By repeating this method daily for a year I’ve been able to generate thousands of new hair follicles in my scalp. My hair is around four times thicker and my hairline has grown forward about an inch.
When you roll the Dermaroller over skin, the needles create tiny, invisible wounds in the tissue. Directly after using the Dermaroller there is a period of about an hour in which the cells in the wound are ‘deciding’ which new tissue to generate. Chemical messages are sent between cells by tiny proteins called ‘growth factors’. Usually they would only signal to generate new skin tissue to replace the tiny piece of tissue that has been removed by the Dermaroller pins. However, when we apply a special combination of ingredients, we can influence the cells in the wounds to generate completely new hair follicles.
Essentially we are safely modifying the growth factors in the tiny wounds so that they tell the cells to create new hair follicles. This is called ‘wound induced hair follicle neogenesis’.
I’m going to show you how to use this fundamental healing mechanism to generate thousands of new hair follicles. This is exactly what I’ve done and it is simply the best way possible to generate new hair and increase your hair density. You’ll see why shortly.
It’s Completely Safe and Incredibly Good for Your Hair
Using the Dermaroller will not damage your existing hair follicles. The needle points simply slip past the low friction hair shafts in favour of the scalp tissue, where they momentarily embed.
The wounds you create are so small you won’t even notice them. It’s completely safe to do at home and it only takes about one minute. A Dermaroller only costs about $10. So, all in all, it’s an extremely cost-effective and easy way to regrow your hair.
How to force the skin to develop new hair follicles instead of just new skin
Using the Dermaroller alone will not cause hair follicle neogenesis to occur. ‘Hair follicle neogenesis’ is the term used to describe the generation of a completely new hair mini-organ (the hair follicle) in skin tissue. It’s been observed in several studies: researchers noticed new hairs growing in and around healing wounds after the wounds were treated with ‘growth factors’. Some researchers noticed this phenomenon and decided to study it to see which growth factors were required to initiate hair follicle neogenesis.
In addition to using the Dermaroller to create wounds and generate new tissue, we also need to increase several growth factors in the wounds. Don’t worry, this is very easy.
In addition to the growth factors that make hair grow we have to reduce several specific ‘inflammatory cytokines’. We also need to activate something called the Wnt-signalling pathways in the hair follicles and open something called potassium-ion channels in the follicles. Again, don’t worry, this is all very simple. You don’t need any advanced scientific knowledge. I will explain everything simply. It’s extremely easy to do.
To explain what we’re going to do in a very simple, quick way:
Essentially we are:
- Reducing all the things that block hair growth (cytokines, TGFs, PGD2, DHT)
- Activating the mechanisms required for hair growth (Wnt-signalling pathways and potassium-ion channels)
- Increasing the things that make hair grow (several specific growth factors and amino acids)
Again, you don’t need to worry about the full complexity of these processes. I have researched these mechanisms for twenty years. This guide does not dig deeply into the underlying science. It simply explains how to do it.
In a sense, you can think of the procedure we’re going to undertake as ‘transforming your scalp environment from one that causes hair loss, to one that makes healthy hair grow’.
First of all you’ll need a Dermaroller, or equivalent device. You can purchase these on Amazon for around $10. For that small price, you will achieve more with the technique you’re about to learn than you would be spending thousands of pounds on equivalent treatments at hair loss clinics.
What Dermaroller Needle Size do you Need for Hair Regrowth?
1mm is the size I suggest using in order to achieve the increase in cell production at the level we require. This is due to the thickness of the epidermis in the scalp.
Here’s what one of the researchers at Dermaroller recommends based on their research:
After evaluation of all of the biopsies in Dr Schwarz’s study, new collagen fibers were only found close to the corium and not deeper than 0.5 to 0.6 mm. Although the Dermaroller model MF8 has 1.5 mm long needles, no significant new collagen and elastin formation could be found in the sub-dermal tissue.
6 weeks after micro-needling, collagen and elastin fibers are increased by 1000% and to a depth of 0.5 to 0.6 mm.
Although we do not know much about the mechanisms of the Dermaroller and how its needles induce such a dramatic amount of collagen in a short session… …we have scientific proof that the needling procedure triggers new collagen fibers, new melanozyts, stimulates re-vascularization, hair growth, evening 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.
Via Dermaroller.com
Since the above research was released, a company called Follica (pioneers in hair follicle neogensis) studied the specific needle sizes that are most effective for hair follicle neogenesis. They agree that 1mm is the optimal length.
Types of Dermaroller
You can use any type of standard Dermaroller. It doesn’t matter, providing it’s the standard Dermaroller shape as pictured above. There are lots of variations in materials and colours, but they all do the same thing.
There are also several other micro-needle devices that achieve similar results, including ‘derma stamps’. Derma stamps are actually better because they’re easier to use, create more wounds and most people prefer them, but they are more expensive. A normal roller device like the one pictured is absolutely fine.
You can choose any brand. Just make sure you buy the 1mm needle length.
How often should you use the Dermaroller?
We’re going to use the Dermaroller to stimulate hair growth in two ways:
- By gently rolling the Dermaroller over your scalp, with little pressure, to stimulate an increase in growth factors in your scalp.
- By more firmly rolling the Dermaroller over your scalp, creating tiny wounds. New tissue will be generated to heal the wounds and this creates the opportunity for completely new hair follicles to develop.
Therefore the absolute optimal way to use the Dermaroller is to very lightly roll it over your scalp once per day just after applying the Growth Factors serum (I will show you the Growth Factors serum in a few moments) as well as more firmly rolling the Dermaroller over your scalp once per week.
This will stimulate the maximum number of growth factors in the scalp, maximizing hair growth.
How to use the Dermaroller
Roll the Dermaroller over the areas of your scalp that are bald or thinning four times (as shown in the diagram above), making sure to cover all of the areas where the hair loss is occurring.
Move the Dermaroller at a rate of about one full roll per second. Once you get used to it, you can go faster.
Remember, with the daily rolling, you’re just lightly rolling the needles over your scalp. You should not create any visible wounds. If you create visible wounds you are applying too much pressure.
Consider using a Dermastamp for much better accuracy and ease of use. Search Amazon or Google for “Dermastamp”. These do the same thing as a Dermaroller but are more advanced.
In addition to this light daily rolling, you need to more firmly roll the Dermaroller over your scalp, once per week. During the once weekly rolling, apply a little more pressure, as described below:
You need to apply enough pressure so that you create about 3 very tiny dots of blood for every complete rotation of the Dermaroller. If you see this it is a good indicator you’re applying the correct pressure. These dots of blood should be so small you can barely see them – about the size of a pin head. In fact, most of the time you won’t be able to see anything.
Your scalp should not be covered in visible wounds. You should expect to see about a total of 20 visible wounds over the whole of your scalp each time you use the Dermaroller. For some of you this will be much less, if you are only using the Dermaroller on a small area of your scalp (e.g. receding hairline).
Remember, these wounds heal within 90 minutes, so they will be healed by the time you wake up and any tiny visible blood will wash away when you shower. From time to time you will inevitably create slightly larger wounds that are visible for a day. This is fine. Remember they are very small. No one will notice them.
If you can achieve that, you have the correct pressure for the weekly rolling. Remember, with every wound you create you are generating fresh new, healthy tissue and follicles. This is the only way to generate new hair follicles.
If you’ve used hair gel, hair wax or other styling products in your hair during the day, I recommend washing or at least rinsing your hair and scalp before applying the Growth Factors serum and using the Dermaroller. This will enable maximum absorption of the serum. I’ll show you the serum in a moment.
Important
After you have done the weekly rolling, leave your scalp to heal for two days. Don’t do the daily rolling for the two days after you do the weekly rolling.
So in actual fact, you’ll only do the daily rolling four times per week.
Summary of how to use the Dermaroller
To summarise:
How to clean your Dermaroller
It’s important that you keep your Dermaroller clean. Follow this simple cleaning procedure after using the Dermaroller:
- Spray anti-bacterial spray or alcohol spray into the Dermaroller needles.
- Leave for 5 seconds.
- Rinse.
- Put the Dermaroller back in its case.
