DermaRoller
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free skin care · Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:23 pm

Pachouli wrote:

Hey experts,

I just got my rollers. How hard should I press and what do you use for numbing cream?

I'm not an expert or anything, but I am doing my 3rd roll tonight. The needles are really sharp, so you don't have to press very hard for them to go all the way in. I just press firmly, and they go right in.

Some people buy numbing creams, and some use ice, and some use Bactine to numb and sanitize the skin.

Good luck with your first roll!

free skin care · Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:04 pm

Pachouli wrote:

Hey experts,

I just got my rollers. How hard should I press and what do you use for numbing cream?

I remember reading somewhere that the pressure should be equal to 500 grams, so I got my food weigh scale and pressed on it to get an idea of what 500 grams feels like - its quite a lot Shock

I use EMLA numbing cream, but you must leave it on for an hour to get any numbing benefits from it (don't forget to cover the area with plastic wrap).

HTH Smile

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:00 am

I read this entire thread before I purchased my Dr. Roller and I had no idea the amount of pressure it would take to actually push those needles all the way in. For me, it's a LOT more than just a slight pressure and roll. I'm pushing seriously hard to get that "pop" that many people report and I rarely get blood--just a few droplets here and there (though I wonder if this could be due to living in a high altitude area?). I rolled for quite awhile before I realized I may not have been doing it as intensely as necessary.

I'm rolling for stretch mark reduction so it's on my body as opposed to my face, but I've rolled my face as well and I still needed to exert a lot of pressure to get the roller to do what I wanted. Interestingly, about two weeks after using much harder pressure I started to notice improvement (yay!).

When I was tootling along with my medium pressure I was doing it without numbing, thinking "This doesn't hurt! Those girls are crazy!"......LOL....I ordered some of the Climax spray last week because with the harder pressure I'm needing it!!!

Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:46 am

Before I do the real serious rolling with 1.5mm, I decided to do some practice run with 0.5mm for product penetration.

It hurt, not bad enough to stop it, but bad enough that I rolled really quickly to get it over with and also did shallow rolling, not putting pressure. The skin got bright pint/red, and the neck was bleeding just a little. Next few days, the neck peeled a little.

The second time was last night (1 week after the first one). This time, I used bactine. Though it was supposed to numb the area, it still hurt. I did the face only this time, skipping neck. I used a little bit more pressure, and the cheek was bleeding just a little (microscopically).

I thought 0.5mm rolling is really shallow rolling just for product penetration. Mine seems a bit more than that. Does this sound normal to you?

Anybody else here who tried 0.5mm rolling? What are your experiences?

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:56 am

Hyeonjlee I've never used the 0.5mm size, but I do know that product penetration rollers are either 0.15mm or 0.25mm. The 0.5mm is more heavy duty.

Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:18 am

I just stumbled across this forum & the Dermaroller last night... I've suffered with Stretch Marks for 19 years now (love my kids but boy did they tear me up!).... I ordered a 1.5mm roller last night & now thinking I should also try a .5mm for my face.

I haven't been able to go through all 115 pages of this thread & have yet to find a search function... I've seen plenty of comments about using on the face but does anyone have any personal experience with Stretch Marks or Cellulite? Before/After pictures??

I'm so excited & hopeful that this will work. I've tried everything.. my next option was saving up for a tummy tuck to get rid of the SMs - which I really do not want to endure!

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:42 am

DelitefulDiva wrote:

I haven't been able to go through all 115 pages of this thread & have yet to find a search function... I've seen plenty of comments about using on the face but does anyone have any personal experience with Stretch Marks or Cellulite? Before/After pictures??

There are definitely some members using it for stretch marks, and I think someone has also used it for cellulite.

I would try to skim through the last 20 or 25 pages of this thread, because a lot of people have refined their routines over time, and the best advice/testimonials are more recent.

And if you want to try the search feature to find out more, it's at the top of your screen right in the center.

Best of luck to you with your rolling!

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:23 pm

Pachouli wrote:

Hey experts,

I just got my rollers. How hard should I press and what do you use for numbing cream?

Hi Pachouli

have you read many of these posts? Bethany suggest reading the last 20 pages (25?)
what you are about to do is no simple matter - this thread is filled w/ important and useful info - just give youself a couple days, that way you'll have a really thorough and empowered roll...don't forget the alcohol etc...the pressure is something you're just gonna have to figure out for yourself - how much is creating blood for you..
keep us posted
and GOOD LUCK
m

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:26 pm

hyeonjlee wrote:

Before I do the real serious rolling with 1.5mm, I decided to do some practice run with 0.5mm for product penetration.

It hurt, not bad enough to stop it, but bad enough that I rolled really quickly to get it over with and also did shallow rolling, not putting pressure. The skin got bright pint/red, and the neck was bleeding just a little. Next few days, the neck peeled a little.

The second time was last night (1 week after the first one). This time, I used bactine. Though it was supposed to numb the area, it still hurt. I did the face only this time, skipping neck. I used a little bit more pressure, and the cheek was bleeding just a little (microscopically).

I thought 0.5mm rolling is really shallow rolling just for product penetration. Mine seems a bit more than that. Does this sound normal to you?

Anybody else here who tried 0.5mm rolling? What are your experiences?

Hi
i've never tried 0.5 just 1.5 - but i would imagine some people are just more sensative than others -- i'm sure you'll get some responses from people who felt pain from the 0.5
m

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:30 pm

P Girl wrote:

I read this entire thread before I purchased my Dr. Roller and I had no idea the amount of pressure it would take to actually push those needles all the way in. For me, it's a LOT more than just a slight pressure and roll. I'm pushing seriously hard to get that "pop" that many people report and I rarely get blood--just a few droplets here and there (though I wonder if this could be due to living in a high altitude area?). I rolled for quite awhile before I realized I may not have been doing it as intensely as necessary.

I'm rolling for stretch mark reduction so it's on my body as opposed to my face, but I've rolled my face as well and I still needed to exert a lot of pressure to get the roller to do what I wanted. Interestingly, about two weeks after using much harder pressure I started to notice improvement (yay!).

When I was tootling along with my medium pressure I was doing it without numbing, thinking "This doesn't hurt! Those girls are crazy!"......LOL....I ordered some of the Climax spray last week because with the harder pressure I'm needing it!!!

hi p girl
that last paragraph was funny!
I have to apply a decent amount of pressure on face w/ my 1.5 (it's such a weird experience)-- and for the body - FORGET ABOUT IT...i pressed so hard i thought i was gonna break the damn roller(seriously!) and i got maybe a spot or two of blood
best
m

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:57 pm

moongoddess wrote:

hi p girl
that last paragraph was funny!
I have to apply a decent amount of pressure on face w/ my 1.5 (it's such a weird experience)-- and for the body - FORGET ABOUT IT...i pressed so hard i thought i was gonna break the damn roller(seriously!) and i got maybe a spot or two of blood
best
m

LOL...I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have the 1.5 too and I always feel like I'm pressing with all my might. (Maybe I'm just not very strong or I have elephant skin!) I can just see my roller snapping in half and flying across the room for my dogs to snatch up as some kind of S&M dog toy. They'd do it too. One of mine ate my Retin-A!

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:05 pm

DelitefulDiva wrote:

I just stumbled across this forum & the Dermaroller last night... I've suffered with Stretch Marks for 19 years now (love my kids but boy did they tear me up!).... I ordered a 1.5mm roller last night & now thinking I should also try a .5mm for my face.

I haven't been able to go through all 115 pages of this thread & have yet to find a search function... I've seen plenty of comments about using on the face but does anyone have any personal experience with Stretch Marks or Cellulite? Before/After pictures??

I'm so excited & hopeful that this will work. I've tried everything.. my next option was saving up for a tummy tuck to get rid of the SMs - which I really do not want to endure!

Hi DD!

I'm using mine for stretch marks, but I've not been at it long enough for before/after shots. Plus, these suckers are hard to get on a picture unless they're the new red ones. LOL...I tried and I've got a bunch of boob shots to prove it. My husband is going to think I've been busy taking my own naughty pics at night!

Anyway, I do think I'm seeing some real progress and I'll DEFINITELY keep at it. I use the 1.5, take 1000 mg. of Vit. C internally and use Retin-A on the areas I roll--and emu oil sometimes but not for several days after rolling.

There is a search function. Go up to the very top of your page and there's a little box with all sorts of options. There's a "search" feature there. Search for the posts from the user "Zenity" who apparently had excellent results on her sister's stretch marks to the point of making them invisible! Woo hoo!

Also, you can do some online searches for dermarolling, CIT, stretch marks, cellulite, etc...and find lots of photos. Bethany posted an article awhile back that had some photos that included boob stretch marks and some loose abdominal skin. I've seen photos of improved cellulite, but I don't think I'm going to roll myself head to toe to cure cellulite too!!! I'll try the vaculifter for the cellulite, but one major problem at a time!

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:12 pm

P Girl wrote:

moongoddess wrote:

hi p girl
that last paragraph was funny!
I have to apply a decent amount of pressure on face w/ my 1.5 (it's such a weird experience)-- and for the body - FORGET ABOUT IT...i pressed so hard i thought i was gonna break the damn roller(seriously!) and i got maybe a spot or two of blood
best
m

LOL...I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have the 1.5 too and I always feel like I'm pressing with all my might. (Maybe I'm just not very strong or I have elephant skin!) I can just see my roller snapping in half and flying across the room for my dogs to snatch up as some kind of S&M dog toy. They'd do it too. One of mine ate my Retin-A!

OMG, the imagery...that gave me GOOD LAUGH! (probably because my cats got to mine even though i thought it was safely hidden - thank GOD it was in it's handy secure holder)

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:44 pm

deelighted,
bactine I have! Thanks for the tip.

anya,
the scale idea is so brilliant. I do have a scale and I am going to try it.

moongoddess,
Yes, I read the pages a couple of times. Whoo. But that is what convinced me to join in.

Thanks Ladies!

free skin care · Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:53 pm

averygsmom wrote:

This has probably already been addressed on this huge-o thread and if so, just somebody direct me to the right page, anyway...
Most on this forum suggest waiting approx 30-60 min after rolling to apply your CP serum, however, an article on the SkinBio website by Dr. McCaffrey suggests rolling with CPs and many on the Skin Bio forum apply immediately after rolling. Any opinions or suggestions? I am planning my first rolling session Sunday afternoon and need some advice...

Averygsmom, I found a thread from labmuffins about CPs and rollers very enlightening. It includes a Q&A from Pickart. Go to
http://labmuffins.com/MuffinTin then click on Dermarollers, then click on Using Copper Peptides & Dermarollers.

free skin care · Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:12 am

hi, i hope this old thread hasn't lost its momemtun,(does the word fit right?, whatever, my english is not so bright), well my concern is about the best form of vit c &A to go with dermarolling, for vit.c i reckon that it should be oil soluble, as for vit a , not sure if i want the retin a. but other than the environ's or 302 branded topicals, do u gals know some good sites where i can buy it ready made serums . TIA

Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:43 pm

deelighted - Thanks for the help with the Search function! Of course I've gotten nothing done this weekend now that I've been searching this & that!

P Girl - Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I'm so excited to start!

48 hours ago I would have thought someone was crazy to run a meat tenderizer across themselves but as of right now I have two rollers, a supply of Retin A & Lidocaine on their way to me. Emu Oil & the makings for Vit C serum in a bag on my counter! And still scouring the thread to see if I'm missing anything!

Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:57 pm

DelightfulDiva,

Could you tell me where you got your Retin A?

Sounds like you have pretty much all the things I have. I'm just waiting on my .1mm roller. I've been using my .24 every other day. Just waiting for results to start appearing.....

Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:42 pm

Janabanana wrote:

DelightfulDiva,
Could you tell me where you got your Retin A?

I ordered from alldaychemist... it's cheap but shipping is high so I decided to stock up on the RA (it won't go to waste considering how much of my body I'm targeting!), I also got the Lidocaine from there & got some Antibiotics for my husband to make the shipping charge more tolerable!

Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:22 pm

Great, thanks for the info. I'm surfing around trying to find a somewhat trustworthy site to order. And I just don't feel like driving an hour then sitting around for another few hours just for a tube of Retin A from my Dr.

I am also using a peptide cream that came with my rolling kit. Seems to work pretty well, but it does make my face feel greasy. So I want to use the Retin A every few days. Hope it all works.

Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:46 pm

Bethany and Moongoddess;

I'm back at this again. Moongoddes, I've taken your advice and read read read the last 20+ pages of this thread, and have a few more to go....I keep asking you questions because your situation seems so close to mine. Bethany, you are truly knowledgeable and a great informant. All the effort you've put into this thread is truly incomparable to anything to be found elsewhere.

I will try not to ask redundant questions, however, if I am, I am truly sorry.

I just feel that if I ask a specific question related to my situation, that the answer will be more tailored to me as opposed to an answer given to someone else...again I'm sorry...

About my situation;

I am 25, I finished Accutane almost two months ago..I have a really uneven skin texture and appearance (which brings on quite a bit of depression now that I see what I look like). I also have red spots from acne during my course of Accutane and I have very fair skin, that is oily and obviously acne prone.

I know that I should wait at least a couple more months until I start dermarolling, however, I do need to start prepping my skin. Is it a good idea for me to start using vitamin A & C now? I was considering the 302 line...any suggestions?

Also, should I jump right into the 1.5mm once I'm ready for dermarolling, or perhaps build up my tolerance with a smaller needle size.

I do not have a lot of money to spend on things that aren't necessary, so if the 1.5mm is really the roller that will make an impact for me, I'd appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

I look forward to 'rolling' and hopefully seeing great results like you.

free skin care · Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:40 am

DelitefulDiva wrote:

deelighted - Thanks for the help with the Search function! Of course I've gotten nothing done this weekend now that I've been searching this & that!

P Girl - Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I'm so excited to start!

48 hours ago I would have thought someone was crazy to run a meat tenderizer across themselves but as of right now I have two rollers, a supply of Retin A & Lidocaine on their way to me. Emu Oil & the makings for Vit C serum in a bag on my counter! And still scouring the thread to see if I'm missing anything!

i was going to order some Vit C cream but $ is really tight,i wouldnt even have retin A if my insurance didnt cover it. what is the best recipe you found to make the vit c serum?

free skin care · Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:39 pm

Maria_312 wrote:

Bethany and Moongoddess;

I'm back at this again. Moongoddes, I've taken your advice and read read read the last 20+ pages of this thread, and have a few more to go....I keep asking you questions because your situation seems so close to mine. Bethany, you are truly knowledgeable and a great informant. All the effort you've put into this thread is truly incomparable to anything to be found elsewhere.

I will try not to ask redundant questions, however, if I am, I am truly sorry.

I just feel that if I ask a specific question related to my situation, that the answer will be more tailored to me as opposed to an answer given to someone else...again I'm sorry...

About my situation;

I am 25, I finished Accutane almost two months ago..I have a really uneven skin texture and appearance (which brings on quite a bit of depression now that I see what I look like). I also have red spots from acne during my course of Accutane and I have very fair skin, that is oily and obviously acne prone.

I know that I should wait at least a couple more months until I start dermarolling, however, I do need to start prepping my skin. Is it a good idea for me to start using vitamin A & C now? I was considering the 302 line...any suggestions?

Also, should I jump right into the 1.5mm once I'm ready for dermarolling, or perhaps build up my tolerance with a smaller needle size.

I do not have a lot of money to spend on things that aren't necessary, so if the 1.5mm is really the roller that will make an impact for me, I'd appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

I look forward to 'rolling' and hopefully seeing great results like you.

Hi Maria
For sure Bethany is the info queen and DR veteran!! so for more specific stuff, she'll hopefully answer.

Here are some thoughts i have based on your questions.

Yes, get the 1.5 dermaroller - you must have that length needle to get the results you want- anything smaller than that will just be pushing product and won't help with acne scarring. Also, i'm not sure you can actually build up a tolerance (based on posts Laughing

) still, you might try rigourous facial massage (squeezing, pulling, tapping) and facial brushing(work your way up to harder bristles) - i have a suspicion (but cannot prove in ANY WAY) that this is why rolling does not cause me pain - though i'll let you know when i try the crosshatch roller)

I do think you should start prepping skin w/ A/C, but probably Bethany can answer you better on product b/c i think she's experimented more than i. (I have been using RA for 2 years so that was covered and i used Let's Make Collagen from skinactives.com - cannot even remember what's in it!)
As far as the 302 prducts, i have just started using them so i cannot give you much feedback on my personal experience (yet). It's been about a week (AND YES, THIS BOARD IS BREAKING THE BANK) and i'm have a small break out, which does not concern me AT ALL. The company's philosphy about acids feels right on to me and i've always limited my use of them. People with skin like ours are having successful results with 302 (if you go to their web page there are some testimonials) and of course Boski has had REMARKABLE results which is why we're all interested. I think 302's a good choice- both in general and for you, it'd be great if you could find someone in your area that you can work face to face w/ - I would also recommend seeing if you could get any feedback from Boski or the creator Dr. H(through boski) since you are recently off accutane and there may be some contraindications.
Okay honey, i hope this helped some and didn't confuse matters more. I just want to say, even though you're feeling bad about your skin you are so lucky because with these different tools and skincarelines you're actually going to be able to turn it around while you're still in your 20's!!
( ( ( hugs ) ) )
moongoddess

Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:15 pm

ace243 wrote:

i was going to order some Vit C cream but $ is really tight,i wouldnt even have retin A if my insurance didnt cover it. what is the best recipe you found to make the vit c serum?

There are some threads right here on the forum that have different recipes. I guess I don't have enough posts to post the links.

I chose one with the Lysorbic Acid, distilled water, Vit E & Glycerin, simply because all the ingredients were readily available at my pharmacy.

free skin care · Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:19 pm

I thought I would offer up the following info that might be helpful - after doing at home chemical TCA peels, I cover my skin with Second Skin sheets (from the drugstore) - these are often used for burns. They immediately cool and soothe the area and take the pain down several notches...

I am going to try this after dermarolling

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