation in aesthetic medicine that uses a device equipped with multiple fine, sterile needles to superficially puncture the skin and trigger controlled micro-injuries. These micro-injuries trigger the body’s natural healing process, leading to the production of collagen and elastin — two vital proteins essential for keeping the skin smooth, supple and resilient.
Microneedling helps bring your complexion back to its healthiest, most youthful state, making it the perfect non-invasive solution for softening fine lines and wrinkles, reducing the appearance of skin scars, enlarged pores, uneven skin tone and overall skin texture.
While the side effects of microneedling are minimal when performed correctly by a qualified professional — such as a dermatologist or licensed aesthetician — post-treatment, the skin typically appears red and may feel tender, similar to a mild sunburn. These microneedling side effects usually subside quickly, but healing is crucial for achieving the best aesthetic outcomes.
The Benefits You Can Reap From Regular Microneedling
When it comes to improving and supporting healthy, glowing and radiant skin, microneedling offers many rejuvenating benefits, including:
Reduces the appearance of scarring and hyperpigmentation — Microneedling reduces the visibility of acne scars and other types of scarring, such as keloid and hypertrophic scars. It also helps in evening out skin tone and reducing hyperpigmentation, contributing to a smoother and more uniform skin complexion.
Minimises the visibility of enlarged pores — Microneedling minimises the appearance of enlarged pores, a benefit that stems from the treatment’s ability to induce collagen production. As the new collagen forms a firmer, more taut framework in the dermal layers of the skin, the pores — essentially the openings of hair follicles — become less pronounced. An overall reduction in pore size can also improve skin health by reducing the accumulation of oils and impurities that clog the skin.
Improves skin texture and radiance — Regular microneedling sessions can lead to a smoother skin texture and increase skin radiance. This is due to the accelerated skin cell turnover that the treatment promotes.
Enhances product absorption — Microneedling creates thousands of minuscule channels in the skin. These channels can improve the absorption of topical skincare products by up to 80%, meaning you can get the most out of your products’ nutrients and active ingredients.
The Risk of Performing Microneedling at Home
Microneedling is now a common at-home procedure. And we’re all for it, as long you’re using the correct equipment in a sterile environment. It’s a great way to rejuvenate your skin and achieve a year-round glow from the comfort of your home.
However, the budget-conscious may be tempted into trying cheap alternatives like inferior Dermapen-copied devices, which may inaccurately measure needle depth and use cheap steel needles that bur in the skin, or derma rollers to get the same benefits promised by in-clinic microneedling.
The unfortunate truth is that aside from additional pain and longer healing time, many derma roller users suffer from side effects. These long-term microneedling side effects include infection, scarring, skin pigment changes, and adverse reactions to topical products used during the procedure. Let’s take a look at what each of these common microneedling side effects could mean for your skin and how to avoid them!
Side Effect 1: Higher Risk of Infection
At-home derma roller enthusiasts could be forgiven for thinking that the more they perform microneedling, the better their results will be. It seems to make sense, right? But we’re here to dispel the misconception that increasing frequency leads to fast results. Please be aware that performing microneedling more than once a week increases your risk of infection, as the punctured skin — which normally keeps out bacteria — opens the doors for new germs.
Using a derma roller over and over again without correct hygiene practices also increases your risk of cross-contamination and infection. To mitigate the side effects of microneedling at home, it’s crucial to ensure that any device used is from a reputable source and features sterile, single-use needle cartridges. Thoroughly cleansing your skin before the treatment is also essential to remove any potential contaminants, dirt, grime, makeup or impurities.
Solution: Only use Dermapen HOME microneedling device with its sterile single-use needle cartridges. Wait until your skin is healed (about 7-10 days) before performing another procedure.
Side Effect 2: Scarring
If you’re thinking about using at-home derma rollers to treat scarring, think again. Any kind of microneedling can exacerbate the condition if performed incorrectly or if the wrong pen is used.
There‘s a certain depth the needles need to penetrate the skin to stimulate collagen production. For instance, the needle depth to treat fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes differs greatly from the depth needed to treat acne scars. Only highly trained aestheticians and doctors know which microneedling pen to use and the correct depth to penetrate the skin. They’re highly skilled at calibrating the equipment to get you the best results with minimum pain or side effects.
Attempting to improve your scars with microneedling at home may cause more harm than good to your skin. Puncturing too deep can result in rupture of capillaries. Shallow microneedling won’t have any effect on improving the scarring problem.
Solution: This is one best left to the professionals! The Dermapen 4 (only available for in-clinic use) comes with a Scar Treatment Setting that auto-calibrates speed and depth up to 3mm to reduce the appearance of scars.
Side Effect 3: Prolonged Inflammation and Hyperpigmentation
Why suffer microneedling side effects like pain, prolonged redness, or hyperpigmentation if you don’t have to? Some derma roller or microneedling pen fans get overexcited and forget that the skin needs time to heal to produce collagen and elastin.
If you perform at-home microneedling more than prescribed, you‘ll notice the very same skin problems you‘re attempting to overcome only get worse.
Solution: To avoid skin inflammation, hyperpigmentation issues, and slow healing, stick to the step-by-step Dermapen HOME instructions and only use Dp Dermaceuticals—the NON-NEGOTIABLES when microneedling.
Your DermapenWorld Authorised Treatment Provider can also give you the right information on how to perform microneedling safely and effectively at home to avoid these unfortunate side effects and achieve your best results yet.
Avoid Microneedling Damage
Microneedling is a very delicate procedure requiring a sophisticated device for the best results. Practitioners also need extensive training and comprehensive knowledge in aesthetics and/or dermatology to administer the procedure correctly.
If, after seeing the incredible rejuvenation on offer, microneedling at home is something you’re interested in, we highly recommend first consulting a professional. Once you’ve experienced microneedling at an authorised Dermapen clinic and have learned how to use an at-home Dermapen HOME pen correctly and safely, you’ll be better able to optimise your results and avoid any bad microneedling side effects.
Top Tips For The Best At-Home Microneedling Results
Tip #1: Protect your skin from the risk of contamination
To minimise the risk of infection and ensure safe, long-term results, you should always apply CLINIPREP before and after microneedling. Designed to keep your skin and device sterile, CLINIPREP is a gentle, alcohol-free, antimicrobial skin cleansing formula that removes makeup and excess oil without stinging, sensitivity or irritation. This product provides a high level of protection and cleanliness, enhancing the overall safety and effectiveness of your microneedling routine.
Tip #2: Monitor your skin for adverse reactions
While it’s typical to experience some redness and mild swelling immediately after microneedling, being aware of the normal healing process will help you distinguish between expected and unusual reactions.
Be alert for signs indicating a more serious reaction, such as prolonged redness, swelling, intense pain or signs of infection like warmth, pus, or increasing tenderness at the treatment site.
If you notice any strange microneedling side effects, consult a skincare professional or dermatologist promptly — early detection is key to preventing these symptoms from escalating into more severe issues.
Tip #3: Follow up post-treatment with our dermatologist-approved skincare range
Since microneedling creates skin injuries and small wounds that need healing time, you should carefully choose your follow-up skincare products. Always swap exfoliating acids and other harsh active ingredients for our Dp Dermaceuticals™ skincare range — these products are specially developed to be used with our Dermapen devices.
With powerful ingredients that contain peptides, growth factors, and hyaluronic acid to soothe, hydrate and protect the skin, Dp Dermaceuticals™ products have been rigorously tested and scientifically proven to support the natural regeneration process activated by microneedling.
The gentle, non-irritating range features everything you need to best support your skin — including foaming cleansers that remove dirt and impurities, soothing moisturisers that protect the skin against environmental aggressors and oxidative stress, and peptide-rich masks that you can use immediately following your session to plump and firm the skin while supercharging hydration to lock in moisture.
Tip #4: Stay out of the sun
As we know, microneedling creates tiny punctures in the skin, which, while beneficial for inducing collagen production and skin rejuvenation, also leave the skin far more vulnerable to external elements, especially UV rays.
Post-treatment, your skin’s natural melanin production can be heightened as part of the healing process, so overexposure to sunlight during this sensitive period can cause an uneven increase in melanin production. This can lead to dark spots, melasma and hyperpigmentation.
To avoid unwanted microneedling side effects, apply a generous layer of sunscreen to the treated area every two hours, especially if you are outdoors. We also recommend wearing protective clothing and seeking shade during peak sun hours to better prevent microneedling from damaging the skin.
Leap Towards Better Skin Health With Our At-Home Microneedling Pen
Ready to elevate your skincare routine from the comfort of your home and say goodbye to microneedling gone wrong? Discover the transformative power of our at-home microneedling pen and get ready to achieve professional-grade results with our must-have microneedling accessories.
Locate a DermapenWorld Authorised Treatment Provider near you today! If you are a professional and wish to invest in anti-bacterial protection products or learn how to become a DermapenWorld Authorised Treatment Provider, click here.
