Hair loss affects over 50 million Americans. According to the American Hair Loss Association, 85% of men will have significant hair loss.
Yet, men are not the only sufferers. Women also experience hair thinning and loss, especially after menopause. Most people use their hair as a way to express their style and personality. Indeed, people who lose their hair often lose their self-confidence and feel that part of their identity is compromised when their hair starts thinning.
To combat hair loss, people try a variety of solutions, including products, different styling methods, surgery, and microneedling. Let’s take a look at the 5 ways derma rollers help with hair loss and stimulates hair growth.
First Things First - What Are Derma Rollers?
A dermaroller is a device that that causes multiple micro-injury points to the surface of the skin to increase circulation. As a form of microneedling, dermarolling has been around for several decades as a way to stimulate the skin. A dermaroller is a simple device that anyone can use at home to help boost hair growth. Essentially, the needles on a dermaroller are just long enough to prick the dermal layer of the skin to stimulate hair growth. People also use dermarollers on their faces to increase collagen production, which in turn reduces wrinkles and makes the skin look more youthful.
5 Ways Dermarollers Help With Hair Loss & Stimulates Hair Growth
#1 - Derma rollers cause low-level trauma
Dermarollers cause low levels of trauma to the area where they are applied. Although dermarolling is generally a painless process, the microneedles cause trauma to your epidermis (your skin’s outer layer). The goal of microneedling is to reach the dermal layer of your skin to encourage wound healing. The wound healing process creates a cascade of reactions in your skin that helps to repair damage from the needles and promotes tissue repair. Eventually, wound healing causes hair regrowth.
#2 - Stimulates your skin’s natural anti-aging agents
Collagen and elastin are fibers found in our bodies that support our tissues, such as our joints and muscles. Collagen and elastin are responsible for supporting the structure of our skin. Specifically, collagen keeps the skin firm while elastin helps to keep the skin tight. As we get older, we lose collagen and elastin, which causes the skin to wrinkle and become loose. Derma rolling helps to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Collagen, in particular, is especially crucial for hair regrowth because it provides the amino acids that build hair.
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#3 - Increases circulation to the follicle
Boosting your circulation is key to delivering nutrients and oxygen to your hair follicles. In some hair loss conditions, blood circulation is not sufficient to the scalp, which takes away vital building blocks necessary for hair growth. Remember, hair is unnecessary for our survival (although it used to be essential in human ancestors). Thus, circulation to our scalp decreases when other body systems present a greater need. Because dermarolling causes micro-trauma, it forces your body to send blood to your scalp, nourishing and hydrating your hair follicles.
#4 - Incites skin cell proliferation
The subtle trauma inflicted by derma rolling not only increases circulation, but it also causes wound healing. To heal the wounds inflicted on the skin, we must make new skin cells. This process not only repairs your skin but also causes your hair to regrow. Fortunately, the needles on a dermaroller are not long enough to cause scarring, which is a normal part of skin remodeling. However, if you are a person that easily scars or you have particularly sensitive skin, it is important to talk with a dermatologist first to make sure derma rolling will not cause unnecessary scarring.
#5 - Creates a pathway for serums
Aside from helping your hair grow by way of healing micro-traumas to the skin, derma rolling also creates pathways for nourishing and hair regrowth products to travel more deeply in the scalp. Thus, derma rolling can improve the absorption of hair regrowth serums and may, in turn, deliver more noticeable results. Because derma rolling allows products to penetrate your skin more effectively, you will want to make sure you are using the best products possible with the least amount of side effects. Look for products that contain hair regrowth compounds that include Nanoxidil 5%, caffeine, retinol, adenosine, and azelaic acid.
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How To Use A Dermaroller
There are specialists who perform dermarolling services. If it is your first time using a dermaroller, seeing a licensed provider can help you learn how to use it properly and effectively. However, you can certainly do dermarolling at home.
Most hair follicles sit between 1 and 2 millimeters down from the surface of your skin. Thus, most sources recommend starting with a 0.5mm dermaroller to ensure that you are penetrating deep enough. Keep in mind, while longer needles may cause pain, shorter needles may not be long enough to reach the follicles. Thus, 0.5mm needles are a good length to start. Furthermore, your scalp will require more time in between uses if you use longer needles. People using 0.5mm needles can do this treatment about one to three times a week.
Before using your dermaroller, make sure your hair and scalp are as clean as possible. Shampoo and scrub your scalp, followed by combing through your hair with a wide-toothed comb. It is best to wait until your hair is dry before you use the dermaroller.
To begin, start by placing the dermaroller at the edge of where you are experiencing hair loss. Slowly roll the dermaroller horizontally over the area you want to see more growth. Work from one side to the other and then go vertically. You will want to do several passes in each spot for the best results. You can do this in areas that you notice hair loss or all over your head.
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Things To Be Cautious Of When Using A Dermaroller
Firstly, while some studies suggest dermarolling improves hair loss, it is much more effective when you have a professional microneedling session. At-home dermarolling does not tend to yield the best results compared to professional-grade assistance with hair loss.
Using a dermaroller is not a damaging process when used correctly, and most people do not have any issues with dermarolling. However, some people do experience uncomfortable side effects with correct and incorrect use. For example, some people report:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Bruises
- Pain and discomfort
- Increased sensitivity (especially to sunlight)
- Wounds (the risk for infection is very low)
- Scarring
If you have a skin condition, it is important to talk to your dermatologist before trying dermarolling, as it may further aggravate the skin or cause poor wound healing.
If you desire a full head of hair without side effects or are averse to needles, dermatological technology has made significant strides in helping men and women re-growth their hair.
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Whether you have androgenic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, or hair loss from medical conditions, DS Laboratories offers professional-grade hair re-growth systems that re-grow your hair.
These products work by nourishing your scalp and acting at the site of the follicles without damaging your skin. Shop for products that contain Nanoxidil 5% - a breakthrough redensifying treatment delivered via nanosome technology that reaches your follicles to stimulate, nourish, and protect the follicles from agents that suppress hair growth.