I'm sorry to start a new thread--I know there's a main dermarolling support thread but it wasn't that helpful.
1) I know JGGlobal has been recommended, Owndoc.com, and Dr. Roller. I'm also seeing lots of titanium alloy rollers on Ebay that are not those brands.
How do you guys feel about Ebay? Right now I'm not sure that I'm willing to spend more than $20.
I have icepick scars, saggy, mottled skin, small cysts, papules, whiteheads, blackheads and broken capillaries--itchy or cystic strawberry skin. Retinoids have never worked. I would like to rebuild my skin, and retinoids is all I know to use. Will this help with broken capillaries?
I get the sense Copper Peptides can have side effects too.. Anyone know?
2) Do I really want to use anything with titanium alloy needles on my face? Those are the recommended Ebay selections, but Isn't the goal light physical exfoliation? I know how to use light pressure but I'm worried about slicing up my face. I see lots of plastic dermarollers on Ebay. I don't plan on using anything bigger than 0.5 mm right now.
3) Who here has actually successfully reduced scarring and hyperpigmentation with this? I see a lot of stories in process so far. Who has some tips they can give us?
My regimen--50 mg Aldactone, multivitamin, unscented ivory soap (that has worked best for me, face soap wise), Clean and Clear Oil-Controlling astringent, Skin Appetit Nutriglow serum for a few weeks on cheeks (it has blueberry, walnut, fig, and seemingly good ingredients with no oil, but it STILL broke me out recently--I'm sad), Retin-A on my nose and chin two days a week because I keep hoping it will work even though it's never been useful unless I was on Accutane, Aczone trial creams I'm trying this week on whitehead-studded, acne-mark covered cheeks, 10% bp with 1% hydrocortisone for active cysts that recur when I am menstruating (no longer working well).
The worst thing is that lately Retin-A has been toughening my skin and then I get itchy zits. It also causes my skin to purge little cysts, whiteheads, and blackheads ad perpetuam. I tried Neutrogena's Fight 'n' Fade astringent with glycolic acid and found it sticky, smelly, and zit-inducing.
Witch hazel is in every other acne scar OTC product I can find--I am allergic to that, tea tree oil, and tamanu. I am thinking of buying some avocado oil from Whole Foods because (on Accutane--only on Accutane) I put Biafine on popped pimples and that healed them quickly. Avocado is the primary ingredient.
Money is tight. I will still consult a derm about dermarolling but I can only trust her advice so much because (not unfairly) she wants to make sales, not help me cure this.
Any help would be appreciated. I am at my wit's end. Six months ago, my skin did not look this bad. I will talk to an endocrinologist and think I'd like to start BC because I've been on Aldactone for two to three years, and I look/feel awful.
I got a 0.05mm derma roller around the 20th of last month. I've used it four times. No improvement in boxscars or small scars yet. I use it once to twice a week. I have noticed an improvement in my closed comedones and blackheads. My skin is becoming much more clear now.
After I roll I put on a mixture of glycerin and fruit fresh ( ascorbic acid ). My skin tone looks better and pores look cleaner.
I don't think the roller will work for ice pick scarring. It's more for boxscars, rolling scars, stretch marks ad keloid scars.
I got a 0.05mm derma roller around the 20th of last month. I've used it four times. No improvement in boxscars or small scars yet. I use it once to twice a week. I have noticed an improvement in my closed comedones and blackheads. My skin is becoming much more clear now.
After I roll I put on a mixture of glycerin and fruit fresh ( ascorbic acid ). My skin tone looks better and pores look cleaner.
I don't think the roller will work for ice pick scarring. It's more for boxscars, rolling scars, stretch marks ad keloid scars.
Are you sure it isn't a 0.5mm roller? That sounds so incredibly shallow to me! I doubt that even a 0.5mm roller would affect scars much (being so shallow), based on what I've read. It's interesting that rolling has helped with your non-inflamed acne. Maybe I should consider that for mine, too. 
As long as there isn't inflammation (and you're quite sure you wouldn't get inflammation during the recovery time either), I don't think derma rolling on comedonal acne is going to do any harm, at least with a shallow roller.
I've now ordered a 1.5mm dermastamp from owndoc.com. They seem like a reliable site and their products weren't too expensive. I still have to do more research before I'm going to try it. I'm going to do a test spot first, and then I have to wait for an appropriate time with my school before I can do it properly (might take a while). As far as I understand, rolling would work on rolling scars, overall skin tone and boxcars, but not necessarily so well on icepicks. I don't expect dramatic results and I assume it would take a long time to see any change. I have a feeling I might need to get Fraxel Re:pair done to get results I'd be happy with, but I want to give this a try first as it seems much more 'natural' and minimally invasive compared to laser.
I got a 0.05mm derma roller around the 20th of last month. I've used it four times. No improvement in boxscars or small scars yet. I use it once to twice a week. I have noticed an improvement in my closed comedones and blackheads. My skin is becoming much more clear now.
After I roll I put on a mixture of glycerin and fruit fresh ( ascorbic acid ). My skin tone looks better and pores look cleaner.
I don't think the roller will work for ice pick scarring. It's more for boxscars, rolling scars, stretch marks ad keloid scars.
Are you sure it isn't a 0.5mm roller? That sounds so incredibly shallow to me! I doubt that even a 0.5mm roller would affect scars much (being so shallow), based on what I've read. It's interesting that rolling has helped with your non-inflamed acne. Maybe I should consider that for mine, too.
I've now ordered a 1.5mm dermastamp from owndoc.com. They seem like a reliable site and their products weren't too expensive. I still have to do more research before I'm going to try it. I'm going to do a test spot first, and then I have to wait for an appropriate time with my school before I can do it properly (might take a while). As far as I understand, rolling would work on rolling scars, overall skin tone and boxcars, but not necessarily so well on icepicks. I don't expect dramatic results and I assume it would take a long time to see any change. I have a feeling I might need to get Fraxel Re:pair done to get results I'd be happy with, but I want to give this a try first as it seems much more 'natural' and minimally invasive compared to laser.
Yes I meant I use the 0.5mm. Sorry for any confusion. I wanted to get the 0.5mm because I'm new to derma rolling and I didn't really know what to expect. I was shocked when I noticed the closed comedones going away. None of them became inflamed. I will continue to use the small roller for better acne product penetration but I plan on getting a stamp for my scars.
Just make sure you only use a 0.2-0.5 for better topical penetration. It's worth a try 
you can always just try a small area first. Everyone's skin is different so I'm not going to say it will work for sure on your skin. I really hope it does though because that would be awesome! It could become a new closed comedone treatment.
Just make sure you only use a 0.2-0.5 for better topical penetration. It's worth a try
I might get a 0.5mm roller and try it on a small area and then see how it goes. I'm hesitant to exfoliate my skin in case it worsens my scars, although I would need it to keep my pores clean. This could be a good alternative. Basically anything that increases blood flow to my skin tends to help, and I'd assume 0.5mm rolling would work this way.
How long is your downtime and how frequently do you do it, if I may ask?
Just make sure you only use a 0.2-0.5 for better topical penetration. It's worth a tryI might get a 0.5mm roller and try it on a small area and then see how it goes.
How long is your downtime and how frequently do you do it, if I may ask?
Yes it is worth a try! I got my roller from skinmedix. I didn't have to pay any taxes and got free shipping. It was $28 flat. It seems to be decent quality as well.
I try and roll twice a week. My downtime varies if I'm really aggressive when rolling my skin will be a little sensitive for about 3 days at most. I rolled on Monday with medium pressure and only had one hour of redness, skin was a little sensitive that night. By 8:00 am the next morning my skin was back to normal. One thing I've noticed is that my skin gets dry after rolling. It's nothing to cry about though. That's normal to see after rolling. you may see some super small whiteheads pop up. They're so small and pretty much go away when you wash your face. I think those where blocked pores and the roller opened them up. I never exfoliate before I roll. I just take a nice hot shower then kinda steam my face with a warm washcloth. Wash my face and then I'm ready to roll!
I love bentonite clay. This may sound like too much but I use a thin layer of the clay with a little bit of epsom salt and sulfur ointment mixed in. I like to use it every other day and it removes blackheads. It really clears your pores of blackheads. It helps a little with acne too but I feel works best for blackheads.
Since rolling with the 0.5mm my acne has gotten way better. I always have at least 3-4 small cysts on my face, closed comedones everywhere and lots of blackheads. I only had one active pimple yesterday! Came to a head at work then I extracted it when I got home. It is now gone. My skin hasn't looked this decent in 4 years.
@ap and austra--do you put anything on to prep skin before rolling? What sulfur are you using?
Where did you get your roller? There are a lot of crappily made ones on Ebay. I'm oin to buy from owndoc, but now I need to decide what instrument to use for the ice pick scars and hyperpigmentation.
What sorts of scars do you have and if you ordered a dermastamp, why? Does it hurt less or cause less irritation?
Honestly rolling makes more sense to me, but I'm reading it hurts more and I would like to avoid tracks or something that will worsen scars/perpetual injuries on my face.
@ap and austra--do you put anything on to prep skin before rolling? What sulfur are you using?
Where did you get your roller? There are a lot of crappily made ones on Ebay. I'm oin to buy from owndoc, but now I need to decide what instrument to use for the ice pick scars and hyperpigmentation.
What sorts of scars do you have and if you ordered a dermastamp, why? Does it hurt less or cause less irritation?
Honestly rolling makes more sense to me, but I'm reading it hurts more and I would like to avoid tracks or something that will worsen scars/perpetual injuries on my face.
I bought my roller from skinmedix.com. It was $28 flat, no tax and free shipping! It arrived quickly and I feel like it is of decent quality for the price.
I use de la Cruz sufur ointment. It's super cheap, can be a little drying but, it works. You can find it at Walgreens, target and Walmart. I like sufur acne topicals because they always work for my acne. I do not prep my skin with any topicals before rolling. I just steam my face with a hot wash cloth.
I have boxcar acne scars and they're 7 years old. I have them on my forehead, cheeks, chin, all around my lips and I have one big one above my cupids bow.
I have a 0.5mm roller and I've been using it for a month. I do like the results I'm seeing. I had lots of clogged pores(closed comedones) that are now pretty much gone. I do the star roll technique and then do freestyle rolling. I've never gotten track marks but I use a small roller so that might be why. I use medium to hard pressure and it's uncomfortable but bearable. I want to purchase a derma stamp next for my scars as the 0.5mm roller hasn't done anything for them. I will continue to buy and use the 0.5 roller to keep my chronic closed comedones at bay.
After I roll I use a mixture of glycerin and fruit fresh and that's it. I used to use a copper peptide cream but I don't like it. I have used other things after rolling too but I like the fruit fresh better. I only leave it on for 20 mins and rinse off with cold water. I then go about my normal face care regimen.
You should get a stamp and roller if you can. Then that way you can alternate the two.