

I think of Dermaroller® Microneedling as a spin-off on FRAXEL laser technology….same principal, non-ablative, a dispersed pattern that stimulates new tissue. It’s gentle and low-risk and pairs well with fillers and Botox. And it is also an overall tightener and plumper, as it causes a revitalization and remodelling of your skin’s natural collagen (collagenesis) and vascularity (angiogenesis). Results in Europe are well-documented. There are studies abroad for Acne scars, stretchmarks and flattening elevated scars, that I find interesting.
Platelet Rich Plasma is anti-aging on the cellular level, using your body’s stem cells and growth factors, so there is no risk of allergy. PRP amplifies collagen production and improves organization, fibrin deposition and blood supply to the treated area. It’s effects are progressive. It works in the deep tissue so I pair it with surface-oriented technologies like peels, fillers, Botox and resurfacing for a wonderful update.
I think it’s important for me to put the value of these 2 new offerings in perspective for my patients. More and more, cosmetic dermatologists like me are showing interest in new directions; we’ve worked for many years with lasers, peels, ablation, fillers and neuro relaxants, all of which are “target oriented” (i.e. we use them to diminish wrinkles, pigments and imperfections that already exist). So naturally, we are excited by therapies that can induce a new wellness and vitality in skin going forward. Dermaroller and PRP are examples of this. They are integrative, synergistic and progressive. What this means to patients is that by adding these new therapies to their usual regimen of fillers, Botox and resurfacing, they are not only subtracting the old surface damage at present, but also adding deep development of better quality tissue to their skin’s future. In a sense, our goal is to teach the skin to rebuild itself better and better. The energy-based treatments we added last year—Ulthera and Pelleve–were moves in this direction. This year, Dermaroller and PRP are more on the same trend!
