I tried microneedling to plump my lips – it costs less than fillers but left me numb and made my skincare regimen sting
WHEN it comes to beauty, I like to follow Ina Garten's most famous kitchen rule: store-bought is fine.
Since I wasn't born with a super-plump pout, I tried to order my own from Amazon – or, at least, the ingredients to make one.
This wasn't my first venture into at-home lip plumping, but it was definitely the most involved.
Unlike other lip plumpers that work instantly, like glosses or suction cups, microneedling works gradually.
Also known as dermarolling or "collagen induction therapy," it uses tiny needles (as you might've guessed) on a plastic roller.
According to experts, this helps with product absorption and encourages collagen production.
If you want to keep up appearances, you'll have to spend that amount every six to 12 months, depending on how long it takes your fillers to dissipate.
But thanks to a well-timed online coupon, I bought my dermaroller and a serum for under $20.
You can dermaroll yourself from head to toe, since there are specialized microneedling devices for your scalp, body, and face.
The more delicate the area you're treating, the smaller the needle you should use to avoid damaging your skin.
I'm glad I knew this going into my experiment, because a mistake at Amazon's warehouse almost cost me in a big way.
I ordered Amazon for $14, and two days later, as I unboxed my purchase, I noticed something.
While the purchase order and the exterior packaging both said "0.2mm," the microneedling tool was marked with a 0.7mm stamp.
Throughout my three-week trial period, I experimented with the way I applied the serum.
I got the best results (and had the most comfortable experience) when I applied a blob of the serum to my lips and directly to the roller.
You may be as surprised as I was to learn rolling 540 titanium needles into my flesh didn't hurt.
The first time, it stung a little, but I think my pain was anticipatory. Once I was used to it, I didn't feel a thing.
Apparently, one of the common side effects of this practice is "seeping blood," but I never experienced that.
When my skin wasn't properly lubricated with serum, I did experience some pulling and tugging as I dragged the roller across my face.
And once I'd finished dermarolling, I could expect my lips to feel numb for around 30 minutes.
That's why I made sure to hydrate plenty before bed.
Trying to drink water with a just-microneedled mouth resulted in a lot of dribbled mess.
I also had to change up my skincare routine while I used my microneedling tool.
Typically, I apply a vitamin C serum to my face every night and throw on an acid-heavy brightening treatment twice a week.
If you're using a dermaroller, allow at least 12 hours between needling your face and putting acid on it.
Otherwise, it will sting.
Trust me.
Anyway, after those minor adjustments to my regularly-scheduled programming, I was on my way to plumped lips.
It took about two weeks for me to notice a difference.
But I did, as I was putting on lipstick for the first time in a few days.
It was a tiny difference – a fragment of 0.2mm, I'm sure – and still, I was thrilled to use a tiny bit more lipstick than before.
The hardest part of microneedling was making sure all sides of my mouth were even.
You're meant to hold your skin taut as you move the dermaroller over whichever areas you're treating.
There were a few nights when I worried the left side of my upper lip had received more attention than the right side.
Luckily, that didn't register visually, even to my eagle eyes.
After only three weeks of use, I don't think anyone but I would be able to discern an increase in my lips' volume.
The good news is, there were subsidiary benefits to microneedling that I hadn't anticipated.
One source (who chose to remain anonymous but was closely vetted by The U.S. Sun) reported a noteworthy increase in softness.
The source added that, while I had "the softest and prettiest lips of all time" before, both those values increased with consistent dermarolling.
Additional reporting indicated kissing someone who's just used a dermaroller "doesn't even feel weird or anything."
While I definitely saw a difference, I'm much more attuned to the microscopic measurements of my face.
It was more evident in my top lip, and, I felt, more obvious when I smiled.
My top lip has a tendency to disappear when I smile, but with consistent microneedling, I think it will become more visible.
I don't want or need lip fillers, so this is a happy medium for me, and it allows me to leave my bottom lip alone.
The most time-consuming part of microneedling is sanitizing the device before and after use.
I only passed the dermaroller over my lips a few times each evening, then headed to bed while my serum soaked in.
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If you're looking for instant results, this at-home hack isn't for you.
But if you're patient, you might find satisfaction with dermarolling, even if you're the only one who notices a change.