Which Microneedling Device Is The Best? Derm Recommendations

Hey guys, Dr. Davin Lim, board certified dermatologist. I've been practicing in Brisbane for two decades as a world-leading scar specialist with numerous papers in various journals. Many of my patients have asked me my thoughts on which home microneedling tool to get. So, here it is. This is my unbiased opinion on how I rate these products and which one you should use at home.

home. In this video, I'll cover a few topics including what is microneedling, what devices are there, and what can microneedling treat. And I will rate each of these devices from an unbiased point of view. So, let's start. So, first of all, what is microneedling? Microneedling is also known as CIT or collagen induction therapy. Put simply, it's a form of non-laser fractional resurfacing of the skin. What this means is that we use certain devices with needles, which are very microscopic, which puncture the upper layers of skin called your epidermis to reach down to the lower levels called the dermis. What this does, it does two things. Number one, it increases the permeability of the actives because your skin is very intelligent. It's good at keeping things out. So, microneedling penetrates the upper layers of skin, making your skin care more efficient to penetrate towards the dermal layer or deeper layers where they can work better and more actively compared to sitting on top of your skin. The other function of microneedling is to stimulate or induce collagen production. And how it does this is to create microtrauma to your skin, much like aerating the lawn. When you create microtrauma, it stimulates your collagen production cells known as fibroblast to wake up. And when this happens, your fibroblast lay new collagen and new elastin, making your skin plumper, but also it can remodel scars. So, let's talk about devices, what's out there, and how I rate them. Generally speaking, devices can come as stampers, rollers, or pens, or infusion devices. So, four different types. I'll go through each one including the pros and cons shortly. So, like I said, microneedling can treat surface changes such as irregular texture, but also improve your pore sizing. And in my mode of practice as a consultant dermatologist who specializes in scars, my main aim is to remodel deeper scars that lie in the deeper layers of skin. And these types of acne scars include your boxcar scars, your rolling scars, and your atrophic scars. So, let's get into this review about how I rate microneedling devices.

Guys, so the first up is this, which is basically a stamping device. And today, I'll be reviewing the Banisher 3. 0. When it comes to the Banisher 3. 0, there are a few practical points to consider. So, let's look at the pros and cons of the Banisher 3. 0. The first thing to consider is comfort levels. The Banisher is a medium-sized tool, so it contours nicely along the face. And one of the biggest advantages is that you don't need numbing cream to use it, which is super important when you're using it at home. The needle length is super flexible, ranging from 0. 25 to 0. 5 and if required, 1 mm. 0. 25 is used to increase absorption of topicals, while the 1 mm length is used to stimulate collagen production and remodel scars. In practice, 0. 5 mm tends to be the sweet spot. It's deep enough to stimulate collagen and improve skin texture, but still superficial enough to minimize trauma and downtime as well as the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is important for darker skin types. The needles themselves are some of the thinnest gold-plated ones on the market. This helps reduce drag and irritation. It's been around since 2013, so there's good long-term support and reliability. The next point is sanitation and reusability. As the heads are reusable with proper sanitation, it provides a cost saving to patients to reuse the heads, but importantly, you can clean it and also you'll get a sterile head, which is very important for infection control, especially at home. For any home use device, the ease of use is very important. This is where the Banisher 3. 0 shines. It is super easy to use, even for beginners, as the stamping motion itself gives you more control compared to rolling devices, especially around delicate areas such as the eye area and even on the nose. Next, safety. I consider this paramount when it comes to home use devices. The Banisher is by far the safest form of microneedling as it causes the least amount of tissue trauma compared to rolling or mechanical pen devices. Technique and consistency matter more than going too deep. So, what is the downside of the Banisher 3. 0? The downside is that it can take a little bit longer to cover larger areas compared to something like a pen or roller. However, any day of the week for a home use device, I would trade safety and efficacy over efficiency. So, what about these devices? For

example, Dr. Pen, which is an automated microneedling device. In terms of pros and cons, these devices are fast and they're super efficient for covering large areas. And its adjustable depth can be useful in experienced hands. The downside is that they can cause unnecessary trauma. And if used incorrectly, the stamping combined with the dragging motion leads to micro tears or even lacerations in the skin. Take it from me, this is one of the hardest things to use for at home devices. The needle length can vary between 0. 25 up to 2. 5 mm or even beyond, but it's very rare that we need to go deeper than 1 mil for home use devices. I classify this as moderate to difficult to use, especially maintaining vertical stamping without dragging or lacerations to your skin. So, from a safety point of view, this is a definite no from me because to me, this can be used, but it has to be used in a clinical setting. The other important thing is that infection control for this is not adhered to.

Okay, microinfusion devices. What are these? These are things like your Hydra stamping devices. The advantage of this is that they can find very, very superficial microneedling together with a serum infusion which you put in here. So, they're great for enhancing product delivery and giving the glow effect with minimal downtime. However, one limitation is that many devices don't have a true backflow prevention mechanism, which raises hygiene concerns. Additionally, most needle lengths are very, very short, typically around 0. 25, maximum of 0. 5 mil. So, this is not enough to stimulate collagen production, but it is very easy to use and is beginner-friendly. So, from a safety point of view, yes, it's there, certainly better than pens, but still I prefer the stamping mechanism for home use. So guys, derma

rollers, these are widely available and can cover large areas quickly, which is its main advantage. The downside about rolling is that it creates an angle entry and exit into the skin, which can cause more trauma compared to vertical stamping devices because these needles enter at an angle. The needle length vary between 0. 2 up to 1. 5 mils, but again, shorter lengths are more appropriate for home use. Ease of use is moderate. However, it is easy to apply too much pressure or over-roll the same area multiple times. So, in terms for safety for home use, I rate them down as very low because of the increased risk of skin irritation, uneven pressure, and potentially skin damage if used aggressively. So guys, when you look at my blogs, forums, and you look at my papers

at my forums, and you look at my papers, time and time again for many years spending well over a decade, if you read my blogs, you'll see that I always advocate stamping devices for home use. For me, safety is paramount. The Banisher 3. 0 incorporates not only safety in a fail-safe delivery mechanism, but it also incorporates the correct needle depths for home use, but importantly, a reusable head that can be sterilized for infection control. So guys, there you have it. This is my unbiased view on how to safely microneedle your scars at home. I hope that helps you with your journey on scar revision.