Very Impressive Dermarolling And Minxodil Results - From Tressless

[NilesCrane]

Absolutely. Are you using anything else at all? I am using essential oils instead of minoxidil

I don't, do you just smear oil on you had after a weekly session? I might try with brotzu

 

[Francesco17]

I don't, do you just smear oil on you had after a weekly session? I might try with brotzu

I mix a squirt of aloe vera gel with five drops of rosemary oil and four drops of cedarwood oil, and rub the mix on bald spots - every night, skipping needling night

 

[sportsguy97]

Early report:

Background: I first lost my hair on the crown. I have two vertex (one on the left side, one on the right side). Then I started to lose hair in the middle of the scalp. And then my hair line was also attacked (1.5cm recession), and I started to lose my hair in the middle of the hairline. Same pattern as Zinedine Zidane.

I also have a bald patch on the back of my head that was seen as a traction alopecia by the dermatologist because I was scratching the back of my head on the wall when I was a child while reading. 9 years ago the dermatologist injected Bepanthem inside the scalp. It did absolutely nothing. He then prescribed minoxidil, but I didn't want to take it. Mainly because I ask my barber to do a high fade cut (so no one could notice this bald spot).

Finally, I had and still have some agressive acne on the back of my head creating holes with no hair. I use the dermapen on them, but don't use minoxidil on them. A lot of them are on the donor area (which is quite problematic if I ask for a hair transplant).

Treatment:

Microneedling:

Where am I needling: On the whole top of my head, a big part of the back of head and on the spots where acne created holes.

Device: Dr.Pen A6-Ultime + 12 needles cartidge.

Session 1 : 20 minutes session / 1.5 mm / No blood spot / Not very painful - relaxing
Session 2 : 30 minutes session / 1.5mm for 10 min, then 2mm for 20 min / No blood spot / Painful at the beginning and then relaxing
Session 3 : 30 minutes session/ 1.5mm for 15 min, then 2mm for 25 minutes / No blood spot / Very painful at the beginning - then somewhat relaxing
Session 4 : 40 minutes / 1.5 mm for 10 min, the 2 mm for 30 minutes / No blood spot / Numbing cream applied 20 minutes before the treatment / Painful at the beginning and then relaxing.

Side effects:
- Headache for 2 to 6 hours
- Anxiety inside my body (feeling like blood is agressively flowing through my throat to my scalp)
- Ears warming a lot (for 2 to 6 hours after the treatment)
- Itching for 2 days (can be 3, can be 1)
- Desquamation of the whole top of the scalp for 2 to 4 days (happened once / right after the third session)

Minoxidil:

I use it on my bald patch. I don't put it on my the holes around my ex-acne spots.

Week 1: 2 times a day. Overdose. 2 to 4ml used. Huge headaches. Parts of the face felt like "paralysed".
Week 2: 2 times a day. 1.5 to 2 ml used. Less and less side effects.
Week 3: 2 times a day. 1.3 to 1.6 ml used. No side effects.
This week: 2 times a day. 1.2 to 1.5 ml used. Anxiety felt inside my body 30 min to 1 hour after applying Minoxidil.

Nizoral:

I use it on my head and on my face.

Week 1: Used once.
Week 2: Used twice.
Week 3: Used 3 times.
This week: Used once.

No side effect.

Diet:
Intermittent fasting since I'm 29 years old (I play rugby, it helps me to stay fit). I'm used to eat only twice a day (I usually drop the lunch). Once in the morning. Once at night (very big plate).

Drugs:
Week 1: Paracetamol / 1mg / Twice a day / Everyday
Week 2: Paracetamol / 1mg / twice a day / Everyday
Week 3: Paracetamol / 1mg / Twice a day / Everyday
This week: Nothing yet.

Other:
Don't drink.
Don't smoke.
Wear a beannie outside.
Used Toppik 12 times, 45 minutes after applying Minoxidil.

Early results / Impressions / Feelings:

Overall situation: There are many new hair popping all around my hairline (from 1 to 5mm around my current hairline). It looks like a second less dense hairline under my current hairline. My brother noticed it yesterday (didn't put Toppik). My hair are a lot darker. I have a lot more volume. My grey hair are less visible. I see less and less my scalp through my hair (on the front and in the middle of the scalp), even under some agressive lighting. My hair look a lot thicker. The middle of the scalp is showing little hair growing between the gaps. Dark vellus are growing (0.3cm to 0.5cm right now). My hair are growing faster. I'm sheding few hair. My crown seems unchanged. I use a lot less Toppik when I have to go out (I only use it on the crown in fact).

Bald patch on the back of my head (traction alopecia) : massive improvement. Hair were here but couldn't grow. Something like 40% of those hair are now growing like the others. I see it less and less with a back mirror. Photos are already showing a massive improvement.

Bald spots around ex-acne spots: Hair growing back (it seems). Not too sure. I forgot to take pictures of them and I can't find them on the videos. I shaved the sides and I have to wait a bit more to draw conclusions.

I also use Nizoral on my face (found out on some female forums that it could also stop acne). Acne is going away (for the moment).

My understanding of the situation : I think Minoxidil is doing most of the job. Not sure because you don't see results in 3/4 weeks with minoxidil. Results often happen after 10 weeks.

Bias : At the beginning of the treatment I was too hyped and couldn't wait. I know that my judgement can be distorted. Now I'm just waiting. But those hair popping around my hairline (and there are a lot / I see them and they can be seen on the photos and by other people) + the middle of the scalp looking like it's closing its doors are not helping to stay calm.

Photos: Will be published in week 12.

Always curious. You think the intermittant fasting ever helped with hair? Not saying regrowth or anything. I think it played a roll in me maintaining although i'm never sure. I just kept doing it cause i never eat breakfast plus for health benefits. Read so many reports online of people with arthritis and acne problems that have said fasting helped, so i said what the hell i'll keep doing it for hair. Hoping this approach may help my needling results even more long term. Helps the scalp environment.

 

[sportsguy97]

To be clear, I'm not doing the 5:2 diet like many other people do. I'm doing a 18:6 diet (18 hours on diet and 6 hours eating... now it's a routine, I did it for 4 years and I don't count hours anymore). I don't eat breakfast. I just take coffees without sugar. During the day, I drink a lot of Perrier water. At night I eat about 2500 kilocalories at once (or separately). I'm never hungry.

I did this accidentaly. A muslim friend of mine did Ramadan and invited me at home many times, so I did ramadan with him. A great guy who helped me a lot to stay strong (he was also balding like me, but he accepted it with smile). After 20 days, I felt a lot better in my body, but also in my mind. At the time I was losing a lot of hair and was depressed. My social life was ruined and I took 20 kilos by staying at home. I lost those 20 kilos in 8 months by doing a kind of ramadan for a whole year. I did it because I was fine and I thought it would help to prevent diabete (I don't have diabete, but many in my family have diabete from the age of 50... by doing this diet, I'm preventing this to happen quickly). Also, it helped me to stay fit for rugby. I recovered from depression with this diet + luminotherapy (my brother who is now a doctor, told me that luminotherapy would help me more than taking antidepressant pills and he was right). So I know it can help with these issues. On the long run, you feel a lot better.

Now for acne, I'm not sure. What happened to me is weird. I think I have hormonal acne. It comes by waves (once a month or so). I didn't have acne before my hairloss. It started to affect me from 26/27 years old (I started the diet at 29) and at the same time I was balding. I can't tell if intermittent fasting helps because acne decreased in power when balding became less agressive (it started with purulent acne on my scalp and my face and now it's more like a spot here and there... where there is no hair to attack, there is basically no acne). So, I don't know. Maybe it helps, maybe not. At the time the itching was so strong, I was like: "Wtf, acne is eating my hair". I started intermittent fasting after the agressive wave. Then I started a long period of thinning. So... not sure. Maybe it's less agressive because of this diet, but I doubt it.

Awesome appreciate the response. I only ask because this hair loss thing is so weird. I talked to couple people recently. Freinds of family members. A couple of these people have brothers who are completely bald.... yet these people are literally NW0 with zero thinning. Same with my fam I have people completely bald and others with full heads of hair. Some in the middle and I know they never touched a treatment.

It’s a weird thing and I def don’t think it’s all genetics. That’s why I ask about IF and maybe it could help with the autoimmune anti inflammatory part while we use other treatments. At least I hope lol.

Btw I also love how my scalp feels a day or so after doing this. Last session I went over the entire thing more than I did the previous. Prob a colouple extra times all over. Really only takes like 10-15 mins.

What I’m most interested in is if we do gain hair back how often we’d have to do this to maintain. I mean I could handle it every week easily. Still I’d wonder if we’d have to.

 

[9982]

This thread should be locked right now and re=opened in 6 months when we all have our nw0s back @layabout I agree

Awesome appreciate the response. I only ask because this hair loss thing is so weird. I talked to couple people recently. Freinds of family members. A couple of these people have brothers who are completely bald.... yet these people are literally NW0 with zero thinning. Same with my fam I have people completely bald and others with full heads of hair. Some in the middle and I know they never touched a treatment.

It’s a weird thing and I def don’t think it’s all genetics. That’s why I ask about IF and maybe it could help with the autoimmune anti inflammatory part while we use other treatments. At least I hope lol.

Btw I also love how my scalp feels a day or so after doing this. Last session I went over the entire thing more than I did the previous. Prob a colouple extra times all over. Really only takes like 10-15 mins.

What I’m most interested in is if we do gain hair back how often we’d have to do this to maintain. I mean I could handle it every week easily. Still I’d wonder if we’d have to.

I read that fasting can screw with blood sugar and cause cortisol levels to spike. That means inflammation, whether it affects the scalp, I'm not sure but cortisol affects hormones. Keeping blood sugar level and consistent is important.

 

[Capone]

Early report:

Background: I first lost my hair on the crown. I have two vertex (one on the left side, one on the right side). Then I started to lose hair in the middle of the scalp. And then my hair line was also attacked (1.5cm recession), and I started to lose my hair in the middle of the hairline. Same pattern as Zinedine Zidane.

I also have a bald patch on the back of my head that was seen as a traction alopecia by the dermatologist because I was scratching the back of my head on the wall when I was a child while reading. 9 years ago the dermatologist injected Bepanthem inside the scalp. It did absolutely nothing. He then prescribed minoxidil, but I didn't want to take it. Mainly because I ask my barber to do a high fade cut (so no one could notice this bald spot).

Finally, I had and still have some agressive acne on the back of my head creating holes with no hair. I use the dermapen on them, but don't use minoxidil on them. A lot of them are on the donor area (which is quite problematic if I ask for a hair transplant).

Treatment:

Microneedling:

Where am I needling: On the whole top of my head, a big part of the back of head and on the spots where acne created holes.

Device: Dr.Pen A6-Ultime + 12 needles cartidge.

Session 1 : 20 minutes session / 1.5 mm / No blood spot / Not very painful - relaxing
Session 2 : 30 minutes session / 1.5mm for 10 min, then 2mm for 20 min / No blood spot / Painful at the beginning and then relaxing
Session 3 : 30 minutes session/ 1.5mm for 15 min, then 2mm for 25 minutes / No blood spot / Very painful at the beginning - then somewhat relaxing
Session 4 : 40 minutes / 1.5 mm for 10 min, the 2 mm for 30 minutes / No blood spot / Numbing cream applied 20 minutes before the treatment / Painful at the beginning and then relaxing.

Side effects:
- Headache for 2 to 6 hours
- Anxiety inside my body (feeling like blood is agressively flowing through my throat to my scalp)
- Ears warming a lot (for 2 to 6 hours after the treatment)
- Itching for 2 days (can be 3, can be 1)
- Desquamation of the whole top of the scalp for 2 to 4 days (happened once / right after the third session)

Minoxidil:

I use it on my bald patch. I don't put it on my the holes around my ex-acne spots.

Week 1: 2 times a day. Overdose. 2 to 4ml used. Huge headaches. Parts of the face felt like "paralysed".
Week 2: 2 times a day. 1.5 to 2 ml used. Less and less side effects.
Week 3: 2 times a day. 1.3 to 1.6 ml used. No side effects.
This week: 2 times a day. 1.2 to 1.5 ml used. Anxiety felt inside my body 30 min to 1 hour after applying Minoxidil.

Nizoral:

I use it on my head and on my face.

Week 1: Used once.
Week 2: Used twice.
Week 3: Used 3 times.
This week: Used once.

No side effect.

Diet:
Intermittent fasting since I'm 29 years old (I play rugby, it helps me to stay fit). I'm used to eat only twice a day (I usually drop the lunch). Once in the morning. Once at night (very big plate).

Drugs:
Week 1: Paracetamol / 1mg / Twice a day / Everyday
Week 2: Paracetamol / 1mg / twice a day / Everyday
Week 3: Paracetamol / 1mg / Twice a day / Everyday
This week: Nothing yet.

Other:
Don't drink.
Don't smoke.
Wear a beannie outside.
Used Toppik 12 times, 45 minutes after applying Minoxidil.

Early results / Impressions / Feelings:

Overall situation: There are many new hair popping all around my hairline (from 1 to 5mm around my current hairline). It looks like a second less dense hairline under my current hairline. My brother noticed it yesterday (didn't put Toppik). My hair are a lot darker. I have a lot more volume. My grey hair are less visible. I see less and less my scalp through my hair (on the front and in the middle of the scalp), even under some agressive lighting. My hair look a lot thicker. The middle of the scalp is showing little hair growing between the gaps. Dark vellus are growing (0.3cm to 0.5cm right now). My hair are growing faster. I'm sheding few hair. My crown seems unchanged. I use a lot less Toppik when I have to go out (I only use it on the crown in fact).

Bald patch on the back of my head (traction alopecia) : massive improvement. Hair were here but couldn't grow. Something like 40% of those hair are now growing like the others. I see it less and less with a back mirror. Photos are already showing a massive improvement.

Bald spots around ex-acne spots: Hair growing back (it seems). Not too sure. I forgot to take pictures of them and I can't find them on the videos. I shaved the sides and I have to wait a bit more to draw conclusions.

I also use Nizoral on my face (found out on some female forums that it could also stop acne). Acne is going away (for the moment).

My understanding of the situation : I think Minoxidil is doing most of the job. Not sure because you don't see results in 3/4 weeks with minoxidil. Results often happen after 10 weeks.

Bias : At the beginning of the treatment I was too hyped and couldn't wait. I know that my judgement can be distorted. Now I'm just waiting. But those hair popping around my hairline (and there are a lot / I see them and they can be seen on the photos and by other people) + the middle of the scalp looking like it's closing its doors are not helping to stay calm.

Photos: Will be published in week 12.

Dark hairs could just be the remnants of the toppik.. stuff is very hard to wash out completely.

 

[yayapapaya]

I really appreciate all of your comments and your contributions. We are all very pleased of your presence here. However, I think I haven't got a clear answer to the question that I (along a few other guys here) asked as soon as I realized you were back. The question is: have you maintained your gains?
I know there is no "cure", I just want to know if needling indeed works in the long term. This question is important because most of us know that minoxidil and in some cases finasteride as well start to lose the battle against hairloss progression. We still don't know how well microneedling performs in the long term because there are very few long term needlers out there who can tell us their status. Your status report would be of great help to us. I am not asking for pics, I understand u don't want to be banned. I just want to know whether you have kept your gains or not.
Cheers, and thanks again, buddy.

As soon as you stop minoxidil, your gains will disappear in 2-3 months tops. I said it before, needling on its own is useless. I needled with seti, not minoxidil, for 1+ years. As long as you needle + take something else, you will slowly regrow. Needling is a great way to supplement your main medication.

 

[yayapapaya]

I agree. It would be great if you could answer these very simple questions. You're not going to get banned for that. Just don't post any bloody pictures.

1. Are you still needling?

2. What are you needling with?

3. What depth?

4. How often do you needle?

5. Do you still go for blood, or do you just achieve redness?

6. Have you mainted your gains?

7. Is your hair still improving?

8. Do you take any type of medication or minoxidil?

1. Are you still needling?
Started again. Needled for 1+ years with seti.

2. What are you needling with?
Derminator.

3. What depth?
1.5mm. Thinking of going 1.75 because u dont achieve perfect 1.5 if you tilt needling device i think.

4. How often do you needle?
Once a week.

5. Do you still go for blood, or do you just achieve redness?
Sometimes i have some blood droplets, sometimes not.

6. Have you mainted your gains?
Needling is a supplement to a real medication. As soon as I stop real medication(seti), I lose ALL gains in 3 months.

7. Is your hair still improving?
Hair continues to improve as long as I needle and take real meds. I believe needling is causing regrowth, and seti slows down balding process. Also, needling is a slow process. 3 months isn't enough for me, I had nice improvements after 8-9 months.

8. Do you take any type of medication or minoxidil?
Seti. Never needled with minoxidil. I leave LiCl on my head for 1-2 hours after needling.

 

[albert]

As soon as you stop minoxidil, your gains will disappear in 2-3 months tops. I said it before, needling on its own is useless. I needled with seti, not minoxidil, for 1+ years. As long as you needle + take something else, you will slowly regrow. Needling is a great way to supplement your main medication.

“needling on its own is useless” is at most a personal opinion, no offense. One of the studies had a group who needle alone and got regrowth (better than minoxidil alone). Some people here also needle without any medication. Nobody argues that needling + something else is better (the study pointed out that, and I personally use both needling and minoxidil) but needling alone is not useless in at least many cases.

 

[kiwi666]

“needling on its own is useless” is at most a personal opinion, no offense. One of the studies had a group who needle alone and got regrowth (better than minoxidil alone). Some people here also needle without any medication. Nobody argues that needling + something else is better (the study pointed out that, and I personally use both needling and minoxidil) but needling alone is not useless in at least many cases.

You just have to ignore yayablahblah he makes things up like they are fact, can’t be trusted.

 

[Meeee199]

Can anyone tell me if dermarolling can maintain hair or is it just for hair regrowth

 

[albert]

By the way, I mentioned here that I was a dermaroller + minoxidil user before and even though I saw regrowth, I had to stop because it became completely unbearable. I started with Derminator a month ago and I can for sure keep up at this.

I’m saying this because I was checking my old posts and noticed two things:

A) I used a 1.5mm dermaroller but I didn’t draw much blood. With Derminator I have blood all over. For sure this may mean that Derminator penetrates deeper or actually goes all the way to 1.5mm since you’re not manually pushing.
B) And that I had results. Yeah, and I had pics. Check the latest one I posted: https://www.hairlosstalk.com/intera...thoughts-comments.69374/page-139#post-1145835. Nowadays I’m buzzed and much worse off than in those (I halted minoxidil some time after that) but you can see it was starting to fill the temples, slowly but steady.

I have confidence I’ll eventually recover ground. I see some very very minor regrowth already, I’ll just be patient.

 

[thetdog666]

You just have to ignore yayablahblah he makes things up like they are fact, can’t be trusted.

he says in number 6 needling is a supplement adn loses gains. then in number 7 needling causes regrowth. Bit of a contradiction i would say.

 

[Bill_Russo]

Can anyone tell me if dermarolling can maintain hair or is it just for hair regrowth

Hey, buddy.
So far, all we got is mostly anecdotal evidence about what long term needling does, but there is one person in this thread who's been needling for 5 years, somewhat consistently. Got regrowth + maintenance throughout those years.

 

[nohairnolife]

This greek guy used countless of products + needling. Probably a bad example. See the list for yourself, it's the original post: https://www.hairlossgr.com/threads/wounding-dermapen-τοπικά-και-συμπληρώματα.10640/

Actually I think this is a very good thing (thanks for the link), I am using some of these and will try to add some more

 

[Hairyshowers]

Hey guys, I've been posting in a blog on stopaga.com for a long time now. The site has been shut down and it contains the only copy of my photos that I have (I've gone through multiple phones and computers). If anyone could point me in the direction of the previous owner I will happily pay the hosting costs to recover my progress pics.
Anyway I've been dermarolling off and on with deep needles (2.5mm) without any other drugs and had some good regrowth.
Over the past 5 months I've added minoxidil in an attempt speed up the process, though I honestly think it's worsened my hairloss for the time being (I will ride it out of course).
Roughly a month ago I switched from a budget dermaroller to a Dr pen ultimate A1 and done 2 heavy sessions with it (2-2.5mm very thoroughly). I would advise getting a wireless one though, pain in the arse being corded and with a short lead. Anyway I feel it is much more effective compared with a roller, still hurts like f*** though (roughly the same to me).
I can feel my scalp is still full of fibrosis in certain areas which correlate exactly with the thinning areas, so I plan on increasing the frequency to once every 9 days. Anyone who has used manual methods (scalp massages, folding, needling etc) and has advanced loss should be able feel these areas easily, they are less malleable, thick layers of tissue. My needles get stuck in them sometimes and slows down my automatic pen. Nothing grows in these regions trust me.
2young2retire, my old friend, is bang on point when he said about increased bleeding being a good sign, I have photo evidence of this (if I can recover the website).
I have been maintaining and regrowing hair with a dermaroller and massage alone for the past few years but I feel adding minoxidil and using a more effective wounding tool will speed up my results.
Just another testament from a wounding veteran.

 

[hairloss_user]

Hey guys, I've been posting in a blog on stopaga.com for a long time now. The site has been shut down and it contains the only copy of my photos that I have (I've gone through multiple phones and computers). If anyone could point me in the direction of the previous owner I will happily pay the hosting costs to recover my progress pics.
Anyway I've been dermarolling off and on with deep needles (2.5mm) without any other drugs and had some good regrowth.
Over the past 5 months I've added minoxidil in an attempt speed up the process, though I honestly think it's worsened my hairloss for the time being (I will ride it out of course).
Roughly a month ago I switched from a budget dermaroller to a Dr pen ultimate A1 and done 2 heavy sessions with it (2-2.5mm very thoroughly). I would advise getting a wireless one though, pain in the arse being corded and with a short lead. Anyway I feel it is much more effective compared with a roller, still hurts like f*** though (roughly the same to me).
I can feel my scalp is still full of fibrosis in certain areas which correlate exactly with the thinning areas, so I plan on increasing the frequency to once every 9 days. Anyone who has used manual methods (scalp massages, folding, needling etc) and has advanced loss should be able feel these areas easily, they are less malleable, thick layers of tissue. My needles get stuck in them sometimes and slows down my automatic pen. Nothing grows in these regions trust me.
2young2retire, my old friend, is bang on point when he said about increased bleeding being a good sign, I have photo evidence of this (if I can recover the website).
I have been maintaining and regrowing hair with a dermaroller and massage alone for the past few years but I feel adding minoxidil and using a more effective wounding tool will speed up my results.
Just another testament from a wounding veteran.

Thanks man. Appreciate hearing that!

Just how bad was your hair before you started and how does it look today? How long have you needled? Maybe you could just explain a bit. Also when you bleed, do you just get blood spots?

 

[inmyhead]

Hey guys, I've been posting in a blog on stopaga.com for a long time now. The site has been shut down and it contains the only copy of my photos that I have (I've gone through multiple phones and computers). If anyone could point me in the direction of the previous owner I will happily pay the hosting costs to recover my progress pics.
Anyway I've been dermarolling off and on with deep needles (2.5mm) without any other drugs and had some good regrowth.
Over the past 5 months I've added minoxidil in an attempt speed up the process, though I honestly think it's worsened my hairloss for the time being (I will ride it out of course).
Roughly a month ago I switched from a budget dermaroller to a Dr pen ultimate A1 and done 2 heavy sessions with it (2-2.5mm very thoroughly). I would advise getting a wireless one though, pain in the arse being corded and with a short lead. Anyway I feel it is much more effective compared with a roller, still hurts like f*** though (roughly the same to me).
I can feel my scalp is still full of fibrosis in certain areas which correlate exactly with the thinning areas, so I plan on increasing the frequency to once every 9 days. Anyone who has used manual methods (scalp massages, folding, needling etc) and has advanced loss should be able feel these areas easily, they are less malleable, thick layers of tissue. My needles get stuck in them sometimes and slows down my automatic pen. Nothing grows in these regions trust me.
2young2retire, my old friend, is bang on point when he said about increased bleeding being a good sign, I have photo evidence of this (if I can recover the website).
I have been maintaining and regrowing hair with a dermaroller and massage alone for the past few years but I feel adding minoxidil and using a more effective wounding tool will speed up my results.
Just another testament from a wounding veteran.

I remember you accidentaly damaged some area using acid peals. Did the hair regrow there?

 

[albert]

Hey guys, I've been posting in a blog on stopaga.com for a long time now. The site has been shut down and it contains the only copy of my photos that I have (I've gone through multiple phones and computers). If anyone could point me in the direction of the previous owner I will happily pay the hosting costs to recover my progress pics.
Anyway I've been dermarolling off and on with deep needles (2.5mm) without any other drugs and had some good regrowth.
Over the past 5 months I've added minoxidil in an attempt speed up the process, though I honestly think it's worsened my hairloss for the time being (I will ride it out of course).
Roughly a month ago I switched from a budget dermaroller to a Dr pen ultimate A1 and done 2 heavy sessions with it (2-2.5mm very thoroughly). I would advise getting a wireless one though, pain in the arse being corded and with a short lead. Anyway I feel it is much more effective compared with a roller, still hurts like f*** though (roughly the same to me).
I can feel my scalp is still full of fibrosis in certain areas which correlate exactly with the thinning areas, so I plan on increasing the frequency to once every 9 days. Anyone who has used manual methods (scalp massages, folding, needling etc) and has advanced loss should be able feel these areas easily, they are less malleable, thick layers of tissue. My needles get stuck in them sometimes and slows down my automatic pen. Nothing grows in these regions trust me.
2young2retire, my old friend, is bang on point when he said about increased bleeding being a good sign, I have photo evidence of this (if I can recover the website).
I have been maintaining and regrowing hair with a dermaroller and massage alone for the past few years but I feel adding minoxidil and using a more effective wounding tool will speed up my results.
Just another testament from a wounding veteran.

Oh wow, so sad to see SAGA going away. I was very active there until a point where it felt pretty dead. You can try to obtain contact info from monty by running WHOIS against the domain.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[mooreu]

For the pain, you should try a 4% lidocaine numbing cream (or 5% if you can get it without prescription). It's about 5/15 euros/dollars depending on your location. You put the cream on your scalp 20 minutes before the treatment. I'm not saying that it won't be painful, but it won't be unbearable. I'm using a 5% cream and there are still some pain, but it's bearable. At this level of lidocaine, you should not get any side effect. There are more concentrated creams (10 or 15%), but according to my brother/doctor, it should not be used alone as you can have an anaphylactic shock.

Make sure to wash off the lidocaine before you roll.

 

[sportsguy97]

Hey guys, I've been posting in a blog on stopaga.com for a long time now. The site has been shut down and it contains the only copy of my photos that I have (I've gone through multiple phones and computers). If anyone could point me in the direction of the previous owner I will happily pay the hosting costs to recover my progress pics.
Anyway I've been dermarolling off and on with deep needles (2.5mm) without any other drugs and had some good regrowth.
Over the past 5 months I've added minoxidil in an attempt speed up the process, though I honestly think it's worsened my hairloss for the time being (I will ride it out of course).
Roughly a month ago I switched from a budget dermaroller to a Dr pen ultimate A1 and done 2 heavy sessions with it (2-2.5mm very thoroughly). I would advise getting a wireless one though, pain in the arse being corded and with a short lead. Anyway I feel it is much more effective compared with a roller, still hurts like f*** though (roughly the same to me).
I can feel my scalp is still full of fibrosis in certain areas which correlate exactly with the thinning areas, so I plan on increasing the frequency to once every 9 days. Anyone who has used manual methods (scalp massages, folding, needling etc) and has advanced loss should be able feel these areas easily, they are less malleable, thick layers of tissue. My needles get stuck in them sometimes and slows down my automatic pen. Nothing grows in these regions trust me.
2young2retire, my old friend, is bang on point when he said about increased bleeding being a good sign, I have photo evidence of this (if I can recover the website).
I have been maintaining and regrowing hair with a dermaroller and massage alone for the past few years but I feel adding minoxidil and using a more effective wounding tool will speed up my results.
Just another testament from a wounding veteran.

Awesome post man. I think its another example of how positive this treatment can be. Just rolling alone has shown the ability to maintain and regrow existing hair, and it seems like in the couple examples we have the results can last. Thats a win for some people in itself. Now obviously alot of us, myself included want more than maintenance. So we continue to experiment with the different variables of wounding.

Agreed on the DR pen. When i used the roller in years past, (did it for a couple weeks). Subconsciously i never thought i was pressing as hard as i needed to. Plus i find the pen much more tolerable.

I still wonder what follicas needling device is. I do know that it says "in office visit' and that subsequent visits may be needed. However it doesn't seem like its something we'd have to do every month. I wonder if they have a precision machine that wounds deep and draws some blood, and then they allow the growth factors to do their thing over months time. Kind of goes back to what some people speculate, maybe heavier sessions with more downtime between serves benefit. For now though i'll stick to the study.