Since
@Xander94 opened his Follica dermabrasion device patent thread, I did some digging into other patents by Follica. And, guess what: Another one has been filed:
Methods for promoting hair growth. It is much more recent than the one found by Xander and it is about microneedling. Thus, as this looks much more like "the real deal", I decided to dedicate a separate thread for it.
I actually read the whole patent. Here is the short version of Follica's preferred protocol (they have different protocol versions):
- The primary target is to produce 1600 thin needle wounds per cm² every two weeks (their preferred parameter configuration is: using a 12 needle head (2 rows with 6 needles) with a width of 0.9 cm at a movement speed of 2 cm per second and an osicllation speed of 120 Hz)
- Needling device: electric dermaneedling device. They specifically state that dermarollers and dermabrasion devices are less effective. About dermarollers they write that tearing and cut-like wounds are ineffective for neogenesis and that one has to aim for real, "pointy" needle wounds without any tearing or cutting.
- Needle target depth: 0.8 mm. For long hair, this can be increased to 1.0 mm, but definitely not more than that. The wound should extend 0.8 mm into the skin but not deeper, 1.0 mm is only to compensate for longer hair.
- Needling frequency: Once every two weeks produces the best results, followed by once a week, followed by once every 4 weeks
- Needling head: 12 needles in an array of 2 x 6 at a width of 0.9 cm for the needle rows. Their specific design is described in Figure 105 of this patent of theirs
- Topical, 1st version: minoxidil 5% is the likely first version of the topical (maybe also finasteride or saw palmetto included, but about this I'm not sure)
- Topical, 2nd version: The second version of the topical is minoxidil plus one or a combination of the following three: finasteride, valproic acid, latanoprost
- Topical application frequency: Twice daily, preferrably once every 12 hours
- Areas to needle: Not only affected areas should be needled, but also at least 2 cm into non-bald/non-balding areas. Reason for that is probably quorum sensing.
- Needling device movement over the scalp: Each area should be covered at least once and at most twice, depending on the protocol variant. Depends on frequency and a few other things - won't go into detail here now, the details can be found in the patent. Short version: In the preferred protocol, each treatment area is covered once in horizontal and once in vertical movement direction over the scalp, making for a total of exactly two passes. Passes should be performed without any overlaps and without any gaps. They use the term "like a lawn mower" several times to describe how the scalp should be covered.
- Needling movement speed: 2 cm per second. They state that the translational movement speed is important to achieve the target needle hole density of 1600 per cm².
- Needling head oscillation frequency: 120 Hz
- Needling pressure: Only slight pressure such that the needles go all the way (0.8 mm) in, but not more. "Gliding" should be achieved.
Now the thing is that the needle heads for the dermapen devices we have are not arranged in 2 rows of 6 needles each. I'm also not sure of the oscillation frequency of the pens we have. We should do some calculations how we can best get to the primary target of 1600 wounds per cm² once every two weeks.
For those who want to read the patent, a hint on how to read patents: "In one embodiment" refers to specific and most effective product designs they plan on releasing, "in some embodiments" refers to other, less effective versions which they want to protect as well but do not necessarily plan on implementing.
As you can see, the protocol is not trivial to replicate (because of parameters, needle heads, but also for covering each area only twice without any gaps or overlaps, especially areas we can't see like the vertex), but this seems what they aim for. Let's see if we can somehow achieve the same.
