I Tried Dermapen So You Don’t Have To. (But Maybe You Should.)

If you know me, you’ll know I want to look young forever. But you’ll also know that, while I talk a big game, I’m actually kind of scared to have needles stuck in my face or bits of me cut open. I kind of want to try Botox/filler/etc, and no judgement on anyone who does get it, I just… haven’t had the courage (yet).

(I reserve the right to change my mind about this and give any or all of the above a go some day, but we’ll see.)

(Wow I use a lot of brackets hey.)

So anyway, the idea of pain scares me. And the idea of half my face going droopy or looking like a duck if they do a dodgy job scares me more. But for some reason (probably the lack of risk of droopy face), I got Dermapen done — and continue to do so because, even though it hurts (anyone who says it doesn’t is straight up lying), it seems to actually work.

Dermapen, aka skin needling, is basically teeny, tiny micro needles whizzing super-fast and puncturing the skin’s surface to stimulate collagen production. Collagen is what that makes our skin springy and soft and tight, and we produce less of it as we age, which equals saggy skin and wrinkles. So collagen production is good for when you want to look young forever.

On their website, Clear Skincare Clinic (which is where I get it done) gives a bit more info:

“The Dermapen penetrates and vibrates the skin at a speed of 108 per second, making 1296 micro channels per second. By creating these micro-punctures in the skin, it stimulates collagen production, tightens pores, improves muscle tone and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Micro needling is used to treat and improve conditions like acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, loose skin, skin texture, pore size, brown spots, stretch marks, and pigment issues. It’s also called skin needling, collagen induction therapy.”

About an hour post-treatment, feeling a little red and splotchy and not super cute.

What exactly happens during treatment?

You lie down feeling possibly kind of queasy because, how much is this going to hurt exactly? The nice person doing your treatment cleanses your face and wipes you down with an alcohol wipe (which you need to hold your breath for because it stinks but is necessary and worth it because they’re literally about to puncture your skin all over, so you don’t want any bacteria or germs hanging around your head).

Your beauty pro turns the machine on, and it sounds like what I always thought a tattoo gun would sound like (and then I went with a friend when she got a tattoo recently and it turns out I was completely wrong – Dermapen is louder). It’s just basically a relatively intense buzzing.

To do the actual needling, they kind of just swipe the machine over your face, drenching your skin in hyaluronic acid (hydration for days) while they go, sweeping over the same area, going back and forwards a few times – so it’s maybe not as quick as you want it to be. They do sections of your face at a time – and if it “gets too much”, you can take a break.

Look, it’s unpleasant, there’s no doubt about that. I might even go so far as to say deeply so. The fact that you’re offered to take a break gives a bit of a hint at the pain factor involved BUT, with that said, I am a total wuss and really hate pain and I’ve only had to take breaks, like, twice. (And I’ve lost count of how many treatments I’ve had, maybe like six or seven?)

For me, I’d say the temples and forehead probably hurt the most, probably because there’s less padding between skin and bone there. And last time, when they were hanging around near my brows, I could not stop sneezing. It was awkward. But apparently pretty normal, according to the gal doing my treatment.

You might be wondering what I was wondering before my first time: do you bleed? I never have. Apparently, you can if the device is set to a deeper setting, like, it’s not out of the realms of possibility – but that deeper setting is more for when they’re dealing with deep scarring, I’m told.

After treatment, which probably takes about five minutes but it feels like more, they douse you with more hyaluronic, give you some strict instructions (do not wet your face until the next morning; cleanse, moisturise and sunscreen only for 48 hours; mineral makeup only the day after; use copper peptide serum after 48 hours, and no other prods with active ingredients for a week… they give it to you on a piece of paper, which is good, because I often feel a tiny bit traumatised and instructions don’t sink in), and send you on your way with a face that feels a little bit like it’s on fire.

I know it sounds like I’m not selling it here. But I want to be completely honest about it. It sounds unpleasant and painful, and it is both. But there’s a reason I keep going back every month for another round: I think it’s doing something good.

No makeup, no filter. No sleep either, apparently, and admittedly some pretty nice lighting, but still…

My skin is looking and feeling better than before I started. Tone and texture are improved. I’m getting compliments about looking fresh and glowy (who doesn’t want that?). And for the first time in maybe… 20 years, I feel comfortable(ish) without any makeup on.

I can’t say for sure it’s all down to the Dermapen (plus the skin peels and LED light sessions I do in between), because I changed up my skincare routine at around the same time, so it’s probably a little bit of everything coming into play.

I would say, though, that if you’re going to give Dermapen a try, persist despite the pain, because I didn’t start seeing much of a difference until I’d had a few sessions.

And also – you’ve been warned.