Too Much/too Intense Derma Rolling?

[frank1980]

I bought a 1.5mm derma roller two weeks ago. My routine is twice a week after a shower of neutrogena t gel and nizoral. I focus on my crown, hairline, and temples, but I also do the whole top of my scalp. I probably make 3 to 4 passes and change direction. It takes me 5 to 10 minutes. I have not seen bleeding, but I still hate derma rolling. It kills while I'm doing it. I have had very few hairs get stuck and pulled out luckily, but then again, I use it on damp hair and I cut my hair short these days. About an hour afterwards my scalp feels fine. No pain, no irritation. I'll even go as far as to say that it feels great, even better than before I derma rolled. However, while I'm derma rolling, the pain is almost unbearable and it hurts for around 30 minutes or so.

I chose the 1.5mm because I have read that it helps with collagen repair and is better at stimulating hair. I don't use minoxidil for 24 hours post to give my scalp time to recover.

Am I using too big of a needle? Is twice a week too much?

 

[frank1980]

anyone?

 

[Rocknroutlaw]

I found that using Derminator I could go a greater depth with less pain, largely due to the fast action of the gadget (like a tattoo gun kind of action). I'm sure a dermapen or anything similar could do the same job, but it's a matter of which one provides the functions that you would like.
Some use numbing cream, but I'd personally avoid it due to the hassle as well as the unknown impact of long term usage.
If you're not prepared to go that route, perhaps at least consider derma-stamping rather than rolling, as it is known to cause less micro-tearing?

 

[frank1980]

I found that using Derminator I could go a greater depth with less pain, largely due to the fast action of the gadget (like a tattoo gun kind of action). I'm sure a dermapen or anything similar could do the same job, but it's a matter of which one provides the functions that you would like.
Some use numbing cream, but I'd personally avoid it due to the hassle as well as the unknown impact of long term usage.
If you're not prepared to go that route, perhaps at least consider derma-stamping rather than rolling, as it is known to cause less micro-tearing?

Thanks man. I honestly can tolerate the pain, especially if it's twice a week as long as it is working. Of course, this is a big IF. My biggest fear was that maybe I was doing something wrong, too intensely, or causing more harm than good. I'll look into the Derminator. I never heard of it until now. I've been looking into derma stamping and was going to go this route.

 

[Dhldan]

Thanks man. I honestly can tolerate the pain, especially if it's twice a week as long as it is working. Of course, this is a big IF. My biggest fear was that maybe I was doing something wrong, too intensely, or causing more harm than good. I'll look into the Derminator. I never heard of it until now. I've been looking into derma stamping and was going to go this route.

Only go once a week. 2x a week is too much & doesn’t give enough healing/recovery time. I’d also consider a topical. I heard lavender or peppermint oil works good if you don’t want to use minoxidil. Who knows though? Maybe the rolling alone will stimulate hair growth bc of the wnt signaling or whatever it is. Couldn’t hurt though.

 

[Rocknroutlaw]

Only go once a week. 2x a week is too much & doesn’t give enough healing/recovery time. I’d also consider a topical. I heard lavender or peppermint oil works good if you don’t want to use minoxidil. Who knows though? Maybe the rolling alone will stimulate hair growth bc of the wnt signaling or whatever it is. Couldn’t hurt though.

I agree. I've been occasionally doing micro-needling every 5 days or so, or whenever i feel that it has recovered enough.
With the use of essential oil...I've been using aloe vera oil, but I wonder whether smearing your scalp with oil overnight would somehow not be a good thing for growth, or should it not be a concern? Sebum is needed to facilitate hair growth, but could too much oil impeded growth??

 

[frank1980]

Only go once a week. 2x a week is too much & doesn’t give enough healing/recovery time. I’d also consider a topical. I heard lavender or peppermint oil works good if you don’t want to use minoxidil. Who knows though? Maybe the rolling alone will stimulate hair growth bc of the wnt signaling or whatever it is. Couldn’t hurt though.

From what I've researched, the more intense derma needling (1.5mm) needs time to recover without minoxidil since minoxidil can negate the way microneedling works to stimulate hair growth. At least 12 hours. After that, applying topical minoxidil is fine. I don't know if this is true or not, but it makes sense to me that minoxidil is best used on a nearly healed scalp..

 

[neddy2016]

I worry my scalp is too sensitive to derma rolling as i swear i lose more hair a day or 2 after i derma roll.

 

[frank1980]

I found that using Derminator I could go a greater depth with less pain, largely due to the fast action of the gadget (like a tattoo gun kind of action). I'm sure a dermapen or anything similar could do the same job, but it's a matter of which one provides the functions that you would like.
Some use numbing cream, but I'd personally avoid it due to the hassle as well as the unknown impact of long term usage.
If you're not prepared to go that route, perhaps at least consider derma-stamping rather than rolling, as it is known to cause less micro-tearing?

Thanks. I ordered the derminator. I saw an excellent post about microneedling including studies and techniques. I will continue to dermaroll at 1.5mm once a week until the derminator arrived.

 

[9982]

Thanks. I ordered the derminator. I saw an excellent post about microneedling including studies and techniques. I will continue to dermaroll at 1.5mm once a week until the derminator arrived.

You can use the roller like a stamp. If you are concerned about the rolling action tearing the skin. I have a 1.5mm roller that I use like a stamp.
If you can handle the sound it makes as it pierces into your scalp. Kind of a crunch/popping noise.

I can't roll because it keeps catching my hair.
I'm doing this until my derminator 2 arrives

 

[frank1980]

You can use the roller like a stamp. If you are concerned about the rolling action tearing the skin. I have a 1.5mm roller that I use like a stamp.
If you can handle the sound it makes as it pierces into your scalp. Kind of a crunch/popping noise.

I can't roll because it keeps catching my hair.
I'm doing this until my derminator 2 arrives

I ordered the derminator also. Really expensive, but would rather use it.