At-home microneedling (also known as collagen-induced therapy) has become a hot topic in the beauty world recently, partly thanks to Kim Kardashian-West, who has opened up about her love of the microneedling device GloPro.
But what exactly is the practice? "Dermarollers are cylindrical drums studded with microneedles that are used needle the skin," says Nick Milojevic of Harley Street's Milo Clinic. "The idea is that creating tiny injuries in the skin causes a collagen response, filling in fine lines, plumping the skin and contributing to an overall younger look." In other words, microneedling gives your skin the wake-up call it needs! Your skin will begin to increase its own natural collagen response and leave your skin glowing from the inside out. Winning.
Microneedling is known to keep skin looking younger and fresher
Traditionally, people go into a clinic and get the treatment from a professional, but it's becoming increasingly more common as a DIY job. While use over time may help the appearance of your skin, it's important to follow some guidelines to avoid infection or scarring:
Know your skin type
Microneedling is not for the faint-hearted and not usually advised for those with sensitive skin. Patch test to make sure your skin won't have any kind of reaction to the needles.
The GloPro microneedling device
Choose appropriate needle length
You can buy devices of all different needle lengths on the market, but it's best to stick to the smaller versions if you're doing the treatment at home 0.2 is a safe length.
Consult a professional
If it is your first time using the device, it might be worth visiting a professional skin clinic where you can be advised on this treatment and have your skin initially assessed by a doctor.
Keep it clean
This is of the utmost importance – the device has to be cleaned before and after each because it will accumulate dirt that builds up, leading to a skin infection. To sterilise your device, spray with isopropyl alcohol.
Does it work?
I think microneedling is a great, cost-effective way to keep your skin looking younger and fresher. I've been using a device with a 0.2mm a couple of times a week for a few months and I've seen a significant change in the plumpness of the skin - plus, it really doesn't hurt! The GloPro, which also has needles of 0.2mm length, costs £240 - this seems expensive, but I think it's worth it when you take into account how much an in-clinic treatment costs!