Microneedling: A DIY Guide To Glowing Skin At Home — Shop Now

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Over the past few decades, microneedling has gone from a niche skincare secret to a nearly viral technique, consisting of using either a roller with tiny needles or a pen-like device to help smooth and firm the complexion.

“It stimulates epidermal growth factors to boost collagen and elastin that plump and firm skin, and it increases absorption of active ingredients by 90 percent,” aesthetician Kerry Benjamin told Marie Claire last November, calling the practice “one of the most powerful and effective ways to stop early signs of aging.”

But it seems you don’t necessarily need to take a trip to your facialist to enjoy swoon-worthy skin: Enter at-home micro needling.

Recently, several micro-needling kits have hit the market, allowing beauty fanatics to get perfected skin from the comfort of their homes.

"The at-home microneedling rollers simply get rolled onto the skin,” New York City-based esthetician Jordana Mattioli explained to InStyle last May. “There are tiny needles that make punctures on the skin, but the at-home versions will just get your skin a little pink. They aren't deep enough where you'll see blood droplets."

And it seems this lighter touch can still have a major impact on the complexion. While Mattioli noted DIY microneedling “isn't going deep enough to treat deep scars or deep wrinkles,” like it does when executed by a professional, the practice can still help skin appear smoother.

“They will absolutely improve the texture of skin and make those deep wrinkles or scars look a little better,” she lamented.

Another caveat, Benjamin shared, is to avoid the process if you’re struggling with active acne.

“If you have a pimple, you can roll around it,” she advised. “For cystic acne, it's great to use to help drive actives deeper into the lesion to treat it quickly.”

Yet, just like nearly everything when it comes to skincare, using the proper tools is an integral part of reaping these benefits, especially as incorrectly microneedling your skin can further exacerbate existing woes. One key step in this process, Benjamin said, is leaving the big needles to the professionals in your DIY skincare pursuits.

“At-home microneedling should be done with rollers that are .2mm," she explained, noting that these products "are considered cosmetic needling and safe and effective to use at home daily for great results.” Meanwhile, she said, “needles .5mm and longer should always be used by a licensed professional.”

Keeping these appropriately-sized needles clean is another important element of at-home microneedling. According to Healthline, soaking the device in “70 percent isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes” after every use should do the trick.

Once you have the proper tools – we love Glodermal’s line of microneedling products — and the means of keeping them squeaky clean, next comes technique.

After cleansing the skin and applying a serum, Mattioli said to grab your tool and complete “four passes vertically, followed by two to four rolls horizontally on the same section” before starting on the next area. Once you’ve completed this process, top off the skin with another layer of serum, waiting a few minutes for the product to seep in before layering other moisturizers.

Benjamin also advised avoiding harsh products with ingredients like retinol or Vitamin C after microneedling. “Vitamin C can be very active and unstable and cause a lot of irritation, especially because it is being driven deeper into the skin," she explained.

Glodermal’s SKIN PERFÉCT’s Professional Microneedling Pen retails for $89 at glodermal.com.

Glodermal’s LUSTY SKIN – Hyaluronic Acid Serum For Microneedling retails for $23 at glodermal.com.