The reason dermarolling doesn't work for everybody

If you're like me, you've probably scoured the net looking for a "cure" for acne scars. You've read everything there is to read about acne and probably tried every affordable and sometimes not very affordable products and procedures-everything from creams to laser treatment. A couple of treatments that can easily be done from home is dermarolling and dermastamping.

The Reason Dermarolling/Dermastamping doesn't work for everybody

 There are claims dermarolling works but there are an equal amount of claims that it doesn't work. Why does dermarolling and dermastamping work for some people but not for others? I know the answer to that question.

When our skin is injured, it immediately starts to work on repairing itself. Unfortunately, scar tissue will remain. If scarring is deep in our tissues, it may not heal properly and bands of scar tissue will pull the scar inward giving it a puckered look.  This is called tethering also known as anchored scars. No matter how long you dermaroll or dermastamp, those bands will hold on tight to the scar.  There is a way to release these bands of scar tissue but before I get into that I'd like to explain how to determine if you have tethered scars.

Do you have tethered scars?

Go to a mirror. Stretch the skin around around your scars. Has the scar disappeared? If the answer is yes, then your scars are NOT tethered.  This is great news because this means there is a high chance dermarolling and/or dermastamping will help your scars. If the scars remain, your scars are tethered. This doesn't mean that you will be stuck with scarring forever. There are ways to release the scar tissue such as combining subcision and suctioning .

What is Subcision and does it work?

From what I've read, subcision is one of the best ways to release scar tissue. I have not had this procedure done because nobody in my area does it and it is pretty pricey.  I can not vouch it actually works but I have read countless reviews and personal stories stating that subcision has helped acne scarring. I've read and seen enough to believe that subcision works. This is my opinion. Please do your research before getting it done. If you decide it's for you, locate a reputable doctor. Do not do this at home. There is a high risk of scarring your skin.

Basically, from what I understand, a doctor will numb your skin and insert a long needle into the corners of the acne scar (or any type of scar) and move it back and forth-like a fan. People claim to hear loud popping sounds as the scar tissue is being released.

Once you've had the procedure done, you need to suction the area for a few minutes every day. This can be done at home. The only equipment you need is a small handheld suctioning pump.  The pressure from the suctioning pump is supposed to help pull the skin outward resulting in less indentations in the skin.

Can scars be completely erased?

Scars can never fully be eradicated so don't be disappoint if you try one of these procedures but some scarring remains. These procedures may help improve the look of the scar but that's about it.

Dermarolling Stretchmarks Session 1

I dermarolled my stretchmarks today. It was a little bit scary since I didn't use numbing cream. I recommend using it because the belly is actually very sensitive. At least, mine is! If you use numbing cream, be sure to wash it off BEFORE you dermaroll. Believe me, you do not want to roll that stuff into your skin!

Prepare before you dermaroll

Before you dermaroll, prepare your area! I always sanitize my workspace and tools with 70% Isopropyl alcohol. I let the dermaroller sit in alcohol for 5 minutes then I let it dry off before I use it. I also clean my skin with an alcohol swab.

What I use. I use the retinol cream after I dermaroll.

How to dermaroll your stretchmarks

After I sanitized my work area and skin, I stretched my skin so the needles on my dermaroller can go in deep. You want to add some pressure as you roll. Lift the roller as you change directions. This is to prevent track marks and tearing! I rolled 4 times up and down, 4 times horizontal, and 4 times vertical.

Stretch your skin then roll

  I didn't bleed but my skin got very red. Once I was done, it looked like I had a rash and my skin felt windburned. I washed my skin with water then applied Skincare Cosmetics Retinol day cream. It's packed full of Vitamin A which helps with the healing process.

Don't dermaroll too soon. Give your skin time to form new collagen.

The hardest part is the wait. In order for this to work, you must wait 6-8 weeks to dermaroll again. This is to give your skin time to form new collagen. If you dermaroll roll too early, you risk breaking up the newly formed collagen. If you want, you can dermaroll weekly with a .5mm roller to help with product penetration. The needles are too short so they won't interfere with collagen production.

 Before you put away your tools, sanitize them! It's better to be safe than sorry!

Happy Rolling!

Dermarolling stretchmarks

I have been dermarolling acne scars since 2011. I have had amazing results! I won't lie. There are still a few anchored scars (more on that in another post) that remain but no amount of dermarolling or dermastamping will help them. I will continue to dermaroll my acne scars, just in case, but I am pretty sure I have gone as far as I can with the dermaroller and dermastamp (on my acne scars).

 Dermarolling stretchmarks: Will it Work?

I am moving on to dermarolling my stretchmarks. I had my first baby 18 years ago and was left with a stomach full of stretchmarks. They don't bother me at all and I don't plan on getting rid of them (because they were created out of love) BUT I am curious to see if dermarolling will help even them out. This will be a little experiment of mine. Please keep in mind that these are old stretchmarks so they have faded and match the color of my skin but they are indented and that is what I'd like to work on.

I plan on dermarolling ONE small section. I will take photos and post them for you to decide.  For those of you who are looking for a way to get rid of stretchmarks overnight, don't expect a miracle. Dermarolling takes time. It may take up to 6 months or longer to see results.

I will start dermarolling my stretchmarks this weekend. For now, take a look of a close up of what my stretchmarks look right now. 

Arrow is pointing to the stretchmark I plan on dermarolling. It's a big one!

Does Dermarolling and dermastamping get rid of wrinkles

The claim is if you dermaroll, the wrinkles will disappear. I can tell you from experience the dermaroller does not help with wrinkles. If it does, it's a VERY minor improvement. It is so minor that it's not even noticeable.  I have been dermarolling since 2011, but I haven't seen a difference in my wrinkles other than them getting deeper as I age.

The reason people claim dermarolling/dermastamping gets rid of wrinkles

I have read reviews from people claiming that dermarolling has help some people get rid of their wrinkles. What I have noticed from these reviews is that these people have only been dermarolling for a short period of time (less than 3 months). It takes up to 6 months or longer in most cases to see results. Are these people lying? I don't think so. I believe their wrinkles diminish in appearance but only for a short time.

Microswelling

What they are experiencing is micro swelling. This happens when the skin has been injured. The skin swells up. It's working hard to repair itself. What happens when the skin swells up? All the wrinkles fill in but this is only temporary. Microswelling lasts for up to a week but can last longer if you are dermarolling or dermastamping every single day. You don't want to dermastamp or roll everyday because you need to give your skin time to heal UNLESS you are using a short needle (.5mm) which is great for product penetration.

Have you been dermarolling or dermastamping once every 6-8 weeks for over 6 months? Have you seen results? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Update #2: Apple Cider Vinegar Cystic Acne Results

In a previous post, I wrote about how Apple Cider Vinegar helped my cystic acne. It was definitely amazing. It zapped those baby's and kept them at bay. I was one happy camper!
Give it a try and tell me what you think. I can not guarantee that it will work for everybody but it doesn't hurt to give it a shot.

Good and Bad News

 The good news is that it worked. Here's the bad news... it only worked for awhile. After using it for a few months, it stopped working. It was like my cysts became immune to it. :( Even so, I had a great few months without cysts. I'll use anything that helps even if it's for a short time. I still recommend Apple Cider Vinegar to help control your cysts. It's a great short term "cure." Use that time to work on your scars. Dermaroll. Dermastamp. If anything, it gives your skin time to heal.

Read about my first experience with Apple Cider Vinegar(photos included)

Update: Peels Are they Good For Your Skin

I went back and got my facial with a peel. I broke out even more and it lasted for several months. It was torture. My forehead and cheeks were affected the most. I have never had a problem with that area. Sure, I've gotten zits here and there but not cysts! My skin was left badly scarred...the holey ones. Because I was breaking out so much, I couldn't dermaroll which is why I haven't updated. I've been depressed.

Do Your Research before hiring a Facialist/Esthetician

If you're planning on getting a facial, or peel ask what's in it, and expiration date for the products (my whole forehead got infected). Ask questions. It's your face...the first thing people see that you are messing with. Being embarrassed to ask questions isn't an option!

Dermastamping

I purchased a dermastamp and used it today. I love my dermaroller but I want to focus on a few small areas instead of rolling the entire lower half of my face. Dermastamping will allow me to too that.

Update Posted 

I finally got around to posting a final update about the issues I was having after I got a facial and peel done with an Esthetican. Actually, I tried to post one years ago but it got lost when my connection went down. Luckily, I keep notes of my progress. 

Dermarolling between Dermarolls

I decided to lightly dermaroll my skin last night. Normally, I do a hard roll every 6 weeks (when I'm not breaking out) that's it but I know Dr. Fernandes sent his patients home with a dermaroller (with shorter needles) so that they could roll at home to help with product penetration. Well, that's what I always wanted to do but I didn't have the money to purchase a whole set of rollers so I just did my one roll ever 6 weeks.
I have been getting such terrible breakouts and it's happening all the time. I have so many new scars (indented and red marks). It's so depressing. I apply vitamin C serum and vitamin E and A daily to help my skin heal but come on we all know that our skin is a very strong barrier and nothing is getting through that! I'm basically throwing away money each time I apply my special serums and lotions!
So, the last time I rolled, I waited about a week and I lightly rolled and the applied my products. I decided to lightly roll last night. I may have rolled harder than I realized because my face was all red and it stung when I applied my vitamin C and E. I woke up this morning with my skin stinging and when I went for a jog the sweat on my face stung my face.
I really need to invest in a new roller with short needles. I don't want to destroy the collagen my skin is producing.
I'll let you know if my light rolls are helping the new scars heal faster. I'm going to do it once a week. I am also considering doing single needling. I am not familiar with that process but there a few scars I always seem to miss when I roll.

My dermarolling experience

A couple of people I know have asked why am I blogging about things other than dermarolling. Isn't this supposed to be a blog about dermarolling? Yes it is but you can not dermaroll unless your skin is clear. You can roll the areas where there are no breakouts but you should never, never, never roll over skin with acne (cystic or non cystic), or over any open sores. You'll spread the bacteria and make your skin much worse.
My problem is the area I need to roll is also the area that keeps breaking out. My left side keeps getting new cysts so it's been almost impossible to roll that side. I have rolled the other side and now my face looks a little lopsided (wrinkles on the right side have improved while the left side is very noticeable). This is something new that I just noticed. I guess it just takes wrinkles awhile to "heal." Even though I hate having a lopsided face, I love that I can actually see the difference the dermarolling has made. In previous posts, I wrote that I didn't think dermarolling helped wrinkles but I was wrong. It works but it takes time. Just like it takes time for scars to fill in. 
Back to what I was saying in the beginning of this post....I blog about other things such as products I have used and professional treatments because those are things I have used to help clear my skin. Clear skins equals to being able to dermaroll! I post my honest opinions (whether it's positive or negative)and tell you what has worked for me. Like I've said so many times before, we are all different so something that worked for me may not work for you or vise versa. I'll try anything and if it doesn't work I move on to something else.
Right now, I am working on getting rid of one pimple that won't go away. It's very fleshy and there's nothing inside of it. As soon as it's gone, I'm rolling like a crazy nut!
Thanks for reading my blog! I have a couple of new products I want to blog about that I think could help you. My skin is clearing up thanks to one of these products. I just used something else yesterday so I'll report on the results in a few days. Stay tuned! :)

Does Tea Tree Oil get rid of cystic acne

I have been trying to find something to help get rid of or at least reduce the size of the cysts I get. Every time a scar fills in, a new one takes its place. It is so frustrating!
I tried Mandelic Acid (25%) and it helped the non cystic acne but didn't really help my cysts. It shrunk them but I got a new one and it did nothing for it.

 My experience with tea tree oil

I have been reading a lot about Tea Tree oil and how it has helped a lot of people get rid of their cysts. I have been trying it and it hasn't done a thing for me. I tried it without diluting it and it was too strong and inflamed my skin (thankfully I spot treated) so then I diluted it by mixing it with some lotion but the smell was too much for me. Even so, I continued using it for about a week and nothing. The cysts are still there.
I popped a zit (I never learn) and became inflamed and it left a little hole so I put neosporin on it. By the next day, most of the redness was gone. I also applied it to my cyst and it helped with the redness. It's still red but not as bad so I will be using neosporin whenever I get inflammation.

Light Dermarolling for product penatration

Oh, I dermarolled again today but very lightly. I don't have a smaller roller only the 1.5mm so that's what I used but it was super light. I just wanted something to help with product penetration. I seemed to have some extra wrinkles in my smile line (only on one side) and my face looks a little lopsided. I haven't had much luck with dermarolling wrinkles away but it doesn't hurt to keep trying.

Anyway, to get back to what I was talking about before, Tea Tree Oil has not helped my cystic acne. Maybe it will help yours. Doesn't hurt to try. 

Mandelic Acid final review

I used Mandelic Acid 3 times and it did help with the redness inside of my indented scars. The cyst I had shriveled up and then came back as a fleshy bump.:( I was so sad. It did help a small cyst I had but it's still there. I just shrunk to half its size.
The conclusion I have come to is that Mandelic acid works wonderful on non cystic acne and will completely dry it up. I have a few zits and Mandelic Acid zapped those suckers quick! The peel did not really help my cysts. Sure, it shrunk them but they are still there.  I am so bummed.
It is also very drying so I have decided that I will continue to use this peel but only as a spot treatment on my non cystic acne.
Oh it also helped some wrinkles on my forhead. Not all of them are gone and you can see them but they have softened ALOT! 
I was really hoping this would be the answer to my cystic acne problem but the search continues....

Dermarolling pictures online

I was looking around online and keep coming across pictures of people who have supposedly dermarolled their scars, or wrinkles away. The problem is I see those same pictures on so many different websites advertising microdermabrasion, laser, chemical peels, etc. It's so sad that people  (and businesses) can go so low as to claim that those were results from a procedure they performed when in reality they stole the picture from someone online. So sad...

Dermarolling Update

My last post was quite a while ago. I haven't been able to roll since the last time because my skin has been breaking out so much. I am hoping it will be clear in a week or 2 so that I can FINALLY roll again. In a way, I think it's a good thing I've waited. I've heard of people who have rolled consistently every 6 weeks for months and months and then take a long break (like 6-8 months) to give their skin time to repair itself.

A Few Updates

The weird overgrowth of skin that I posted about shriveled up and flaked off! It was such a weird experience and one that really scared the heck out of me! Luckily, it's gone but I have been having lots of breakouts in that area ( which is normal for me) .

A long time ago (I don't remember how long ago) I got brave and rolled my forehead and mentioned that I wouldn't do it anymore. I have noticed that the lines on my forehead have definitely softened ALOT. So much that I am going to dermaroll my entire forehead again. I don't think I took before pictures when I rolled my forehead the first time but I will this time and I'll post the results. I'm really excited about that.

As for all the other scars that I had, a lot of them filled in but there's so many new ones so it's hard to tell much of anything. I am getting so tired of this...I get rid of scars and then I end up breaking out again and more scars form. It's so frustrating. My only consolation is that I know if I hadn't been rolling those scars away I'd have way more and my skin would look even worse. Quite honestly, even with the new scars, my skin doesn't look as bad as it did before I rolled.

Dermarolling caused too much skin growth

 The area where I have the most acne scars (on both corners of my lips) has become very bumpy with what looks like the overgrown of skin. I am not sure what to make of this. Sorry for the quality of the picture but I purposely took the picture with the sun hitting my face so that you can see what I am talking about.  I took a picture under normal lighting and you can not see the extra skin.  It looks like pimples in the picture but it is not acne. It is the overgrown of skin.

See those bumps...that's extra skin. I think Microdermabrasion will smooth it down.

Here's a picture taken of my skin under normal lighting. As you can see, the bumps aren't visible which is why I posted the bright picture above.

Picture taken under normal lighting. You can't see the bumps but they are there!

I am due for another dermaroll...actually I was supposed to roll on December 7th, 2012 but I didn't have the time. I will probably roll this weekend. I'll post new pictures so you can see the progress. My skin is still healing (very slowly) so that's good. The acne scars look so much better but I haven't noticed much of a difference in my fine lines. Maybe I need work work on those areas a little harder.... 

I posted an update on the overgrowth of skin. Click on the link to read what happened: Dermarolling update

Does Dermarolling help erase fine lines?

I've been dermarolling for almost 1 1/2 years because I've been trying to get rid of my pitted acne scars. If you've been following my blog, then you know that I have had a tremendous amount of success with getting rid of old small pitted scars and had some success shrinking medium sized scars and almost no to very little success in getting rid of the brand new scars.
I'm still young..ish (35 years old) so I don't have major wrinkles except for some on my forehead (sorta deep due to my squinting problem) and very very fine lines near my eyes and I've got very faint smile lines. I've been rolling those smiles lines since I started dermarolling and they are still there. I honestly haven't seen much a of change which is disappointing. :( I've read the dermarolling works on fine lines so I'll keep working on those areas and keep you updated.
I haven't had the courage to roll the area around my eyes since the skin is so sensitive there but I rolled my forehead during session 6...If you want to read about that dermarolling experience check this post and this one). I haven't seen any change but it's only been a few weeks. I honestly don't think rolling gets rid of fine lines but maybe it takes time!?!
Has anybody had success with their fine lines? I've read Dr. Fernandez's studies and seen pictures of his patients who had wrinkles and I was amazed with the results. He uses a few other products (like Large doses of Vitamin A before the procedure is done) so maybe that is the difference.

Dermarolling Session #6

I dermarolled for the 6th time yesterday (October 26,2012) but this time I added my nose and forehead. I am not recommending it because I can see little holes in my forehead now. I'm a little freaked out but there's nothing I can do about that except HOPE the holes close up. I'll keep you updated.

Why you shouldn't dermaroll your nose

I rolled my nose too but it's full of enlarged pores so I don't know if any extra holes were left behind like on my forehead. I really don't care...my nose looks horrible either way. I did, however, come across an article (didn't bookmark it so I don't have the link) that said NOT to dermaroll your nose because supposedly the skin on the nose doesn't heal well. Oops. I didn't read that until AFTER I rolled my nose but it doesn't look damaged. Microswelling doesn't seem to have worked on my nose either. The enlarged pores are still there...oh well. I'm more concerned about my scars. Looks like I have new ones and one of them is a line scar again. ugh. why does this happen to me? I hate this.
I worked really hard on the area around my lips and chin. I bled and the popping sound was horrendous. It was also very hard to roll the newly scarred areas...like I was rolling through mud. I know that's the scar tissue breaking up. I am looking forward to rolling these scars away. Most of the other ones I was working on before have filled it.
Can you all believe that it's been about 1 year 4 months since I started rolling! Amazing how time flies but I'm telling you, if you stick with it you won't regret it. Now if I can only figure out a way to prevent new zits from appearing....ugh

Interesting Study with pictures done on Dermarolling

I found this interesting study done on Dermarolling and thought I'd share it with you. The study shows that dermarolling does work but only on certain types of scars which could explain why dermarolling works for some people but not for others. Check out the pictures and tell me it doesn't work! I love it!
Here's the article:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2840919/

How to prevent Track Marks when you Dermaroll

Before I started Dermarolling, I did a lot of research and one the of things I kept coming across was people talking about track marks that had been left on their face after they had Dermarolled. Some people claimed to have had the track marks for months and months and feared the track marks were permanent. Nobody knew what caused the marks and if they did, they didn't mention it.
My biggest fear was scarring my face with track marks. I mean, the reason I was going to Dermaroll was to get rid of scars so what was the point of Dermarolling if it was going to leave even uglier scars on my skin? It actually took me a while to take the plunge.
I know exactly what causes the track marks after Dermarolling and I'm going to share it with you. It's all in the roll.

How to prevent track marks when dermarolling

This is what you need to do to prevent track marks:
 As you come to the end of a roll, LIFT the roller before rolling in the opposite direction. So, you Dermaroll up and at the end of that roll lift the Dermaroller before you roll down. Keep lifting the Dermaroller after every roll. If you leave the Dermaroller on your skin and start to roll the opposite direction, the needle are going to drag. The dragging of the needles are going to leave the track marks and possibly even scar your skin.
So there you go. You now know how track marks are made and how to prevent them. 

Dermarolling: Before and After

I haven't been able to Dermaroll in quite some time thanks to my acne cysts. I was planning on Dermarolling this weekend but I woke up with a big fat cyst on my face so I may either roll the other side or wait until my skin has cleared up and roll both sides at the same time.

My new cyst. I hate this. I will not be able to dermaroll this side for at least another week or 2. If I'm lucky, another one won't pop up preventing me from rolling. It's been way too long

 I have a few new acne scars and one that is a big line scar that I haven't been able to work on. It's never been rolled so it looks bad but I know once I start dermarolling it will heal. Maybe not 100% but it will look better. Here's my pictures (the next time I take pictures, I'll try to recreate the same lighting. I had a hard time today but I'll work on it).

That line (not talking about Parenthesis line..that's just old age. haha I'm taking about the one below my smile line) is a new scar that I have not rolled. I'm sharing this as a Before picture so that I can measure the improvement once I start rolling.

Here are Before and After Pictures of the scars I have been working on

Taken before I started rolling

 Picture taken today. Sorry the lighting is different but this is the best I could do. As you can see, the dark red spot (indented scar) isn't as visible. That has healed about 50% or so. All the other holes are slowly closing too. You can barely even see them! 

 

Dermarolling updates will be more consistent

I am sorry I haven't been updating this blog as often as I should. I've been really bummed about my skin. No matter what I do, I can't seem to control my cystic acne. Just when my skin is starting to look normal (thanks to my dermaroller), I start breaking out.
I can live with normal acne...it's the cysts that are driving me crazy! Not only are they ugly and painful, but they scar. Like I've said in previous posts, dermarolling seems to work best on old scars but it has helped a little bit with the new ones. It just takes longer for it to work on them (new scars).
I will be more consistent with updates and pictures. It's kinda hard to show the improvement when I keep getting new scars but I am going to share it all with you.
I am still a big fan of the dermaroller. It has done wonders to my skin. I can only imagine how terrible my skin would have looked like if I hadn't taken a chance on the dermaroller. 

Dermarolling: Recent breakout has caused red marks

 I have had another bad breakout and now I've got red marks that are taking waaay too long to disappear. This past month I got 6 cysts. They aren't huge but they leave red marks and a couple look indented but the skin is fine. It's just red. Isn't it weird how sometimes redness makes the skin look indented?
As soon as these red marks clear up, I'll post more pictures of what my skin looks like now. I really love how the scarred areas are filling in. Like I said before, it works on the small scars the best and that's what I am full of.....A whole bunch of little clustered scars (on both sides of my lips). I've got a few med. sized ones too and those have healed a bit too but I am not expecting a miracle. I know scars can not vanish completely and that's fine with me.