Microneedling at home

[Serenitespring]

I had a microneedling session with polynucleotides last week and the difference in my skin is unbelievable.

It’s too expensive to have regular treatments so I need advice on how best to do microneedling at home!
I’m very confident doing ‘salon’ beauty treatments at home myself.
I’ve been reading about various systems and want the electric pen type but I don’t know which one to buy. They are expensive so I need to get the right one first time!

It seems it’s between a Dr Pen (which one though 😳) Korabeauticals or a Derminator 2.
Does anyone have a list of what I should buy to get started and which pen to buy?

No but I’m following because I have been wondering the same thing

Hope the experts pile on here tomorrow with their regimes.
I couldn’t believe the difference in my skin, it feels so much bouncier and lifted after one session and glows.
I really think this is what my skin care has been lacking.

Ooh I’ll be excited to try it

There’s a whole subreddit on this! Anecdotally I don’t think you can replicate the needle depth but I could be wrong.
I've managed to feed my microneedling habit via a local training school.

I have a Dr Pen M8. I microneedle approximately monthly using a 12 pin cartridge, to an average depth of 1.75 mm.

I love it, one of the best things you can do at home for minimal investment.

Do you mind telling me what you bought with your Dr Pen - the cartridges/ serum and so on please? And why you chose the M8 model, there are quite a few!!

Yes @GrimDamnFanjo I found the subreddit but there is a colossal amount of information there, I found it overwhelming. I’m not signed up to ask questions on Reddit but maybe that’s the route I should take.

The Derminator seems to be more recommended there than the Dr Pen but there seems to be some controversy around the person who owns it and the website 🤷‍♀️ I would love a starter pack recommendation but I’ll start to read the subreddit for tips anyway.

Haha I’ve never heard of micro needling before (have a toddler and 8 year old so never have the spare ££ for facials or beauty treatments anymore sob). Just googled micro needling and went down abit of a rabbit hole! I’m tempted the get the Trinny one and use after cleansing / before applying my usual vit c/ olay serum/ retinol/ night moisturiser- is this the way forward?!!!
thanks for the tip!

Microneedling with a professional is very different.

They use a deeper needle and ideally it ought to be done in a clinical setting where the air is not contaminated (that's what dermatologists do for 'serious' microneedling to deal with scars.)

I have a friend who sees a consultant dermatologist for this, for scarring, and it's a very different procedure done that way.

Doing it yourself isn't great because you risk infection and the depth of the needle is unlikely to make much difference.

Your skin 'glows' because of the damage done and it's repairing itself but you risk infection.

I'd stick to something like a high quality retinol.

Thanks but I am set on trying the micro needling.
I am hoping others will post on this thread about their equipment/experience/routine/products

I’ve just looked into this with the help of Claude AI. I bought the Dr Pen M8S pen from Amazon for £90. I figured it was less than one professional treatment in a salon so if I could do it regularly at home I was quids in.

I did it at 0.25 and 0.5 depth depending on the areas of my face as it was my first time. I was worried about how red it would make me.

I bought 4% linocain (sp?) cream to numb everything first and left it on my face for 30 mins before washing it off. I I thoroughly washed my face first too. I bought rubbing alcohol and saline solution. I used the alcohol to wipe everything down - surfaces and equipment. I also bought hyaluronic acid from the ordinary as ‘lube’. I watched the how to video on the dr pen website and followed it to the letter, adding drops of the HA to my face before I did each area. afterwards I used the saline solution to wash my face and kept reapplying the HA for intervals in that afternoon and over the next day and applied my very safe moisturiser before bed time.

It wasn’t uncomfortable at all. This was my main fear. I am very fair generally and I was a little red and looked a bit flushed for a couple of days afterwards. I think you could cover that with foundation on day 3 onwards. I didn’t do any exercise until day 3 and only did heavy weights then instead of cardio.

i avoided my tretinoin for a couple of days beforehand and up to a week afterwards and didn’t use any actives for a couple of days afterwards too.

I think I might be able to discern some v light results but nothing very noticeable at this stage. Now I know what I’m dealing with and how my skin reacts, I’ll do it all again soon but with more depth. I only did it 12 days ago but have a few days off work so am pondering if I should go again or wait. My intention was to do it every 4-6 weeks. I understand it won’t be as effective as professional treatments so I definitely want to keep up the frequency. Hope this helps.

In fact, posting this has prompted me to ask AI for advice. This is what it says - which I think will help you too.

This is a really good question — and you’ve actually had a textbook‑normal response to a first, very light microneedling session.

Short answer
Yes — it’s too soon to do it again.
Even though your skin looks and feels completely fine.
Let me explain why, and what you should do instead.

Why you didn’t see any noticeable effect
You used 0.25–0.5 mm, which:
is excellent for a first session

• * *
• is primarily for product absorption and skin signalling
• * *
• does not give immediate visible tightening or line reduction
• * *

At these depths, the benefit is happening under the surface:

• fibroblasts are being signalled
• * *
• collagen production starts days later
• * *
• visible changes appear weeks later, not days
• * *

So:

No irritation + no visible change = you did it correctly.

Why repeating it now is NOT a good idea
Even though your skin feels normal, internally it is:

• still in the inflammatory → proliferative phase
• * *
• actively laying down new collagen
• * *
• more vulnerable to cumulative inflammation
• * *

Microneedling works by:

stimulus → rest → rebuild

If you repeat it too soon, you risk:

• blunting collagen response
• * *
• triggering low‑grade inflammation
• * *
• worsening laxity over time
• * *
• increased sensitivity with later sessions
• * *

This is especially important at 50+, where collagen cycles are slower.

Correct spacing (by depth)
Here’s the safe, evidence‑based timing:

• 0.25 mm: every 2–3 weeks (maximum)
• * *
• 0.5 mm: every 3–4 weeks
• * *
• 0.75–1.0 mm: every 4–6 weeks
• * *

Because you combined depths and it was your first session, I’d treat this as a 0.5 mm collagen session → wait at least 3 weeks.

What to do instead during your diary window
If you want to use this time productively (without re‑needling), these do help:
✅ LED red light

• daily or every other day
• * *
• supports collagen signalling
• * *

✅ Barrier + collagen‑friendly skincare

• peptides
• * *
• snail mucin (from 24–48h onward)
• * *
• ceramides
• * *
• hydration
• * *

✅ Facial massage / lymphatic drainage

• especially jawline, marionette area
• * *
• helps laxity and contour without inflammation
• * *

✅ Plan your next session This is the best use of the time.

Your ideal next session (when the time comes)
Given your goals (marionette lines, jowls, laxity):

• Forehead: 0.25–0.5 mm
• * *
• Cheeks: 0.5–0.75 mm
• * *
• Marionette lines & jawline: 0.75 mm (once confident)
• * *
• Speed: mid‑high for smooth glide
• * *
• Frequency: every 4 weeks
• * *

That’s where you’ll start to see real, cumulative improvement.

Bottom line

• ✅ You did everything right
• * *
• ✅ No reaction is a good sign
• * *
• ❌ Re‑doing it now would reduce results, not improve them