The benefits of fractional devices in skin rejuvenation and scar minimisation are now beyond doubt. However the question remains, is it necessary to spend upwards of $120,000 on laser equipment to achieve those benefits?
Cheap dermal needle rollers have shown that excellent clinical results of fractional lasers can be rivalled at a fraction of the cost.
There are, however, some downsides with dermal rollers such as:
- Considerable bleeding and pain due to the 'tearing' action caused by the curved base of the needle roller flicking out of the skin
- Hard to operate in small or curved areas, such as the nose and under the eyes
- Difficulty inserting needles into scar tissue as the needles quite often bend. (This is unfortunate as scar revision is an important fractional technology application)
- High consumable costs at around $100 per patient for a reputable brand roller.
Dermapen
The introduction of Dermapen solves the problems associated with rollers, including reducing the consumables cost to around $20/patient.
Dermapen uses multiple needles that vertically pierce the skin. This enhances rejuvenation results and is far safer for the client because there is much less epidermal damage and bleeding. Disposable needle tips reduce the risk of cross contamination and cleaning chores. Plus the needles are depth adjustable between 0.25-2.5mm and capable of delivering up to 1000 holes per second.
The automatic vibrating function of the Dermapen increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the treatment by increasing the absorption of treatment solutions, whilst reducing pain and discomfort.
Effectiveness
Can Dermapen be as effective as ablative treatments, such as fractional lasers?
According to The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling, the method of dermal needling uses “very fine surgical stainless steel needles to make channels into the epidermis and dermis to release growth factors that promote scarless healing and the deposition of normal woven collagen rather than scar collagen. This is not dissimilar to Fraxel®, only without the negatives of loss of dermal papillae, potential destruction of melanocytes, abnormal collagen, coagulated vasculature, and growth factors”.1
With needle depths reaching up to 2.5mm into the basal layer of the skin, it’s easy to differentiate the Dermapen from traditional methods of microdermabrasion and chemical peels, which often focus on just resurfacing the epidermis.
Conclusion
Dermapen is excellent for skin tightening, lifting, rejuvenation and scar revision. Used successfully on acne scars, surgical scars, wound healing, alopecia, fine lines and wrinkles. It also minimises pore size and reduces the appearance of stretch marks.
Reference: 1. Setterfield L. The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling, 1st Ed. New Zealand: Virtual Beauty Corporation Ltd. p45:2010. Fraxel® is a registered trademark of Scott Medical Inc.
Resource Box
Equipmed was established in Australia in 1984, and has grown into a significant, independent distributor of innovative cosmetic, dermatological, disinfection and cardiological equipment. The global reach of the company now extends to New Zealand, Europe and the United States.
