What Is a Stimuroller (Derma Roller)?
Derma-rolling, also known as micro-needling or collagen induction therapy is a process of puncturing the skin repeatedly with micro needles to achieve several therapeutic effects. It was initially used to treat wrinkles, scars, and hyperpigmentation on patients as doctors discovered that these patients were responding positively to hypodermic needle punctures.
Doctors had discovered that puncturing the skin with needles was breaking down collagen and realigning it. Over time with more research, it was discovered that micro needling was a successful way to treat other skin conditions besides scars.
It became apparent that the micro-needling procedures were doing just enough superficial damage to the skin to provoke the body’s natural healing response, which in turn induced the production of elastin and collagen as well as increasing blood flow and other growth factors to the area and which lead to smoother, tighter, younger skin.
Over time, doctors would discover that micro-needling could also be used to increase the absorption of products applied to the skin as well as to combat hair loss by taking advantage of the same healing response that was repairing blemishes and rejuvenating the skin.
What Size Roller Is Right for Me?
The first thing to consider when searching for the correct needle size for your Stimuroller should be the desired result.
Whether you are looking to combat hair loss, rejuvenate your skin or boost the absorption of topical products, there is a suitable size for the task.
Generally, smaller sizes can be used more frequently and longer needles should be used more sparingly as they take longer to recover from, therefore 0.3mm and 0.5mm can be better for those looking to specifically pair stimuroller with topical use for better absorption as they can be applied alongside the topical products much more often.
0.3mm Size Advantage
The 0.3mm size has the most shallow penetration of the sizes, this means that it is less likely to assist in collagen production but it will succeed in opening micro channels within the epidermis which increase the absorption of topically applied products. These size needles can be used every other day.
The 0.3mm Stimuroller is a good choice for users that wish to boost the efficacy of topical treatments on sensitive areas of the body, such as the face, neck or around the eyes. It is also the correct depth to be used as a standalone treatment to reduce blemishes, enlarged pores or skin discoloration.
0.5mm Size Advantage
The 0.5mm size is a versatile length, it strikes a fine balance that can be used effectively as an efficacy boosting treatment or as a standalone treatment.
It is recommended for those looking to boost absorption on the scalp and other areas of the body. This length is appropriate for users who wish to pair Stimuroller with a Shampoo/topical solution to increase absorption. Furthermore, the needles are the correct length to treat shallow wrinkles, UV damage, light scarring, and hyperpigmentation.
The 0.5mm can be used twice per week depending on how your body reacts to the treatment, frequency should be adjusted accordingly.
1.0mm Size Advantage
This length penetrates deeper into the dermis, triggering a healing response from a depth of 1mm, this is desirable due to the concentration of hair stem cells near the bulge region of the hair follicle which typically resides 1-1.5mm below the surface of the skin.
Using a roller of this length can have profound effects for hair stimulation but it comes at the cost/risk of further injury when compared to the shorter lengths. Using needles of this length require more time in between uses, typically a 1.0mm microneedle treatment should be done about once per week to give your skin enough time to heal, you should not do another treatment if your skin is not fully recovered.
The 1.0mm size can also be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, scars, and deeper wrinkles.
Conclusion
Ultimately the length of needle you choose for your treatment will depend on the area which you want to microneedle as well as what you want to get out of it. The Stimuroller is a tool like any other and will require a different size for a different application.
Shorter needles can be used more frequently and on gentler skin, they are preferable for skin rejuvenation. Longer needles penetrate deeper into the dermis, prompting a healing response nearer to the base of the follicle where hair stem cells reside but come at the cost of more risk of injury and less frequent use. A medium length needle may be the most well rounded out option as it can be used to increase the absorption of topical products and can be used more often than a 1.0mm+ needle.
It is also worth noting that we all have different dermis thickness and therefore, finding the right size for your application may require some testing until you land on the correct length.