How to Safely Dermaroll at Home for Maximum Benefits (2025)

Dermarolling uses a device with tiny needles to create micro-injuries that boost collagen and cell turnover, helping improve wrinkles, scars, and hair loss. It’s most effective when done by a professional, as at-home tools are not as powerful.

Jump to Key Takeaways.

How to Use a Dermaroller

Before using a dermaroller at home, it's wise to consult with a dermatologist or other healthcare provider to determine whether this type of treatment is right for your skin and the results you desire.

If you use a dermaroller at home, follow the instructions for your device to get the best results.

Anecdotal evidence (derived from personal experience or observations, not scientifically based) indicates these steps may help reduce your risk of infection and other adverse effects:

1. Choose the right needle size: The proper needle size helps achieve results safely and depends on the treatment area and goals. For home use, stick to needles up to 0.15 millimeters (mm) for skin and 0.25 mm for the scale.
2. Cleanse your skin: Use a mild cleanser to remove dirt, makeup, and oils from your face. Do not use abrasive or exfoliating products. Cleansing your face makes it less likely for unwanted bacteria to affect the treated area. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
3. Disinfect the dermaroller: Disinfect the dermaroller to kill any bacteria present on the device. To do this, soak or spray the device in a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution for about five minutes. Shake off the excess liquid. Allow the dermaroller to air dry on a clean towel.
4. Roll over the treatment area: To avoid overtreatment, divide your face into sections and roll gently in a cross-hatch pattern (vertical then horizontal) over each area five times, lifting the roller between passes.
5. Apply skin-care products: Rinse your face when you are done rolling over your whole face. Pat your face dry, and then apply your serum and/or cream. Applying skin-care products over thousands of tiny holes can help improve absorption.
6. Clean and store your dermaroller: After dermarolling, wash the device with soapy water, rinse, sanitize with alcohol, and let it air dry before storing.

What Are the Benefits of Dermarolling?

The benefits of dermarolling are based on the size of the needles used.

Research on the use of professional microneedling, which employs larger needles that penetrate deeper layers of the skin, shows that the procedure can stimulate the production of growth factor and collagen. In this application, microneedling can achieve the following results:

• Fade stretch marks
• Reduce scars from acne or surgery
• Reverse wrinkles
• Tighten sagging skin
• Treat hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
• Treat hair loss and regrowth
• Treat photodamage (sun damage)

However, the shorter needles used in home dermarolling, do not penetrate deep enough into your skin to achieve these results. Instead, dermarolling at home is usually limited to providing the following benefits:

• Skin exfoliation
• Improved absorption of topical anti-aging treatments
• Pore size reduction
• Decrease sebum (oil) production

Dermarolling at Home vs. Professional Microneedling

Home dermarolling and professional microneedling both work on the principle of using needles to create microinjuries to promote collagen. While these treatments are often referred to interchangeably, they differ in the following ways

Procedure

Length of Needles

Safety

Individualized Treatment

Potential Risks and Side Effects

The most common side effects of dermarolling can include:

• Bruising
• Burning
• Crusting
• Dry or rough skin
• Edema (swelling caused by fluid trapped in body tissues)
• Erythema (redness)
• General discomfort
• Itching
• Mild bleeding
• Itching
• Peeling
• Tightness

Less common side effects of dermarolling can include:

• Facial lines
• Hyperpigmentation (increase in skin pigment) or hypopigmentation (loss of skin pigment)
• Infection
• Reactivation of herpes cold sores
• Stinging or itching when cosmetic products are applied
• Swollen lymph nodes
  

Who Should Avoid Dermarolling?

While most people can use dermarolling safely without problems, this treatment is not recommended for everyone. You should avoid this treatment if you have any of the following conditions:

• Active acne
• Current radiation treatment
• Current treatment for skin cancer in the area you want to treat
• Moderate to severe chronic skin disease such as psoriasis (an autoimmune condition causing itchy, scaly patches of skin) or eczema (also called atopic dermatitis, a condition of itchy, dry skin)
• Oral herpes or any other local infection such as warts
• Past or present keloid (raised scar)
• Slow or poor healing
• Weakened immune system due to a medication or medical condition

You should also avoid dermarolling if any of the following apply:

• After recent sun exposure
• Painful, pus-filled, or deep-set pimples
• Short-term skin infection
• Taking Accutane (isotretinoin) (a medication for severe acne)

Key Takeaways

• Dermarollers can help treat scars, wrinkles, stretch marks, and hair loss, but the best results are achieved with professional, clinical-grade tools.
• At-home dermarollers do not match professional microneedling results but may aid in exfoliation and serum absorption.
• Talk to your healthcare provider to see if dermarolling is right for your skin goals.