Microneedling has had something of a moment over the last decade. It started as a niche treatment used by aesthetic doctors, moved into the wider clinic world, then exploded onto the high street with at home dermarollers in every drawer. By the time most clients walk into our consultation room asking about microneedling, they’ve seen ten different versions of it being marketed, often with very different promises attached.
So we wanted to put together a clear, honest pillar piece. What microneedling actually does, how the modern techniques differ from the original dermaroller approach, where SQT bio liquid microneedling fits in, and where Plaxel Plasma steps in when needling alone isn’t quite the right answer. By the end of this you should be in a much better position to know which approach would suit your skin, and which to be cautious about.
What microneedling actually does
At its simplest, microneedling creates very small, controlled channels in the upper layers of the skin. Those channels trigger the skin’s natural wound healing response, which means new collagen and elastin production, improved cell turnover, and improved penetration of any active ingredients applied alongside.
The principle is sound and the science is well established. The differences between treatments aren’t really about the principle. They’re about the depth, the precision, the consistency of the channels, and what’s applied alongside. That’s where modern professional treatments earn their keep over the dermaroller you might have used at home.
Traditional dermaroller and where it sits today
The original dermaroller is a hand held drum studded with small needles, rolled across the skin to create the microchannels. At home rollers use very short needles, typically 0.25mm to 0.5mm, which is genuinely safe but also too superficial to do much beyond improving product penetration.
Clinic grade dermarollers can go deeper, but the technique has been largely replaced by pen devices because the pen offers more control. A roller drags across the skin in two directions which can pull and tear at the surface. A pen punctures vertically, creating cleaner channels at a precise depth. For serious skin work, the pen has won the argument.
Home dermarollers still have a place for gentle product penetration and they’re hard to harm yourself with at shallow depths. They’re not, however, doing the deep collagen work that professional treatments do.
Professional needling pens
Modern clinic devices use motorised pen heads with disposable needle cartridges. The therapist can adjust the depth, often from 0.25mm up to 2.5mm, and move the device across the skin in controlled passes.
Different depths do different jobs. Shallow passes improve texture and product absorption. Deeper passes target scarring, stretch marks and significant ageing change. Most treatments use a combination of depths across different facial areas, because the skin around the eyes needs a different approach to the cheeks or chin.
This is where training and experience matter considerably. The same device in different hands produces very different results, because microneedling isn’t just about pressing buttons. It’s about reading the skin, choosing the right depth for the right area, and knowing when to stop.
SQT bio liquid microneedling
SQT is one of the more interesting developments in needling. It uses naturally occurring silica spicules, microscopic crystal like structures derived from sea sponges, suspended in a serum. When the serum is worked into the skin, the spicules act as tiny needles, embedding themselves into the upper layers and triggering the same kind of regenerative response as a needling pen.
The advantages are real. The treatment is gentler in the moment, less likely to provoke inflammation in reactive skin types, and arguably safer on darker skin tones where traditional needling carries a higher risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The downtime is also typically lighter.
We use SQT particularly for clients where standard needling would be too aggressive, for sensitive or rosacea prone skin in the right phase, and for skin tones where caution around inflammation is paramount. It’s not a replacement for traditional needling in every case, but it adds a useful tool to the bench.
Plaxel Plasma and where needling meets plasma
Plaxel Plasma works on a different principle to needling. Instead of creating physical channels, it uses a fine plasma arc to create tiny points of controlled trauma on the surface of the skin. The healing response is similar in some ways, but the mechanism is different and the applications are different.
Plasma tends to be better for skin tightening, particularly around the eyes, the marionette lines, and crepey neck skin where needling alone doesn’t address the looseness. Needling is generally better for texture, fine scarring and overall collagen stimulation across larger areas.
In our clinic, the two are often used in combination. A client with both ageing and surface change might have needling work on the cheeks and forehead alongside plasma work on the upper eyelids. The combination, properly planned, delivers more than either treatment alone.
Choosing the right depth and protocol
Depth selection is the most important single factor in microneedling outcomes. Too shallow, and you’ve spent the time and money for product penetration you could have got at home. Too deep, and you’ve risked unnecessary inflammation, longer downtime, and on the wrong skin tone, possible pigmentation issues.
We assess skin condition, skin tone, target concerns and tolerance at consultation, and build a course around the right depths for the right areas. Most clients benefit from a course of three to six sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart, with home prescriptives running alongside to support the healing and amplify the results.
Is microneedling right for you?
Microneedling earns its place for clients with specific concerns it can address: fine lines, loss of skin tone, mild to moderate scarring, large pores, dull texture, and stretch marks in certain cases. It’s not the right call for active acne, for skin currently in a flare of rosacea or eczema, or for skin that hasn’t been properly assessed.
Honest consultation is the starting point. If needling is the right tool, we’ll say so. If something else would serve you better, we’ll say that too.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between dermaroller and SQT?
A dermaroller is a hand held drum of needles rolled across the skin to create microchannels. SQT uses microscopic silica spicules embedded into the skin via a serum, achieving a similar regenerative effect through a gentler mechanism. SQT is particularly useful for sensitive skin and darker skin tones where minimising inflammation matters.
How deep should the needles go?
Depth depends on what’s being treated. Shallow passes at 0.25mm to 0.5mm improve texture and product penetration. Deeper work at 1mm to 2.5mm targets scarring, ageing change and stretch marks. Most treatments use a combination of depths across different facial areas, and the choice should be made by an experienced practitioner who can read the skin.
Is microneedling safe to do at home?
Home dermarollers at very shallow depths (0.25mm) are generally safe but limited in what they achieve, mainly improving product absorption rather than driving collagen change. Anything deeper should be left to clinic settings with proper sterile technique, depth control and aftercare. Deep needling at home carries real risks of infection and scarring.
