New Dermaroller Study; Thoughts, comments?

[peacemaker]

Update on my progress:

I haven't made any changes in my plan. I have been only scratching my temples and massaging my scalp. I have not used any other supplements (vitamins etc) or medications (minoxidil, finasteride, etc). My hairline has gotten more defined and my hair got thicker. I am seeing a lot of terminal hairs along my current hairline, so it is a lot denser. Before starting with this schedule, I was afraid to have a haircut as I had too few hairs to cover my temples. Now, I do not have that fear because of the regained density along my temples and will have a haircut in the next few days or so. All I want right now is for the vellus hairs surrounding my hairline to become terminal. If I gain only 1 cm of my hairline back in the temple area, that will be all for me. I have high hopes, too as there are 3-4 terminal hairs already in that area, surrounded by vellus hairs.

 

[boldmun]

I am pretty sure if dermarolling works, people will report their findings by the end of the year. If it works, it should be able to stand on its own two legs.

When I looked at a bunch of scientific studies in this thread and online, there are a ton of studies that show sufficient wounding may help. Because of this study, Wnt-dependent de novo follicle regeneration in adult mouse skin after wounding, we know that it is possible to regenerate hair through wounding. The findings indicate that "wounding induces embryonic phenotype in skin and that provides a window for manipulation of hair follicle neogensis by Wnt proteins." Another later study found that "besides the Wnt family, the discovery of Fgf9 is also very important to neogenesis."

Most of the scientific studies have been performed on animals like rabbits and mice, but 50 years ago this was somewhat observed even in humans. See this study, The Formation of Vellus Hair Follicles from Human Adult Epidermis. In this study, scientists wounded five patients' facial skin "frozen solidly with refrigerant liquids, and then abraded with wire brushes revolving at high speeds at an approximate depth of 2 millimeters." They observed "normal vellus hair follicle 2 months after dermabrasion." Please beaware they also said "we feel obliged to emphasize that we have demonstrated only vellus hair formation and have not the slightest idea whether coarse terminal hair follicles can be regenerated under any circumstances."

I also found this about humans , A Very Rare Complication: New Hair Growth around Healing Wounds. This guy burned his cheek. 8 months later hair was growing around his wound.

In regards to the original study that this thread is about, the Balding Blog states "I was not surprised that some value for this combined treatment showed some effectiveness."

The real question is whether dermarolling on its own enough and can rogaine help and to what extent? We'll will only know several months from now.

I also found a study published in January 2014 by the University of Southern California called "Therapeutic strategy for hair regeneration: hair cycle activation, niche environment modulation, wound-induced follicle neogenesis, and stem cell engineering" It's a little over my head.

 

[SCALPMASTER]

Update on my progress:

I haven't made any changes in my plan. I have been only scratching my temples and massaging my scalp. I have not used any other supplements (vitamins etc) or medications (minoxidil, finasteride, etc). My hairline has gotten more defined and my hair got thicker. I am seeing a lot of terminal hairs along my current hairline, so it is a lot denser. Before starting with this schedule, I was afraid to have a haircut as I had too few hairs to cover my temples. Now, I do not have that fear because of the regained density along my temples and will have a haircut in the next few days or so. All I want right now is for the vellus hairs surrounding my hairline to become terminal. If I gain only 1 cm of my hairline back in the temple area, that will be all for me. I have high hopes, too as there are 3-4 terminal hairs already in that area, surrounded by vellus hairs.

How long have you been scratching your temples and massaging. Also what Norwood are you.

 

[peacemaker]

About 2.5 months, give or take. I started with this method as I was not able to buy a DR until now. Now I am hesitant to start using a DR as I am already seeing results. I am between Norwood 2 and 3. My temples have been receding in the last two years. Now, I am sure that my temples are denser due to the new hairs. However, while it is denser, I am not sure if the vellus hairs around my hairline are going to thicken. If they do, I will go back to being a Norwood 1-2, which I will be happy with.

 

[The Far Side]

About 2.5 months, give or take. I started with this method as I was not able to buy a DR until now. Now I am hesitant to start using a DR as I am already seeing results. I am between Norwood 2 and 3. My temples have been receding in the last two years. Now, I am sure that my temples are denser due to the new hairs. However, while it is denser, I am not sure if the vellus hairs around my hairline are going to thicken. If they do, I will go back to being a Norwood 1-2, which I will be happy with.

I had a look through your previous posts but couldn't find an answer. What are you scratching your scalp with, a boar bristle brush or something?

 

[SCALPMASTER]

About 2.5 months, give or take. I started with this method as I was not able to buy a DR until now. Now I am hesitant to start using a DR as I am already seeing results. I am between Norwood 2 and 3. My temples have been receding in the last two years. Now, I am sure that my temples are denser due to the new hairs. However, while it is denser, I am not sure if the vellus hairs around my hairline are going to thicken. If they do, I will go back to being a Norwood 1-2, which I will be happy with.

Your temples sound similar to mine I am a NW3 but have lots of vellus hairs on my temples. If they go terminal I would be back to a NW2 but I would even be happy with a NW2.5. My crown has thickened up nicely though with the dermaroller and I will be doing my 11th roll on sunday.

 

[peacemaker]

I had a look through your previous posts but couldn't find an answer. What are you scratching your scalp with, a boar bristle brush or something?

No need for a brush. I scratch my head with my own hands. I do that when I shower in the morning. I go for 10 minutes and scratch continuously till it's all red. Then I start massaging it for 5-10 minutes.

The places that have hair are denser now. I also have spotted tiny hairs in the bald places here and there. I think they will grow out eventually, but it will be a slow process.

Another thing that I realized is that the hair that I lose everyday is much thicker.

Your temples sound similar to mine I am a NW3 but have lots of vellus hairs on my temples. If they go terminal I would be back to a NW2 but I would even be happy with a NW2.5. My crown has thickened up nicely though with the dermaroller and I will be doing my 11th roll on sunday.

So your crown filled in? Are you expecting the temples to fill in as well?

 

[SCALPMASTER]

No need for a brush. I scratch my head with my own hands. I do that when I shower in the morning. I go for 10 minutes and scratch continuously till it's all red. Then I start massaging it for 5-10 minutes.

The places that have hair are denser now. I also have spotted tiny hairs in the bald places here and there. I think they will grow out eventually, but it will be a slow process.

Another thing that I realized is that the hair that I lose everyday is much thicker.



So your crown filled in? Are you expecting the temples to fill in as well?

Hopefully they will but i have noticed that the temples seem to take a lot longer to get results. My crown has lots of new hairs that are going terminal but my temples only have vellus hairs. However they were definitely not there before using the roller so there is hope.

 

[super]

Your temples sound similar to mine I am a NW3 but have lots of vellus hairs on my temples. If they go terminal I would be back to a NW2 but I would even be happy with a NW2.5. My crown has thickened up nicely though with the dermaroller and I will be doing my 11th roll on sunday.

I have been dermarolling for almost 2 years now. Only for about 8 months i have been dermarolling 2x per month. Initially i got more results on my crown, some terminal hairs appeared everywhere, and it started to close (reeeeealy slowly, but it did). I don't remember when, but one day i noticed the hairs on my temple started to regrow, i had none. A lot of small hairs. Now i have WAY more results on my temple, my hairline is way better now, more and more hairs are appearing and turning terminal, so my hairline is way lower now and only getting better with time.

By the way, as i said before, the way my hair was falling, the speed it was falling, i was supposed to be almost bald right now (it's been 2 years), and i am far from that.

 

[saintsfan92344]

I have been dermarolling for almost 2 years now. Only for about 8 months i have been dermarolling 2x per month. Initially i got more results on my crown, some terminal hairs appeared everywhere, and it started to close (reeeeealy slowly, but it did). I don't remember when, but one day i noticed the hairs on my temple started to regrow, i had none. A lot of small hairs. Now i have WAY more results on my temple, my hairline is way better now, more and more hairs are appearing and turning terminal, so my hairline is way lower now and only getting better with time.

By the way, as i said before, the way my hair was falling, the speed it was falling, i was supposed to be almost bald right now (it's been 2 years), and i am far from that.

Congrats on the hair growth, but a little more info please? what size roller? did you use minoxidil, did you start minoxidil at the same time as rolling or before if you used it?

 

[sweetsymphony]

I have been dermarolling for almost 2 years now. Only for about 8 months i have been dermarolling 2x per month. Initially i got more results on my crown, some terminal hairs appeared everywhere, and it started to close (reeeeealy slowly, but it did). I don't remember when, but one day i noticed the hairs on my temple started to regrow, i had none. A lot of small hairs. Now i have WAY more results on my temple, my hairline is way better now, more and more hairs are appearing and turning terminal, so my hairline is way lower now and only getting better with time.

By the way, as i said before, the way my hair was falling, the speed it was falling, i was supposed to be almost bald right now (it's been 2 years), and i am far from that.

Thanks for the update, super! Always wondered about your progress along with some others who started DRing before me and claimed good initial results.

Really encouraged to hear you are regrowing your temples too. I haven't had too much luck with that yet but reading about your continuous results makes me even more confident that I can restore my hairline. I just need to be patient.

 

[Armando Jose]

Super, congratulations, ...
are DermaRolling now or you dont use Dr more?
what is your opinion about the recent study about this technique?
TIA

 

[Stefanovic]

I'm using the dermastamp and after 5 weeks I see more results on the left side. The bald spot doesnt feel bald anymore and some hairs appear a bit longer. On the right side, it's just a bit vellus hair.

 

[2young2retire]

which dermastamb do you use?

 

[SCALPMASTER]

I have been dermarolling for almost 2 years now. Only for about 8 months i have been dermarolling 2x per month. Initially i got more results on my crown, some terminal hairs appeared everywhere, and it started to close (reeeeealy slowly, but it did). I don't remember when, but one day i noticed the hairs on my temple started to regrow, i had none. A lot of small hairs. Now i have WAY more results on my temple, my hairline is way better now, more and more hairs are appearing and turning terminal, so my hairline is way lower now and only getting better with time.

By the way, as i said before, the way my hair was falling, the speed it was falling, i was supposed to be almost bald right now (it's been 2 years), and i am far from that.

h

That's great to hear can I ask if you are using minoxidil.

 

[Stefanovic]

dermastamp 1,5 mm

 

[CharlesXavier]

No need for a brush. I scratch my head with my own hands. I do that when I shower in the morning. I go for 10 minutes and scratch continuously till it's all red. Then I start massaging it for 5-10 minutes.

The places that have hair are denser now. I also have spotted tiny hairs in the bald places here and there. I think they will grow out eventually, but it will be a slow process.

Another thing that I realized is that the hair that I lose everyday is much thicker.



What exactly does scratching your head do for male pattern baldness? In curious and ignorant on how it helps also any particular way as how you do it?

 

[casperz]

Casperz also had some early results but it seems to have stopped at that, hopefully between myself and the others that are stopping rolling and the ones that are continuing rolling past the study we can find out the most effective procedure or determine if it really is effective at all. results at this pointer all over the place, some claim results while still rolling some have nothing with not really any sheds and for me I have lost so much hair rolling its sad but my goal was 12 weeks like the study claimed to have done and I did my 12th roll last week now I am HOPING to see some regrowth.

The hairs spring up quickly but take months to mature. I think this is going to be a slow process, probably too slow for most to stay with it. Think about how long a baby takes to grow a full head of hair, they start with tiny hairs and it takes 2 or 3 years in some cases to get thick hair.

I don't see any downside to rolling past 12 weeks, maybe at a bi-monthly or monthly cycle. Good luck!

 

[Youcandoit]

The hairs spring up quickly but take months to mature. I think this is going to be a slow process, probably too slow for most to stay with it. Think about how long a baby takes to grow a full head of hair, they start with tiny hairs and it takes 2 or 3 years in some cases to get thick hair.

I don't see any downside to rolling past 12 weeks, maybe at a bi-monthly or monthly cycle. Good luck!

have yours urs matured yet, I only noticed maybe 5 lol, but have hundreds of hairs about half a centimeter, I can tell they are growing though. I stopped at week 10 never used minoxidil, now I am maintaining with violet ray which also turns scalp red for a while depending on how much voltage I use. I also use violet ray on spine and few other areas, no more than 10 minutes, you will feel the electricity going through scalp.

 

[peacemaker]

I can't pinpoint you exactly what it does, but I started doing it as I didn't initially have a derma roller. I believe it is essentially the same idea as the derma roller as heavy scratching does create many mini-wounds on your head and makes your scalp really sensitive. I also massage it to help with the blood flow. I think if you use a derma roller though, it will be more effective as the deeper wounds will trigger more growth factors. This has certainly helped me and I have a much thicker hairline because of it.

I was afraid to go to swimming pools because when my hairs at the front got pulled back, my receding temples were clearly seen. However, now I don't care as much because even though I am still Norwood 2-3, my hairline is thick and it doesn't look like I am thinning anymore.

As for the way that I scratch my head, I don't have a particular way. When you shower and put shampoo on your head, you will feel that your scalp is softer. I start scratching at that time, with my nails, and go as hard as I can. I do it in all directions.