Hair loss is a common problem that affects men and women of the old and the young. While there are several types of hair loss, only a few are reported as treatable.
Male Pattern Baldness (MPB), also known as androgenetic alopecia, causes almost 95% of men’s hair loss. There is a variety of hair loss causes with some of the most common being genetics, skin conditions, and nutrient deficiencies.
Microneedling for hair loss treatment is a solution that can actually promote hair regrowth by addressing the underlying root of the problem in the scalp.
In this article, I will describe the advantages and several scientific studies that demonstrate that microneeedling for hair loss is effective and the best way to go about it.
Table of Contents
- What Is Microneedling For Hair Loss Treatment?
- How Does Microneedling Work For Hair Loss?
- Microneedling for Hair Loss in Combination with Products
- Microneedling For Hair Loss At Home
- Microneedling For Hair Loss Results
- How Often Should You Microneedle For Hair Growth?
- What Size Microneedling For Hair loss?
- Final Tip
What Is Microneedling For Hair Loss Treatment?
Since the 1990s, collagen induction therapy (CIT) has been studied as both an adjunctive and alternative treatment for androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) and alopecia areata (patchy hair).
Although the procedure does not cure the condition, it can help slow the progression of alopecia in both men and women.
Microneedling is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in which tiny needles are used to puncture the skin. The procedure is used to treat various signs of aging and skin concerns like acne scars.
It has also been known to be effective for hair loss on the scalp, but not on any other parts of the body such as beards. Over time our scalp loses collagen which results in dormant hair follicles and slow-growing hair.
The punctures in the skin trigger the wound healing process in the body which can also help with hair follicle stimulation. This may result in hair growth and the thickening of existing thinning hair.
How Does Microneedling Work For Hair Loss?
Microneedling can promote hair growth by stimulating blood flow to the hair follicles and activating growth factors. It also enhances the absorption of topical medications and other nutrient products that support hair growth.
The goal of microneedling for hair loss is to stimulate growth factors in the dermal papilla, an area with various hair growth related genes.
During the procedure, a dermaroller is used with tiny needles to roll over the skin of your scalp. The needles puncture your skin to induce stem cells in your hair follicles, thereby promoting hair growth.
The time of the procedure depends on the size of the treatment area but it normally takes less than 15 minutes. After the procedure is completed, your health care provider is likely to apply a topical balm on your scalp.
The procedure is not generally painful as a topical anesthetic is applied to your scalp about 45 minutes before the treatment.
Microneedling for Hair Loss in Combination with Products
Microneedling for hair loss seems to be most effective when used in conjunction with other treatments like minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma, and topical steroids. The procedure promotes the absorption of these products, thereby augmenting the effects of microneedling.
Microneedling With PRP For Hair Loss
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can be used in combination with microneedling to target stem cells in the scalp. PRP can serve as a baseline hair growth stimulant that signals hair regeneration.
PRP is obtained from the patient’s blood and contains several epidermal growth factors that boost elastin and collagen production.
The topical administration of PRP is applied to the treatment area during and after microneedling. PRP augments the effects of microneedling by nourishing your skin vessels with platelets and expediting the healing process after the treatment.
Microneedling with Minoxidil
Some clinical studies suggest that the effects of microneedling are enhanced when the procedure is combined with minoxidil treatment for androgenic alopecia.
Men between the ages of 20 and 35 showed superior results with microneedling combined with minoxidil compared to just a minoxidil treated group. The results showed a change in the baseline hair count after 12 weeks.
Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride Propecia are the only FDA approved treatments for androgenic alopecia. They can be used in treating hair loss although not everybody is the best candidate for hair loss medication.
Topical Steroids
One study has shown the effectiveness of treating alopecia areata with a topical triamcinolone application. Two patients were treated with this topical before and after dermarolling.
Both patients showed improvements in new hair growth after just three sessions.
Microneedling For Hair Loss At Home
With the prevalence of derma rolling in the aesthetics industry, many companies have produced derma rollers that can be self-administered at home.
Most people perform dermarolling at home for cost reduction and convenience. However, self-administered derma rolling can come with significant downsides.
Though the procedure is minimally invasive and easy to perform, it requires professional experience and knowledge to do it right. If you perform microneedling at home without any prior experience, you may experience a multitude of problems.
These include not knowing when to stop, the correct needle depth size, and applying the wrong pressure. These factors can render the treatment completely ineffective.
Additionally, you are more likely to experience microneedling-related side effects if you perform microneedling at home. Self-administered microneedling can also turn out to be counterproductive i.e. instead of inhibiting hair loss, it may worsen hair loss.
For the simple fact of professional overview, microneedling for hair loss should be done as an in-office procedure
Microneedling For Hair Loss Results
Microneedling for hair loss results greatly vary depending on the expertise of your healthcare provider, the equipment used to perform the procedure, and the severity of your hair problem.
Often, using the wrong size needle can worsen hair loss by damaging hair follicles.
Similarly, the procedure can also worsen hair loss in people without baldness. The procedure is not meant for people with a full head of hair. If you do not have any bald patches and use microneedling to promote hair growth, you can actually end up damaging your scalp and hair follicles.
Moreover, if the needle is too deep, you might experience severe hair follicle injury. The microneedling-induced hair loss is caused due to follicle injury.
Nonetheless, hair loss is very less likely to occur if the procedure is carried out properly under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider.
How Often Should You Microneedle For Hair Growth?
The suitable frequency of microneedling depends on a variety of factors, including needle depth, applied pressure, and individual differences in healing periods and inflammation.
As these factors vary depending on the purpose of the treatment and the severity of hair loss, there is no definite answer as to how often you should microneedle for hair growth.
What Size Microneedling For Hair loss?
Since the scalp is a thicker-skinned area, longer needles may be required for hair restoration. A needle depth between .5mm and 1.5mm length is the recommended suggestion.
The skin thickness and depth of the target in each patient will vary.
Final Tip
Microneedling is a considerably safe and effective hair loss treatment. It is particularly beneficial for androgenic alopecia and can easily be incorporated into other hair loss treatment regimens.
Though a microneedling treatment may not put an immediate halt to hair loss or balding, it can be impressively effective when used consistently and with additional treatments.
Talk to your healthcare provider to explore your hair loss treatment options.