Hair loss is a common condition for men and women. The American Hair Loss Association shares that up to two-thirds of American men experience it by the time they’re 35 while up to 40 percent of American hair loss sufferers are women.
A derma roller is a popular device that serves as an at-home alternative to microneedling. People often use it on their scalp to combat hair loss and boost hair growth.
If you’ve been wondering how often you need to use a derma roller to combat hair loss, you’ve come to the right place. Along with answering how frequently it should be used, we’ll also help you better understand what it is, how it works, and which microneedle size to use.
What Is a Derma Roller?
A derma roller is a handheld tool with a handle and a needle-filled roller. Its needles are tiny and fine, ranging in length from 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm.
Using a derma roller on your skin, beard, or scalp isn’t usually painful though you may experience slight yet tolerable discomfort.
How Does a Derma Roller Work?
Like the microneedling performed by a dermatologist, a derma roller creates micro tears when used on the skin or scalp. This signals the body to send nutrient-rich blood, oxygen, elastin, and collagen to the area so it can start healing.
A derma roller stimulates blood circulation, collagen and elastin production, and cellular turnover. This in turn benefits the skin and hair while promoting their health.
Many people use a derma roller to fight hair loss and hair thinning as well as improve hair health. This simple tool promotes the growth of hair follicles by stimulating stem cells, thereby boosting hair growth.
It also allows skincare and haircare products to penetrate deeper into the skin and scalp so they reach the inner layers. This ensures better absorption and more effective results.
How To Use a Derma Roller for Hair Loss
Using a derma roller may seem easy, but this tool has many small needles that require careful handling. To effectively use a derma roller for treating hair loss, clean and sterilize your derma roller before using it. Your scalp must also be clean and dry.
Run the roller firmly but gently a couple of times across your scalp in different directions: vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. You should feel some pressure but not so much that it hurts.
Avoid rolling on the same area of the scalp excessively as it can injure your scalp or even cause an infection.
Which Microneedle Size Should You Use for Hair Loss?
If you’re using a derma roller for hair loss, start with a 0.5 mm needle size. This is not as sharp as the bigger needles but will still enable professional-grade topical hair growth solutions to absorb into the scalp better.
The DS Laboratories StimuROLLER Hair is an excellent choice. It has 540 titanium needles that improve hair growth in balding and thinning areas. These needles glide smoothly and painlessly over the scalp and stimulate circulation for healthy hair. It can prevent hair loss and promotes a fuller head of hair.
How Often Should You Use a Derma Roller for Hair Loss?
Once you figure out the appropriate microneedle size, you can decide how often to use your derma roller. The longer the needles, the longer you should wait between derma rolling sessions.
Longer needles form bigger punctures which take more time to heal and recover. If you don’t allow enough time for healing, it can cause damage and scarring.
If the needles you use on your scalp are long, you may only have to do it once a month. If you have 0.5 mm needles and can tolerate their regular use, you can use your derma roller on thinning and balding areas weekly. Ease your scalp into tolerating the derma roller by doing it less often at the start.
Over time, you can use your derma roller once or twice weekly to get the best results. Using it more than twice a week can do more harm than good.
Final Thoughts
Derma rollers are a simple, affordable, and accessible at-home hair loss solution. This tool may not be as powerful and effective as professional in-office microneedling treatments. But when used in combination with professional-grade hair growth products, it can help regrow strands and promote healthy, strong hair.
There is limited research on its efficacy. So, make sure you have realistic expectations and don’t expect sudden or immediate hair growth.
Avoid excessive usage or pressure to prevent damage to your scalp and hair follicles. Finally, use a high-quality derma roller such as the one offered by DS Laboratories to ensure better results. With a few derma roller treatments, you may start seeing new growth as well as fuller and healthier hair
