What did I review?
A Dermapen treatment.
Where was it?
At Dr Sujata Garach, an experienced and trained GP with a special interest in Aesthetics. Read all about Dr Garach’s clinic in Laudium, Pretoria here.
What was my experience?
I’ve known Dr Garach for some time, but this is the first time I’ve actually had a treatment with the lovely doc. Dr Garach has always been a very kind, genuine and authentic person and this spills over into her work, her practice and the way she treats patients.
It was a lovely experience with a comprehensive consultation beforehand ensuring I knew everything I could possibly expect, as well as post-treatment care instructions.
What did the treatment include?
Before arriving at the clinic I applied a numbing cream (Emla which I bought at Dischem) all over my face about 40 mins before the treatment. Something I didn’t need to do at all but did because deep down inside I’m a sissy.
You see, Dermapen falls into a skin needling treatment which can be painful should the doctor needle deeply – the only difference between skin needling with a roller and Dermapen is that a roller’s pressure and depth of needling is controlled by your therapists hand. Whereas with Dermapen the doctor is able to pre-set the depth at which the needles needle your skin. For my treatment, we didn’t needle too deeply.
Treatment protocol was as follows
- Cleanse the skin twice
- Alcohol swab to sanitise the skin
- The Dermapen treatment itself is only 15 minutes
- A serum mixture of Hyla Active (stimulates collagen synthesis), Cosmeretin (for blemishes) and Vit C 20% (for skin brightness) was applied to the skin and then Dr Garach used the Dermapen over the serum mix, essentially needling it in. The area worked on was my whole face (including above and under eyes, over nose), neck and décolleté.
- After the 15 minutes of Dermapen, a Dermapen sheet mask was applied over my face. This brings more moisture and promotes skin calming.
- A Dermapen vitamin rich repair serum was then applied
- Lastly, because your skin is red and flushed post treatment, Lycogel with an SPF of 30 was applied to my face for inflammation. Lycogel is a medical foundation that offers coverage and promotes further nourishment for your skin.
Was it painful?
No, not for me. The numbing cream had worn off eventually and the Dermapen felt more like a vibration against my skin rather than painful needling.
What did I think?
I’ve heard people rave about Dermapen before and now I know exactly why they all sing its praise. While my skin was red straight after, the following morning, my skin was bright, radiant and smooth and definitely felt tighter.
What are the side effects?
Post-treatment I experienced:
- Redness – this went away within three to four hours (but bear in mind I have relatively sensitive skin)
- Hotness/tingling/burning on the skin – this was very minor. Almost felt more like a light tingling sunburn
- Swollen – I didn’t experience this, but patients who have deep(er) needling can
- Do not expose the treated area to the sun so as to avoid post-treatment hyperpigmentation and wear sunscreen at all times
- Do not wash or cleanse your face until the next day, this way all the serums can continue to penetrate nicely over a few hours
- Do not touch your face too often or even hold your phone to your ear a few hours post-treatment. This is because hands/phones can be grubby and you don’t want those germs gaining access to your freshly needled face
- For a few days after the treatment, I applied a Vitamin C product by Mesoestetic, and a Neostrata Repair cream plus a Heliocare sunscreen to keep my skin nourished and protected
Who is it for?
Dermapen treats all kinds of indications on the face and body:
- Wrinkle and fine line reduction
- Collagen boosting, plumping and rejuvenation
- Skin tightening around face, neck and décolleté and pretty much any part of the body (think saggy knees?)
- Post-partum (helps to tighten saggy skin after giving birth. Ideal for women who may not require surgery but may need/want some small but significant skin tightening)
- Pigmentation, sun spots
- Dr Garach even needled over my eyebrows to stimulate hair growth
- Large pores
- Stretch marks
- Scars (acne, surgical and burns)
- Alopecia (in conjunction with a topical treatment)
- And so much more
What does it cost?
The base treatment at Dr Garach is R1100 per treatment (includes two serums). However, the price will differ/increase based on the mixture of serums used to treat your individual skin concerns and needs.
How many treatments do I need?
Best and long term results are seen after four to six treatments. Followed by one to two maintenance treatments per year.
I only had one treatment and am SERIOUSLY considering going for at least another five.
Where can you get it?
This review was about trying out a treatment at Dr Sujata Garach’s practice and I happened to choose a Dermapen treatment. You can contact Dr Garach using the contact details below.
For more info about Dermapen itself, visit Genop Healthcare, the distributors of Dermapen in South Africa.
Anything else you should know?
Yes, Dr Garach offers a range of other medical aesthetic and anti-ageing treatments including but not limited to:
- Visia complexion skin analysis
- IV skin lightening
- Medical skin peels and laser
- Pigmentation
- Face and body contouring
- Advanced skin needling (Dermapen)
- Anti-wrinkle injections
- Dermal fillers
- Women’s wellness
- Plus so much more
Get in touch with Dr Sujata Garach
Website: www.drsujatagarach.co.za
Email: chetansujata@hotmail.com
Phone: 012 374 0324
Facebook: www.facebook.com/drsujatagarach
Twitter: www.twitter.com/dr_garach
Physical Address: Suite No.2, Savannah Centre, 290 Tangerine Street, Laudium, Gauteng
Practice Number: 1549766
About the author
Rochelle is the founder and driving force behind the Aesthetic Appointment Journal. With a passion for the aesthetics and pro-ageing industry in South Africa, she has been in the aesthetic publishing industry since 2012, dedicated to creating a valuable platform for insights and knowledge, bridging the gap between patients and doctors - delivering reliable, medical-based information. Rochelle firmly believes in the power of a good skincare regimen, especially when started at home, and is committed to educating consumers about the myriad of treatments, procedures, and products available to them.