Are you suffering from hair loss and looking for a solution to regrow your hair beautifully? Well…If I start to talk about my hair care journey, it can’t be fulfilled without mentioning the role of a derma roller for hair growth. Have you ever considered adding this wonder device to your hair growth journey?
If you are someone who has just started using a derma roller or is planning to, stick around. In this article, I am going to share everything you need to know about this magical device before you incorporate it into your hair care regimen. Let’s begin
What is a Derma Roller?
A derma roller is basically a small device that has multiple tiny, fine needles. These needles are made from a strong metal, usually titanium or stainless steel. This device is also called microneedle and the process of using this to stimulate hair growth is called microneedling.
When rolled on a particular area of the skin or the scalp, it promotes a micro injury or a controlled injury to the skin, which increases collagen formation, and microcirculation and brings a lot of growth factors to that area.
How a Derma Roller Works for Hair Growth
Let’s discuss the magic of how this tiny device stimulates hair growth and eases your hair care journey. When you roll the derma roller on your head, it creates micro incisions in your scalp. That’s when your body’s natural healing process comes to the rescue. And that’s the key!
For example, suppose you get wounds in any part of your body, your body sends nutrients to that place so that it can heal faster. When you intentionally create injuries on your scalp, your body also sends nutrients to that area. As nutrients and oxygen reach your scalp, your hair follicles are stimulated and regenerated. And then what’s the result? Hair regrowth!
Benefits of Derma Roller for Hair Growth
At first glance, you may not realize the numerous benefits of this tiny device. But trust me, if I say this is a wonder device, I am not exaggerating at all! Want to know the benefits? Let’s explore some
Boost Collagen Production
When the needles of a derma roller penetrate the scalp, they create tiny punctures in the skin. These micro-injuries created by the hundreds of needles trigger the body’s repair response and stimulate collagen production as a part of the healing process.
Now if you are wondering what on earth this collagen is, well, this is something essential for healthy hair and skin. Collagen is a protein, crucial for maintaining the health and elasticity of the skin and supporting healthier hair growth.
Related Article: 5 effective ways to boost collagen production
Improve Blood Flow
When you use a derma roller on a particular area of your scalp, the microneedles in it stimulate blood vessels and increase blood circulation to that area. Enhanced blood flow delivers more oxygen and essential nutrients to hair follicles. And more nutrients mean more healthy hair growth!
Enhanced Absorption of Topical Products
Normally we use hair oils, serums or sometimes minoxidil (on doctor’s prescription) to tackle hair loss problems. But do you know that if you use these topical products after micro-needling, you will see a better result compared to using them alone?
By creating micro-channels, derma rollers facilitate deeper penetration of these ingredients and make them more effective in stimulating hair growth. Many healthcare professionals suggest using a derma roller alongside minoxidil to get the best result.
Stimulates Stem cells
Stem cells are unique types of cells with the ability to develop into various cell types in the body.
Stem cells in the hair follicle’s microenvironment play a vital role in hair growth and regeneration. A derma roller has the potential to activate these stem cells in the scalp and regrow hair.
How to Choose The Perfect Derma Roller?
To choose the perfect derma roller, you need to consider two important things. First, the metal of needles and second, which needle size is best for you.
Which Needle Metal Is Best?
You can get many types of derma rollers with different needle types like stainless steel, titanium, chromium, nickel etc. But the best thing would be something that will not react to the skin or cause any inflammation on your skin. And at the same time, it has to be very strong. Because if the needle becomes blunt or dull then it can become a very big issue.
So the best is going to be titanium. They are strong and they don’t cause any allergic responses. At the same time, you may get a lot of stainless steel derma rollers which are too cheap but the problem is stainless steel becomes blunt very quickly as compared to titanium needles.
Which Needle Size is Best?
These needles come in various sizes. You will find lengths ranging from 0.25mm to 2.5mm. But as skin thickness varies for every individual, It’s not like particular mm of needles will work the same for everyone
The main purpose of using a derma roller is to create injuries and encourage the body’s natural healing response. But as it is also used for the better absorption of topical products, the needle length should be long enough to cross your epidermis and enter the dermis as well.
When it comes to using a derma roller at home for hair growth 0.5mm or 0.75mm is enough. Anything less than 1mm is okay to start with but it will not give you the best result. The best results are going to come between 1 to 1.5mm. That length is more than sufficient. But it should only be used by your doctor. The reason is that 1mm or 1.5mm or more than this, can cause bleeding. If it bleeds then the chances of infection increase, the chances of scar tissue increase and the chances of damage to your hair follicles increase.
For some patients who have extreme levels of skin thickening on the scalp due to various reasons, some doctors can even go 1.5 to 2mm for them. But that’s totally a doctor’s call.
I personally use a 1 mm derma roller now. But if you are a newbie, start with 0.5mm and then gradually increase the needle size once you get used to it.
How to Use Derma Roller for Hair Growth?
Clean your scalp: It’s very important to keep your scalp clean and dry before using the derma roller. So make sure you are using the derma roller on a clean scalp.
Sanitize the derma roller: Before and after each use, sanitize the derma roller with alcohol to prevent any risk of infection.
Roll gently: Select a small area where you want to regrow hair and then roll the derma roller in multiple directions. Apply the derma roller 6-7 times in each direction. First horizontally, then vertically and then diagonally, like you are creating a star. Apply gentle pressure to avoid injury.
Apply topical products: Okay, you prepare your scalp for better absorption. Now is the time to apply topical products like hair serums or minoxidil. But be careful not to apply anything on the irritated scalp. It’s better to use products 24 hours after microneedling.
Clean the derma roller: Soak the derma roller for 5-10 minutes in alcohol. Dry it and then keep it in the dedicated box and store it in a clean area for next use.
Who Should Not Use Derma Roller?
Derma rolling or microneedling is normally a not-so-invasive procedure. But still, it may not be suitable for everyone all the time.
If you have any active wounds or infections on your scalp or any sensitive condition like eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis, microneedling is not for you. It may worsen your condition further. So be careful not to go for this without consulting with your doctor.
Frequency of Using Derma Roller
The frequency of using a derma roller is based on various conditions like your scalp health and needle size. If we consider the needle length
- 0.25mm can be used more frequently. You can use this approximately 2 times per week.
- 0.5 mm is recommended to be used once a week.
- 1mm needles can be used once every 10-14 days.
- 1.5mm and above needles are typically used by doctors and are for more severe cases. It should not be used more than once a month.
Wrapping Up
Using needles on the scalp may seem overwhelming at first, but I can confidently say that if you give it a try and use it properly, you won’t regret it. You might even fall in love with it for the rest of your life, just like I have.
