Dermapen VS Fractional Laser Resurfacing

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Even though Micro-Needling treatments and Fractional laser resurfacing can treat similar conditions in the skin, they are not the same procedure. These two technologies show similar results — except that they present very different side effects, costs and downtime. When you’re faced with a choice between dermapen micro-needling and fractional laser treatments – Mirco-needling wins hands down!

How it works

Both technologies work on the principle of creating micro-injury to the skin to trigger the body’s natural wound-healing response. The difference lies in which kind of injury that is triggered and how this is done. With fractional laser treatment, the injury produced is a result of the laser charring the epidermis, causing light-thermal injury. This light-thermal injury results in ablation and coagulation of proteins, which leads to necrosis of the cells (cell death). The process of necrosis is disruptive to the body and leads to increased inflammation. Additionally, in darker skin types, melanocytes which are the cells that produce a pigment called melanin, can be damaged or over excited, releasing too much or too little pigment and causing white or dark patchy discolouration to appear on the skin. For that reason, darker skin types cannot be effectively and safely treated with laser resurfacing.

On the other hand, the kind of injury experienced with Dermapen micro-needling isn’t thermal. Dermapen uses microscopic needles to pierce the skin creating micro channels. This procedure works by gently activating the body’s natural skin renewal process, encouraging it to release growth factors from fibroblasts, keratinocytes and monocytes. Because heat is not used, melanocytes are left dormant, and thus, this treatment is appropriate for all skin types — and side-effects such as discolouration of the skin often occurring in clients treated with fractional laser treatments is not of concern with Dermapen micro-needling.

Why is Micro-needling better?

Both treatments will result in minimal redness, but it is more prominent with fractional laser. The recovery period for micro-needling is around 24 hours, and patients can expect to see some swelling and/or redness. Downtime for laser treatment is anywhere from four to seven days with redness and swelling that can take longer to subside as the injury was caused by heat.

A significant drawback of the fractional laser treatment is that it cannot be administered on specific skin tones, mainly Hispanic, African ethnicities, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian and Indian, due to the concerns with pigmentation and an increased risk of burn.

Other concerns specific to fractional laser resurfacing treatments include:

  • Persistent redness (thermal injury takes longer to heal)
  • Increased pain and discomfort
  • Viral and bacterial infections (including facial herpes)-heat from laser stimulates the virus that causes herpes to become active
  • Post-inflammatory hyper/hypo-pigmentation (darkening and lightening of the skin)

Dermapen micro-needling treatments can be administered on any skin tone because the process involved does not depend on the skin’s interaction with turning light into heat. Also, post-inflammatory hyper/hypo pigmentation is very rare with proper use of a physical sunblock, following an appropriate post-care treatment guide and using the correct products to decrease healing time to achieve best results.

In Conclusion

In General, Dermapen micro-needling is more cost-effective, efficient, safer and less risky treatment to reach skin rejuvenation. It does not damage the skin but instead leads to thicker, healthier skin. It can effectively treat indented acne scars and surgical scars, improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and stretch marks and even diminish redness caused from rosacea. It can dramatically improve the overall health of the skin by increasing collagen and triggering a natural healing response from the skin rather than thinning the epidermis by the use of a laser device that uses heat. There is no doubt Dermapen treatment Gold Coast & Brisbane with Esteem Medi Spa is a far more advanced treatment that show visible results much faster with significantly less cost and downtime!