Skin needling vs at-home dermal rollers: what’s the difference?
Believe in Beautiful Blog
Dermal rollers have become a common sight in online shops and social media routines. They look simple enough: a small handheld roller covered in tiny needles that you run over your face at home. So why not skip the clinic?
The short answer is that professional skin needling and an at-home roller are not the same thing. Here’s what sets them apart, how skin needling can help with acne scarring and texture, and what to expect if you book a treatment with us.
What is professional skin needling?
Skin needling uses a professional device to create tiny, controlled micro-channels in the skin. These channels stimulate the skin’s natural repair process and collagen production. Over a course of treatments, this can help improve:
- Acne scarring
- Uneven texture
- Fine lines
- Pigmentation
At Believe in Beautiful, a Skin Needling treatment takes 60 minutes and costs $300. Your therapist also applies a professional treatment serum chosen for your skin. Options include The Original B, Anti-Ageing Peptide Serum, Depigmentation Serum and Acne & Inflammation Serum.
Choosing the right serum is part of what makes a professional treatment tailored. For example, your therapist might choose the Acne & Inflammation Serum for breakout-prone skin, or the Depigmentation Serum when uneven tone is the focus. If pigmentation is your main concern, our guide to pigmentation, melasma and Cosmelan covers the other options too.
Why we don’t recommend at-home dermal rollers
We understand the appeal of doing it yourself, but we don’t recommend using dermal rollers at home. Here’s why a professional treatment is a different experience:
| Professional skin needling | At-home dermal roller | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin assessment | Your therapist checks your skin, medications and suitability first | No one assesses whether it’s right for your skin |
| Technique | Controlled, consistent micro-channels from a trained therapist | Depends on your own pressure, angle and technique |
| Hygiene | Performed in a clinical setting with strict hygiene | Relies on you cleaning and storing the roller correctly |
| Serums | Professional treatment serums selected for your concern | Whatever products you have at home |
| Aftercare | Clear aftercare guidance and follow-up | Trial and error |
Skin needling works because it’s a controlled treatment. Without a trained eye and the right conditions, it’s easy to irritate your skin rather than help it. If you want the benefits, it’s worth leaving this one to the professionals.
Skin needling for acne scarring
Acne scarring is one of the concerns skin needling is best suited to. Once breakouts have settled, the marks and uneven texture they leave behind can be frustrating, and they don’t respond to everyday skincare in the same way.
Because needling encourages the skin’s own repair process, a course of treatments can help soften the look of scarring and improve texture over time. Results build gradually, so a course gives the best results rather than a single session. Your therapist will recommend how many treatments suit your skin.
If you’re still having regular breakouts, tell your therapist. They’ll tailor your plan and may suggest working on congestion first. Our guide to breakouts and acne covers the options, and you’ll find more on our acne scarring and texture page.
A gentler option: nano infusion
If you’d like a results-focused treatment with less downtime, Nano Infusion may suit you. It’s a gentler alternative to needling with little to no downtime, and takes 50 minutes for $275. Like needling, it can be paired with a professional treatment serum.
Nano infusion can be a good choice if you have a busy calendar, an event coming up or you’re easing into results-focused treatments for the first time. Your therapist can help you decide between the two, or alternate them as part of your plan.
Both needling and nano infusion are also options within the Renewal Skin Treatment ($275, 60 minutes), which combines one personalised modality with one advanced modality.
What to expect afterwards
After skin needling, your skin will usually look red for a day or two. Good aftercare helps your skin recover comfortably:
- No makeup for 24 hours.
- Avoid heat, the gym and the sauna for 24 to 48 hours.
- Pause retinol and exfoliating acids for 3 to 5 days.
- Wear SPF 50+ every day.
Keep your homecare gentle and hydrating while your skin settles. The Barrier Hydration Complex ($99) is a lovely choice. Once your therapist gives the go-ahead, the Vitamin A Corrector ($99) can support your results longer term.
Before booking, let us know if you’re pregnant, take medication such as isotretinoin, or use retinoids. If you’re unsure whether needling suits you, book a free 20-minute Advanced Skin Consultation.
Make it a course: Rejuvenation & Firmness Program or Renewal Club
Because needling works best as a course, our memberships and programs are the most cost-effective way to commit to it.
The Rejuvenation & Firmness Program is $990 (valued at $1,240, so you save $250). Over 6 months you’ll have 2 x LED, 1 x Micro and 2 x Skin Needling treatments, plus the Vitamin A Corrector to use at home. It’s designed for long-term corrective results.
Prefer monthly care? Renewal Club is $220 a month (regular value $275, saving $55 a month, or 20%) for one Renewal Skin Treatment every month on an advanced plan. Members also get 25% off Australian Skin Institute and Tugun Compounding Pharmacy retail, plus a Welcome Pack and Bring-a-Friend voucher. There’s a 6-month minimum term, then month to month. Or choose the Renewal Package: 3 x Renewal Skin Treatments for $700 (valued at $825, save $125), with no commitment.
Compare them all on our memberships page or read Radiance, Renewal and Skin Programs explained.
Ready to book? Book your skin needling online or visit one of our six Brisbane clinics.
