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What Causes The Formation Of New Collagen Fibres?

According to acupuncture literature, we find that after needling the body reacts with the distribution of body-own substances such as endorphins, Kinine cytokines, steroid-like substances and others.

When CIT is performed correctly using a high quality device, the fine micro-needles that penetrate the skin do so only superficially. They do not create a wound in the classical sense as no overt skin or blood vessel damage occurs. Needles appear to “fool” the organism in such a way that our nerve system reacts to the needling as it does to a “normal” injury.

The formation of new tissue (wound healing: Inflammation - Proliferation - Maturation)) is a complex series of reactions and interactions among cells and mediators. But it seems that these processes are somewhat short cut, when the skin is treated with needles. As a series of needles - not longer than 1,5 mm - do not set a wound in the classical sense, our theory is that bioelectricity - also called DEMARCATION CURRENT- triggers the cascade of growth factors immediately to the maturation phase.

It is very well established that our body cells react not only to central nerve system control, but also to inter cellular communication. This communication between cells happens through low intensity electromagnetic fields or electrical impulses that are difficult to measure and consequently often disputed in conservative circles. But this area needs our attention if we are to understand what might cause the restructuring of tissue in the absence of classical injury and overt involvement of blood.

Body cells that are known to react to an electrical current include, for example, fibroblasts, epidermis cells, macrophages, erythrocytes, bone, ligaments and tendons. With high currents we can change the behaviour of cell membranes, but with small currents we can stimulate them to higher activity. There is no dispute that our tissue is an electrolyte that can transport electric currents.

Derma Roller Needle length and penetration into skin

The skin layers

In some very interesting findings by Jaffe et al, the membrane of a living cell has been shown to have a resting electrical potential of -70mV. The interior of the cell is charged negatively in contrast to the positive external surface. The electrical potential depends highly on the transport mechanisms. If a single acupuncture needle come close to a cell the inner electrical potential quickly rises to -100 mV and more. The electrical potential difference is typical in the wound healing process. The materials that penetrate the membrane are ionic and cells change the membrane potential by losing or gaining ions. Relative to its size, the cell membrane potential is enormous. On average its thickness is 70-100 nm (a nanometre is a thousandth of a millionth of 1 meter). This would be equivalent to a 10 million volt potential difference over one meter!

It is known when needles penetrate the skin the electrical skin resistance is lowered. Also Bruce Pomeranz wrote that acupuncture needles lower the local skin resistance. This phenomenon was also investigated with Derma rollers with different needle lengths by Don Owen. The longer the needles (from 0.15 mm to 0.5 mm), the lower the resistance and the higher the conductivity.

In none of the biopsies evaluated by Dr Schwarz was any tissue damage observed (such as scars or other physiological changes) as it would be the case with “normal” injuries (as it occurs for example with injection needles with their flat knifelike tips).

When stainless steel micro-needles penetrate the skin they set fine wounds. Cells react to this intrusion with a "demarcation current". This demarcation current is additionally increased by the needles own electrical potential. We can further hypothesize that micro-needles do not cause overt injury in the classical sense. The body is only somehow 'fooled' into believing that an injury has occurred! Cell membranes react to the local change in electrical potential with increased cell activity and with the release of potassium ion, proteins and growth factors.

Conclusion

Langevin (et al) made the following statement on their research on acupuncture needle grasp: …Cells are thought to exist in a dynamic state of balance that is a function of the polymerization state of the cytoskeleton, the amount of extrinsic applied deformation, and the number and quality of focal adhesion. This state of balance is itself linked to complex cascades of events, including activation of intracellular signalling pathways with phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase and extracellularly regulated kinase (ERK). Cell deformation may also lead to autokrine release of growth factors, binding to extra cellular membrane receptors, and activation of ERK. ERK phosphorylation can lead to activation of ribosomal S6 kinase, which can initiate protein synthesis.

Although we do not know exactly how the needles of the Derma Roller induce such a dramatic amount of collagen in a short session that only lasts 20 to 30 minutes. But we have scientific proof that the needling procedure triggers new collagen fibres, new melanozyts, stimulates re-vas-colorization, hair growth even in scars (Camirand), re-pigments stretch marks, fills depressed acne scars, softens scars and so on.

Quality needles do not damage the skin in the sense of a classical injury. The pricking channels close within 60 to 90 minutes and infections therefore are unlikely. In contrary to new laser devices such as Fraxel that beam penetrate the skin as much as 600 to 700 µm, the Derma Roller needles induce new cell formation exactly where it is needed, right in the corium.

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