Treat Vitamin A and Vitamin C like Minoxidil, meaning do not use for at least 24 hours after dermarolling.
Vitamin A (Retinoids)
Vitamin A boosts Collagen growth. Retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are vitamers of vitamin A.
Retinoic Acid is stronger than Retinal. (Retinoic Acid is the strongest vitamin A derivative)
Retinal is stronger than Retinol.
Retinol is stronger than Retinyl. (Retinyl is the weakest Vitamin A derivative)
Topical retinoids act through retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X receptors, increasing the amount of type I procollagens and decreasing the amount of MMPs. Retinoic Acid increases the amount of type I, III, and VII collagens in the dermis, and can reorganize the dermal collagen into new woven bundles. However, they can be irritating to a significant percentage of the population, and further development of ways to reduce their irritation potential is needed. Retinol, which metabolizes to retinaldehyde and retinoic acid, has been found to be less irritating than retinoic acid and is widely used as an ingredient for antiaging cosmeceuticals [2019].
Tretinoin
.01% tretinoin once-daily while on Minoxidil increased Minoxidil effectiveness for the treatment of AGA (Androgenetic Alopecia) [2007].
Tretinoin was shown to stimulate some hair regrowth in approximately 58% of the subjects studied [1986].
Treatment of photodamaged skin with all-trans retinoic acid increases type I procollagen expression, potentially through increased expression or activation of TGF-β. In addition, treatment of skin with all-trans retinoic acid before UV exposure inhibits collagen breakdown by matrix metalloproteinases and protects against UV-induced reduction of procollagen expression. Therefore, all-trans retinoic acid and its metabolic precursor all-trans retinol (vitamin A) should have the capacity to both repair existing photodamage and retard accumulation of new photodamage [2000].
Tretinoin use by pregnant women or breast-feeding women is not advised and can cause deformaties in the baby. Do not get any Tretinoin on them.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C increases collagen production, among other things. When Vitamin C is used topically prior to dermarolling it enhances the effects of the dermarolling [2008].
The max concentration that the skin can absorb is 20% Vitamin C. Skin is fully saturated after 3 daily applications of Vitamin C. The half-life of Vitamin C is about 4 days [2001]. Vitamin C’s purest form is L-ascorbic acid.
Vitamin C is a DHT blocker, so only use it in the days before you dermaroll [1987].
Hyaluronic Acid (Lotion)
Hyaluronic Acid is a naturally occurring anionic polysaccharide most abundantly present in mammalian skin where it is localized in the dermis and in the epidermis [2011]. Almost half of all Hyaluronic Acid in the body is in the skin [2018].
Wound healing has 3 main steps and each step involves Hyaluronic Acid [2014]. Several in vitro (in a glass) and in vivo (within a living thing) studies have shown Hyaluronic Acid treatment has anti-inflammatory, wound healing, chondroprotective, antiangiogenic, anti-ageing and immunosuppressive effects, among others [2017].
Hyaluronic Acid promotes fibroblast/cell proliferation and viability, and increases type I collagen [2020]. Same as dermarolling.
Hyaluronic Acid suppresses IL-1β, which is good because IL-1β suppresses transcriptional activity of type VI collagen, which in effect reduces the cartilage matrix tissue [1999].
All of the above shows that using Hyaluronic Acid after dermarolling will increase the healing and make the dermarolling more effective.