When you decide to go for a rejuvenating treatment procedure or any other skin treatment, you will be given pre-treatment instructions to ensure that your skin is healthy and prepared for the procedure.  These pre-treatment protocols are regularly advice to help ensure that there will be no potential problem that may arise as you go through the treatment.

There are certain conditions in the skin wherein you will not be allowed to undergo microneedling therapy unless there is a professional supervision. For instance, if you have cold sore, it should be treated first, to prevent the spread of infection.

More so, dermarolling therapy is also used as pre-treatment procedure prior to a major skin procedure like photosensitizing therapy.   It can be used together with other pre-treatment protocol such as laser therapy, curettage, peeling, lasers and or fillers to ensure that your skin will have optimal results. The decision to use other pre-treatment methods depends on the dermatologist assessment of your skin’s condition.

Dermarolling Therapy as Pre-treatment Method

Dermarolling therapy is one of the most common pre-treatment techniques used to accelerate the recovery of various skin conditions. Pre-treatment procedure is a prerequisite in the dermatologic evaluation of the skin.  It is a mandatory step that excludes possible problems that may intervene during the process such as levels of sun damage, presence of tumors and other potential problems.

In the pre-treatment process, dermatologist usually:

• Provides pre-treatment instructions which helps fasten the recovery period
• Pre-treatment techniques are also used as a prerequisite for a major skin treatment procedure like photodynamic therapy for skin rejuvenation

Typical Pre-treatment Protocols

The pre-treatment protocols vary depending on the:

• Skin type
• Skin aging type
• Extent of extrinsic damage particularly UV-induced skin damage

These are discussed prior to the patient’s treatment procedure.  The assessment is individualized and caters to your needs.

When you visit a dermatologist clinic, you will be advised the following pre-treatment instructions.  Prior to the treatment, make sure that you:

• Avoid the use of harmful cosmetic medications that may interfere in the rejuvenating or healing process of the skin
• Don’t use the following medications three days prior to the therapy: exfoliants, topical antibiotics, hydroquinone, sunburn medications,  retinoids, benzoyl peroxide
• Avoid use of depilatory creams, waxing, and electrolysis five to seven days before the procedure
• If peeling is recommended together with microneedling, avoid using any topical agents that may increase skin sensitivity or any adverse reaction to the peel
• Avoid shaving prior to the treatment.
• No skin drying or skin breakdown for the past few days
• Avoid using makeup, powder, sunscreen, lotion, perfume or oil
• No reported allergies to the topical drug
• No skin sensitivity in the application area
• Avoid using antiviral agent particularly if there is history of cold sore

These pre-treatment instructions are advice to ensure that your skin is ready for the procedure.  If you are taking medications and other topical drugs, this may cause skin interaction that may delay the effect of the topical cream.  Some skin procedures may actually do more harm than good to the skin.

Ensuring that your skin is healthy for the procedure will help accelerate the healing process and promote faster and favorable results.

Benefits of Using Dermarolling Therapy as Pre-treatment Strategy

Use of pre-treatments like dermarolling therapy has the following benefits:

• Helps in the Efficacy of Photodynamic therapy and other aesthetic treatment modality
• Provide synergistic effects to support the efficacy of the treatment
• Improve penetration of topical drugs

Microneedling Provides efficacy of Photodynamic therapy and other treatment modality

Derma rollers are hand-held device which consists of hundreds of microneedles.  These microneedles are used to deliver topical drugs through the skin. It penetrates deep into the skin for faster and efficient delivery of topical medications.

Microneedling can be a painful procedure and usually require a topical analgesia. In skin rejuvenation, microneedling is used together with a photosensitizer for a more efficient result.  Needling after application of photosensitizer is said to be beneficial for the faster flow of blood into the tissue fluids. Needling can help improve the penetration of sensitizer into the skin.

Aside from microneedling, other alternative pre-treatment methods can also be performed such as peeling either mechanical or chemical, microdermabrasion, laser and many others. This provides better aesthetic and cosmetic results. The use of other pre-treatment methods depends on the condition of the skin, extent of damage to the skin, and many other factors as assessed by the attending dermatologist.

Dermarolling provides Synergistic effects to support efficacy of an aesthetic treatment

Dermarolling therapy is also used to provide synergistic effects for a more potent effect.  Longer needles such as 1000 to 2000 μm are used to stimulate synergistically the collagen biosynthesis through micro injury in the dermis. This procedure will support the treatment for a more optimal outcome.

How Dermarolling Therapy Improve Penetration of Topical Drugs?

Microneedling or dermarolling therapy is recommended for penetration of topical drugs and other treatment modality like photosensitizer which is used for skin rejuvenation. Derma rollers with a needle length of 250 to 1500 μm are commonly used while shorter needle lengths between 250 to 500 μm are used to facilitate the penetration of photosensitizers in the stratum corneum, an outermost layer in the epidermis where dead cells are found.

Pre-treatment procedure is vital for the Patient’s Overall Satisfaction

The pre-treatment procedure holds a very important role in the overall outcome of the treatment process.  Giving the patient appropriate pre-treatment advice will help them to be prepared for the possible outcome of the procedure.  Educating the patients is the key for a better outcome and overall satisfaction.

Pre-treatment are also important procedure that prepare the patients for a major medical skin procedure.  Dermarolling therapy for instance is one of the pre-treatment procedures used to ensure a more favorable result because it is an addition from other treatment armamentarium.  It also ensures faster recovery or wound healing.

Bibliography

Rolf-Markus Szeimies, Stephan Lischner, Wolfgang Philipp-Dormston, Thorsten Walker, Dagmar Hiepe-Wegener, Konstantin Feise, Maurizio Podda, Welf Prager, Elisabeth Kohl and Sigrid Karrer. (2013). Photodynamic therapy for skin rejuvenation: treatment options – results of a consensus conference of an expert group for aesthetic photodynamic therapy. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft , 632–636.

Shilpa Garg and Sukriti Baveja. (2014). Combination Therapy in the Management of Atrophic Acne Scars. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. , 18–23.

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