How to Clean a Derma Roller

Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD

Last Updated: October 21, 2024 Approved

A derma roller is a small cosmetic roller used to keep your skin healthy and treat acne and scarring. To avoid contaminating your skin, clean your derma roller before and after you use it. Use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to sterilize your derma roller, sanitize your derma roller with purifying tablets, or use soap for a quick clean. With some disinfectant and patience, you can easily clean your derma roller.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Sterilizing Your Derma Roller

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1
Rinse your derma roller under warm water for 2-3 seconds. Turn on your faucet, and hold your roller under the water for a few seconds to get rid of any superficial debris, like dead skin or blood.^{[1]
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- This helps remove skin particles that may not come off with just alcohol.
2
Pour isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in a small dish. Fill up the bowl with 60-90% rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide so the roller is completely covered. If you use less than 60% isopropyl alcohol, it will not sanitize your derma roller.^{[2]
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- You can use a plastic Tupperware container or ceramic dish, for example.
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3
Soak your derma roller for 10-15 minutes to thoroughly sanitize it. Place your derma roller upside down in your container. The needles of your roller should face upwards.
- If you’d like, you can set a timer on your phone or kitchen clock.
After your derma roller soaks for an hour, remove it from your container and hold it under running water. This gets rid of any remaining skin particles and leftover alcohol or peroxide.^{[3]
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5
Lay your roller upside down on a paper towel and let it air dry. After you sanitize your roller, it is important to keep it free of germs. Flip the handle around so the roller is upside down, and put it on a clean paper towel. Let the roller sit for 10-20 minutes.^{[4]
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- Air-drying is the best method to dry your derma roller. Towels can get caught in the needles.
6
Put your derma roller back in its protective container after it is dry. Once your roller is dry, place it inside its container and fasten the lid. This way, your derma roller stays clean and disinfected.^{[5]
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- If you store your derma roller elsewhere, you can spread bacteria to your face when you next use it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Purification Tablets to Sanitize the Roller

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Use either specialty tablets or denture tablets to clean your roller. Many derma roller companies sell purifying tablets to make cleaning easy. If your roller came with a tablet, read the instructions detailed on the packaging. If your derma roller does not have a cleaning tablet, use denture tablets instead.
- Denture tablets are designed to sanitize, and you can safely use them on your derma roller.
2
Fill a container with warm water as outlined in the instructions. Different purifying tablets will call for varying levels of water. Typically, they use about 1 c (240 mL) or so. Measure the water with a measuring cup, and pour it into a small dish.^{[6]
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- If your derma roller cleaning container has a fill line on the outside, simply use that as a guideline as you fill it.
3
Put 1 tablet inside your container and submerge your derma roller. Rip open the packaging around the individual tablet, and place the tablet into the water. Once you dunk the purifying tablet in the water, the chemicals in the tablet mix with the water to create your sanitizing solution. This happens instantly, so place your derma roller into the water right after the tablet.^{[7]
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- Make sure the entire derma roller is completely covered for a thorough clean.
4
Leave your derma roller in the solution as outlined in the directions. Follow the directions on the packaging to ensure your derma roller is completely sanitized. Some purifying tablets only need to soak for 5-10 minutes.^{[8]
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- If you are using denture cleaning tablets, leave your derma roller in the solution overnight.
5
Rinse your roller lightly in warm water before placing it on a paper towel. Once your derma roller has soaked thoroughly, use warm water to rinse off the solution. Then, set the roller on a clean paper towel for 10-20 minutes so it can air dry.^{[9]
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- If you pat your roller to dry, it may bend the needles. If the needles are bent, they may scratch your face.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Utilizing Other Cleaning Techniques

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1
Soak your roller in soapy water for 20 minutes for a superficial clean. Fill up a plastic container halfway with warm water from your faucet. Add 3-5 drops of dishwashing liquid or Castile soap, and mix it up with a spoon. Then, place your derma roller in the container upside down. Soak your derma roller for 10-20 minutes.
- This gets rid of any surface blood or skin cells.
2
Use a clean, soft toothbrush if you want to scrub away dirt or residue. Derma rollers have many small needles that poke into the pores of your skin. Dirt, blood, and dead skin can get trapped in between the needles. For a deep clean, use a new, clean toothbrush with soft bristles. Turn on warm water, and hold your roller underneath the stream. Brush your roller gently with your toothbrush for about 60 seconds.
- This gets rid of dirt and residue that alcohol or soap may not lift off.
- While this is optional, it provides a deep, thorough clean.
- If you use a used toothbrush, you can spread bacteria to your roller.
3
Roll your roller over a wet sponge to get rid of any remaining debris. Place the wet sponge on a clean, flat surface. Then, move your roller back and forth across the top of the sponge. Do this for 20-45 seconds to get rid of dirt and residue that other methods may not remove.
- This is optional, though it is a good idea if you frequently use your roller or have an older roller.
- Use a new, clean sponge to avoid contaminating your face.
4
Rinse your roller in warm water and let it air dry. Use warm water from your faucet to wash your roller off and get rid of any dirt, skin, blood, or debris that came loose when cleaning it. Then, place your roller upside down on top of a clean paper towel.
- Your roller should dry in about 10-20 minutes.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can the rubbing alcohol be reused? Or just used once and discard?

Community Answer

To clean your derma roller, use rubbing alcohol that contains approximately 90 percent of pure, concentrated ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.

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Can I use Dettol liquid to clean my derma roller?

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Do not use Dettol liquid to clean your derma roller because it won't kill all microorganisms and it can also cause burning to your skin.

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Can I use someone else's derma roller after sterilizing it ?

Community Answer

Don't use someone else's derma roller, it is only meant to be used by one person. Replace it every 3 months to prevent irritation from dull needles.

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Tips

Sterilization removed all microorganisms, while sanitizing thoroughly cleans but an allowable amount of microorganisms remain.

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Regularly cleaning your derma roller may make it last longer. A roller typically is good for 15 uses.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Depending on how often you use it, consider replacing your derma roller every 3-6 months to ensure the needles are sharp and effective.
Be careful not to dull the needles by dropping the roller or tapping it against a hard surface.
For hygiene reasons, it's important never to share your derma roller with anyone else.

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Warnings

Avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach on your derma roller. These chemicals can damage your skin when you use the roller.

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If you don’t clean the derma roller, it can grow bacteria, which transfers to your skin the next time you use it.

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Do not use boiling water when cleaning your derma roller. This can damage the needles.

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