Skin Needling Treatment Reduces Acne and Wrinkles

What is Skin Needling?

Skin Needling or “derma rolling” has become quite popular in the last few months. Indeed, one Google search on “dermarollers” returned hundreds of links.

I was unfamiliar with this new anti-aging tool, so, I decided to research it further. At a recent beauty expo, the cosmetic representatives I spoke to claim these new facial rollers could increase collagen production and reduce wrinkles.

The process of skin needling uses a very small rolling device that contains 192 micro points made of surgical steel. Studies show that when this device is rolled over the skin, it creates small puncture wounds that cause the body to produce collagen in an attempt to heal the skin. Our collagen production falls dramatically after about age 35 or so.

This puncturing will then cause a type of wound-healing reaction for the dermal layer to begin production of collagen fibers, elastin, and other skin cells that helps to fill in lines, wrinkles, remove stretch marks and fill in deep pitted scars – also allowing the derma roller to be a great acne scar treatment. In addition, the derma roller allows for optimum absorption of any anti-aging cream you may use afterwards.

While it goes by different names, ‘skin needling,’ ‘dermaroller,’ or ‘meso roller,’ among many others, it appears to be a simple and natural method that promises to prevent skin aging, restore collagen, smooth out scars, pitted skin, and stretch marks - or your money back in some cases.

Research on Skin Needling

The skin needling device is used along with your normal skincare routine to remove acne scars, stretch marks, wrinkles, fine lines. Representatives say it can even help with big pores, black heads, and white heads. This micro needling or skin needling anti-aging technique is also used to perform collagen induction therapy (CIT). Skin rejuvenating results with skin needling are similar to laser treatment, dermabrasion or chemical peels but much less expensive, less invasive, does not damage the skin, and can be done at home for pennies.

Celebrity Endorsements

More than a few sites claimed famous celebrities used derma rollers or a type of skin needling technique to keep their skin look young and healthy and reduce acne scars. The London Daily Mail Online, reported, “ It looks like an implement of torture, but this spiky roller is thought to be the secret to Angelina Jolie’s plump, glowing skin.”

The Rachael Ray show hosted a segment titled ‘The Human Lab,’ where Rachael selected members of her audience to test several anti-aging creams and devices and report a few weeks later on their results. See the You Tube clip here.

The Studies

Study results by plastic surgeons and dermatologists claim in that addition to reducing the appearance of sun damage and wrinkles such as crows feet, skin needling can help lessen or remove stretch marks, cellulite, acne scars, surgical scars and smooth out pitted skin and dimpling.

Dr. Philippe Simonin, a Swiss Dermatologist, performed a study on 600 people divided into two groups — the skin aging group and the scar reduction group. Published results found that - in the skin aging group there was a 40% significant improvement and an impressive 60% improvement in scar reduction group. And this was only after 5 to 6 treatments!

See the link here: http://www.scar-reduction.com/needling.html

Another doctor, Dr. Andre Camirand, a plastic surgeon from Canada, found that skin needling improved the texture and depression of scars and also improved over-all skin color and texture. The best part is this remodeling process can go on up to 12 months from each treatment.

Other benefits of the skin needling are:

• Dramatically increases the effectiveness of your hair & skin products through increased penetration.

• Stimulates blood flow through directly massaging the scalp, face and body.

• Gentle exfoliation of dead skin cells accumulating in the hair follicles, face and body.

• The process is not painful (a tickling sensation).

• Medical grade stainless steel makes the needles non-allergenic to human tissue.

• Cost effective compared to expensive commercial treatments

• It can be used on all areas of the scalp, face, neck and body. Can be used on all skin types.

• It can be used anytime at your own convenience (no restrictive treatment session times).

• Removes old collagen fibers and rapidly stimulates new collagen growth.

• Clears blocked pores and stimulates blood flow.

• Natural process requiring no lasers or chemical peels.

• Does not induce sun sensitivity.

• Does not damage the skin.

• No risk of hypo– or hyper– pigmentation.

• Short healing time.
There are many skin rollers on the market with different needle lengths, so do your research if you do decide to purchase one of these new tools.

Skin needling devices range in price from $25-$200 depending on where you purchase them and the type of device you choose.

Professional sites advise using a skin needle length at 0.5mm for use on the face, a 1.0mm for most of the body and a 1.5mm for very fleshy areas such as the stomach, thighs and backside.

Each brand is slightly different. Certain features make different derma roller brands suitable for different needs. The more expensive brands benefit from superior build quality, narrower needles and a better overall look and feel. As with any product though, the results you achieve are not necessarily dependant on choosing the most expensive model.

~ R. Dupree

Natural Free Skincare to Prevent Aging

By Van Le | Skin care has come a long way in recent years, and the numbers say it all.  Current estimates assert the skincare industry generates over $2 billion annually.  That’s not to say our mothers and grandmothers never took care of their complexion.  Many of the tips our mothers taught us still ring true today — in fact,  some of the most effective remedies for healthy skin have been passed down from generation to generation.  The following are easy, no-cost techniques to prevent premature skin aging.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking causes so much damage to the skin that the term “smokers’ face” was coined to describe the shallow lines and wrinkles caused by cigarettes.  Even more shocking, a study published in the British Medical Journal featured a doctor who could distinguish a non-smoker from someone who has been smoking for ten years or more based on their facial features alone.  A single cigarette contains thousands of toxins that seep into the bloodstream and affect the appearance of skin.   In addition, scientists have calculated that every cigarette takes ten minutes off your life.

Wear Sunglasses

Long before they became fashion statements, sunglasses served a humble purpose: to protect the eyes from the sun.  Skin near the eyes is extremely delicate, and since we can’t apply sunscreen to these areas, we need the UV protection provided by sunglasses.  Not wearing sunglasses can also cause you to squint, which can lead to wrinkles over time.

Get Adequate Sleep

While  we sleep, our body generates new skin cells, repairs damaged ones and strengthens collagen.  Doctors recommend seven to eight hours of sleep each night for maximum performance during the day.  In addition to under-eye bags - the tell-all sign that you’ve been up all night - lack of sleep can cause skin to appear dull, puffy and wrinkled.

Sleep on your back

In a perfect world, we would get our beauty sleep every night.  However, in today’s fast-paced world, eight hours of sleep each night, every night is not always possible, therefore, it’s important to make the best of the time we do have to rest.  We are up and about at least 12 hours a day, and gravity can take its toll.  Sleeping on your back instead of stomach promotes circulation, and reduces wrinkles since your face is not buried in a pillow.

Limit Your Stress Level

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but not all stress is bad.  There are two kinds of stress: eustress and distress.  Eustress keeps us energized about life and stems from exciting events such as starting a new job, getting married or simply getting on a roller coaster ride.  Unfortunately, most of us are more familiar with distress (negative stress) which can weaken our immune system and cause hormonal changes that result in pimple breakouts.  Participating in stress-reducing activities such as exercise, spending time in nature and yoga is key in balancing eustress and distress.

Doing your best to implement these tips to prevent skin aging and overall health will keep you looking your best for years to come.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare and anti-aging, you can also link to http://naturalantiagingproducts.net/

Treatments for Aging Hands

Because of sun and weather exposure, years of minor scrapes and cuts, and for some, constant exposure to water and detergents, our hands sometimes age faster than other parts of our bodies, and detract from our appearance. Fortunately is it now possible to rejuvenate the hands, restoring their appearance and sometimes also improving the thickness and health of the skin on the backs of the hands.

Fun loving, hard working hands don’t get the sun protection they need. The backs of the hands are sometimes overlooked when sunscreen is applied - or the sunscreen is washed off or accidentally wiped away. Gardening gloves, golf gloves, bike gloves work gloves can help to protect our hands from sun and from trauma.

Daily moisturizing your hands is critical to keep your skin supple and prevent dryness and cracking. Wearing gloves and moisturizing in the cold weather helps protect your hands from chapping and cracking.

For some people, dry cracked hands are a chronic condition called contact dermatitis, or hand eczema. Often caused by your daily routine, one which involves constantly having wet hands (i.e. hairdresser, surgeon, homemaker), this condition results in red, scaly, and very itchy hands. If you suspect your have this, read more at http://www.eczemaguide.ca/basics/eczema_like/hand_eczema_hand_dermatitis.html

There are some solutions to rejuvenating the look and feel of your hands:

• There are numerous special hand creams available, more being introduced almost every week! Creams with vitamins A, C, E and alpha hydroxyl acids are key ingredients which can help prevent and restore your youthful looking hands.
• Restisol-A® 0.01% cream contains tretinoin (which prevents and corrects some aspects of sun damage) and also has an SPF 15 sunscreen. When Retisol-A cream is applied to exposed areas like the face and the backs of the hands EVERY morning - year after year - the aging process is slowed down, and sometimes after a year or two the skin will actually start to look and feel younger and healthier.
• Sunscreens which have the ability to stick to the skin (for example, Anthelios-45® Waterproof Sunscreen) can be very helpful on active parts of the body like the hands, and can also act as a moisturizer. The sunscreen should be applied before sun exposure, even if you are using Retisol-A as a base coat for your skin every morning.

When the skin on the back of the hands has become old looking and freckled - and sometimes also thinned out - it is possible to correct these problems and give your hands a fresh, more youthful look:

• Brown spots (sometimes called freckles, “age spots” or “liver spots”) can be faded using fading creams and also by using the Medlite C6 laser. Treatments take only a few minutes, are well tolerated, and great improvement is usually obvious within a couple of weeks.
• Thin skin on the backs of the hands can be quickly improved by treatment with Restylane™. This not only improves the appearance of the hands by making veins and bones less obvious, but also restores the fullness found in youthful skin and gives some protection against bumps and bruises. The benefits of a single treatment can be seen immediately and often last 6-12 months, sometimes longer.
• In some cases Artecoll™ can also be used to improve the thickness of the skin on the backs of the hands. Artecoll™ costs more to use, and several treatment sessions 2-4 months apart may be required, but Artecoll™ has the advantage of producing an improvement which can last for many years.

Like most things, prevention is your best solution. Keep your hands beautiful by remembering to moisturize, use a sunblock and protect your hands from exposure - the same way you look after your face. For more information on cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, and general skincare, go to SkinCareGuide.ca.

About the author:
Dr. Kevin Smith is a dermatologist in Niagara Falls, Ontario with a particular interest in protecting the skin and in correcting skin problems resulting from aging, rosacea and sun damage. He is an expert in the use of Botox®, fillers, lasers and intense pulsed light to maintain and enhance the appearance of the skin, and have lectured on those subjects across North America, and in Europe, Asia and Mexico. Read more at www.smithlaser.com