There is a study that showed 15% regrowth from microneedling alone. Results were just better with minoxidil. Some people have reported results with dermarolling alone too. Personally I'm trying it because years ago minoxodil made me shed very quickly in the areas that I used it and the hair never returned despite being on minoxidil for 9 months later. That and the obvious dependency in it. No way do I want to use minoxidil all over my hair due to that experience and dependency issues.
Follica Microneedling Protocol Patent Disclosed
- Thread starter benjt2
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The results were stunning.....
The improvement in total hair density from baseline to 24 weeks resulted in the following:
Group 1 (topical 5% minoxidil): 18.8 cm2
Group 2 (microneedling only every 2 weeks): 23.4 cm2
Group 3 (microneedling + minoxidil 5%): 38.3 cm2
It clear to see that microneedling with topical minoxidil 5% resulted in the best hair growth, but this study also confirms that microneedling by itself is more effective in regrowing hair than a standalone treatment of topical minoxidil 5%.
So you want average regrowth not maximum one. Sure, why not.
The improvement in total hair density from baseline to 24 weeks resulted in the following:
Group 1 (topical 5% minoxidil): 18.8 cm2
Group 2 (microneedling only every 2 weeks): 23.4 cm2
Group 3 (microneedling + minoxidil 5%): 38.3 cm2
It clear to see that microneedling with topical minoxidil 5% resulted in the best hair growth, but this study also confirms that microneedling by itself is more effective in regrowing hair than a standalone treatment of topical minoxidil 5%.
So you want average regrowth not maximum one. Sure, why not.
Actually to me that is a pretty stunning result. For microneedling alone, no medication whatsoever to provide better regrowth on average than 5% minoxodil which is the normal method of getting regrowth...that to me is very impressive.
And as I say, minoxidil just wasn't good for me for whatever reason (maybe the alcohol in it?), so its just something I can't risk again.
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That's why I switched to oral. Then topical the day I microneedle only.
I have a history of heart palpitations so definitely can't take oral min. I may try stemoxydine even though i know it's weaker. I'm using nizoral 2% shampoo three times per week too and may try something like fluridil in a few months time.
If you read Follica's patent there are a hundred compounds you can use besides minoxidil. AS101 is one of them. I can't understand going through the pain of microneedling and not maximizing your gains. There is no real world evidence of people getting cosmetic results from microneedling alone. Maybe that has to do with at home microneedle devices being inadequate, or maybe microneedling alone only creates useless vellus hairs. Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem worth the effort.
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Flagellation is another form of dedication. Whipping your back while cursing about your hair loss is at least putting some effort into something that will result in the same outcome.
So pain is more effective than minoxidil, got it.
Tbh i don't find microneedling painful at all. I'm okay using 1mm but I do press hard enough to get blood spots in some areas and redness all over. Maybe a slight sting in places but definitely not what I would consider pain.
Interesting about the other topicals though..have never heard of AS101. But then I'm only doing this once per week and not a few times a week at a lower depth for topical absorption like some people.
If it doesn't hurt then you're not doing it per the patent. A couple minutes isn't long enough. You need 1600 holes per square centimeter.
The other compounds like AS101 are needed to stimulate neogenesis, it has nothing to do with increasing absorbtion. Once every two weeks is the optimal frequency that Follica found. It's all in the first post on this thread
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It's crazy how people come to this thread named with protocol and patent, then decide to post something based on what they read on the last page of 50 pages of comments. That's like the telephone game. By the second page you already have comments about doing it every day at 1.5mm for 5 minutes. Lol
I do about 10-12 minutes. Definitely not gonna be in line with this protocol but there are others who've had success with dermarolling in a way that i am so it's worth a try at least. I doubt other studies into dermarollling did it at 1600 holes per square centimetre.
Other studies didn't spend 5 years and millions of dollars determining the optimal protocol, and they also used minoxidil. I'm not aware of a single person who's had success with microneedling as a monotherapy. Maybe you will be the first. For now I suggest others stick to the protocol Follica perfected until they see your results. If you prove Follica wrong then we will all copy you.
Not really understanding the hostility over this, especially as I have a very good reason for not using minoxidil. It's something I see no harm in trying seeing as there have been studies suggesting that microneedling alone can provide some benefit. I recently messaged with KiteDude on here who had benefits from micorneedling alone.
Saying that if i get no results at all (which I'm not putting too much hope into) then I'm open to trying a new topical which has a good safety profile/doesn't act systemically on hormones.
Nobody is being hostile towards you, we're just making sure readers know not to expect anything from what you're doing. I'm sure kitedude thinks it benefited him. We see people who think scalp masses and pumpkin seed oil helped them too. The placebo effect is strong. What we haven't seen is photographic evidence of microneedling working without minoxidil.
That's exactly what happened to me with minoxidil years ago. Used it on my hairline corners and the hair very quickly thinned and never came back even though i continued using it for 9 months after.
This is not true. The studies repeatedly show that minoxidil keeps hair counts above placebo for as long as it's used, and after discontinuation hair counts drop back to placebo but not worse. Minoxidil doesn't make your hair dependent on it, it masks the follicle degeneration that's still taking place. When you stop using it, it looks like minoxidil made your hair worse, but it's just the way your hair would've looked after that time had you never used minoxidil in the first place.
We only have one study showing the effects of minoxidil plus microneedling after discontinuation, but the results in that trial are longer lasting than the results from minoxidil alone.
We only have one study showing the effects of minoxidil plus microneedling after discontinuation, but the results in that trial are longer lasting than the results from minoxidil alone.
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10-12 minutes is plenty with something like the M8 on fastest speed. I've only got thinning in the hairline so it's even less for me.
Of course, this is assuming that the specs for Dr pen devices are true.