Winter is the ideal time to give your skin a WOF. Editor Trudi Brewer is under the spell of Dermapen 4, a facial treatment that packs a powerful, glow-giving punch into just five minutes.
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If your complexion needs rejuvenating, Dermapen 4 is a game-changer. Why? It stimulates your natural collagen production to improve the signs of ageing and skin damage - I promise - I am a die-hard fan. Here’s why.
WHAT IS DERMAPEN 4?
Microneedling (aka collagen induction therapy) is nothing new, but in my humble opinion, Dermapen 4 is a step above the rest. It’s a pen-like device that looks a bit like a digital thermometer with 16-needle cartridges, which, as it swiftly passes over the skin, leaves tiny holes (around one millimetre deep) in the skin. Those one million channels help active serums penetrate deeply while creating a wound response in the skin that kick starts your collagen production.
HOW DOES IT TRANSFORM YOUR SKIN?
That wound response is designed to treat various skin concerns, from fine lines to wrinkles, loose skin, acne scarring, brown spots from sun damage, and even stretch marks. A Dermapen 4 treatment only takes five minutes for the face, then another five minutes for the neck and decollete, with at least three passes over the skin with the pen. The glow is immediate, but it gets better over time, boosting your natural collagen, and elastin is the cushion the skin needs to look plumper and firmer.
Who is this treatment targeted at?
One of the most significant advantages of the Dermapen 4 is that it offers a more natural alternative to invasive anti-ageing and is suitable for all skin types. It works equally effectively on the face and upper arms, the tummy (stretch marks), deep scarring or problematic loose skin.
My Dermapen 4 treatment at OFF & ON
Step one: The DP Tri-Phase Cleanser is the first step, followed by the DP Microderm Exfoliant to remove makeup; both are removed with a cool compress to avoid heating the skin. This essential step ensures skin is thoroughly clean, and bacteria-free, a final spritz with a skin sanitiser, and the treatment begins.
Step two: Beauty therapist Zoe Wardlow gently applies a serum, a blend of retinol and moisture-boosting hyaluronic from OFF&ON in Newmarket Auckland. She starts the treatment at the forehead and moves to the cheeks and jawline. Around the nose (to reduce the look of redness from broken capillaries) and around the lips (to smooth those pucker lines), finally, she passes over the neck and decollete, using a range of needle depths from 0.3 to 1.0. The Dermapen 4 needling takes around ten minutes, and the treatment is complete. I won’t lie; it’s not pain-free; the forehead and upper lip are a bit spicy, but it’s over quickly, and post-needling, my skin only looked slightly flushed.
Step three: A cooling Hyla Active sheet mask is applied. It’s infused with vitamin B, hyaluronic acid and copper peptides to cool and hydrate the skin and speed up skin healing.
Step four: A DP Vitamin Rich Repair moisturiser is applied with skin-healing benefits, followed by the DP Cover Recover SPF30, which is tinted or clear. This is your SPF-loaded, skin-repairing, and skin-blurring cream all in one. Then, I’m dressed and back to the office.
The cost: Face and decollete $350 each per treatment, and neck, $250.
THE RESULTS
The visible results are immediate - with a pinkish glow. My skin was slightly itchy the next day and felt somewhat rough. The rest of my skin looked normal, apart from a couple of dry patches on my cheek. The second day my skin was glowing, and I could see a renewed look of radiance. The best is yet to come – over the next month, my skin will continue to look firmer and brighter - if you are contemplating a skin rejuvenating treatment over winter - hand on heart, Dermapen 4 will not disappoint - it’s the skin treatment that keeps on giving.
If you’re considering dermal needling, selecting a Dermapen Gold Authorised Treatment Provider Clinic will ensure you’re not only choosing superior results, you’re guaranteed to be in safe hands with a quality device, protocol skin infusion products and advanced safety standards.
Post-treatment advice
The tiny skin channels (holes) created by the Dermapen 4 are open on the skin for at least 24 hours. So it’s essential to be careful what you put on your skin. Don’t use any active skincare (like retinol or AHA’s), don’t apply self-tan or wear makeup, and keep products to a minimum for the next two to three days.
Cosmetic medicine expert Dr Ellen Selkon explains.