Derma Roller and Minoxidil: How to Use Together & Results

If you’ve searched high and low for solutions to hair loss, you’ve probably come across topical medications like minoxidil and treatments like dermarolling, two of the most popular options on the market for hair loss treatment.

Dermarolling is a form of microneedling. Derma rollers work by using small needles to create tiny holes or punctures in the skin, which research suggests can encourage new hair growth. Meanwhile, minoxidil (also known as Rogaine®) is an FDA-approved medication for male pattern baldness.

Both a dermaroller and minoxidil have a place in slowing hair loss and stimulating hair regrowth. But did you know that you can use a dermaroller and minoxidil together?

In fact, some research shows that the two hair growth treatments may be more effective when they’re combined.

Below, we’ve explained how dermarolling and minoxidil work together, as well as the safety of using both methods to treat hair loss. And if you’re wondering how the heck dermarolling even works, don’t worry — we’ve covered that, too.

Dermarolling is a type of microneedling. It has a ton of benefits as a skin care procedure, from reducing acne scarring to skin rejuvenation. 

A typical dermaroller used for acne scars and other skin care issues is a drum-shaped roller studded with hundreds of tiny microneedles. They’re not remotely the same size as the needle you get a flu shot with, so don’t stress about that.

Microneedling treatments make small punctures in your skin, creating micro-injuries that are thought to trigger your body’s healing process. It’s also thought that dermarolling increases the production of collagen, a protein responsible for skin, muscle, and bone health.

Some scientific research suggests that using a dermaroller for hair loss improves blood flow to the scalp, which can trigger certain hair growth factors and “reactivate” hair follicles.

One very small-scale study published in 2015 looked at the effects of microneedling on hair growth in four men with androgenetic alopecia — also called male pattern hair loss. These men had had no luck with conventional hair loss treatments.

After a period of six months, the men completed 15 microneedling sessions and showed a grade of +2 to +3 improvement on a standardized 7-point evaluation scale for hair growth.

While the findings of this study are certainly promising, it’s important to note that relatively little research has been done on dermarolling alone for hair loss. Instead, most of the more promising research has looked at the results of using a dermaroller and minoxidil together.

Before we get into whether or not you can use minoxidil and dermaroller treatments together, let’s briefly cover what minoxidil is.

Topical minoxidil is an FDA-approved, over-the-counter hair loss treatment. It’s available as either minoxidil foam or a liquid minoxidil solution, both of which are applied directly to the scalp in areas affected by hair loss.

Minoxidil is thought to work by helping stimulate blood circulation to your hair follicles, which may help regrow hair and prolong your hair’s growth period. 

The available research shows minoxidil works well for treating hair loss — and yes, you can even use minoxidil for beard growth.

What’s more effective than minoxidil, though, is using minoxidil with a dermaroller.  

It’s not entirely clear why this is, but it’s thought that dermarolling helps minoxidil penetrate deeper into the scalp while promoting blood flow to the follicles. Either way, there’s plenty of research to justify using this combo. 

In a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Trichology, men between the ages of 20 and 35 years old who had mild or moderate hereditary hair loss were treated with either 5% minoxidil twice a day or 5% minoxidil twice a day plus weekly microneedling.

After 12 weeks of treatment, the patients treated with minoxidil and microneedling showed significantly more hair growth.

Another 2018 study looked at the effects of microneedling and minoxidil as treatments for hair loss in 68 men. One group underwent treatment with minoxidil alone, while the other underwent weekly dermaroller treatment along with minoxidil.

The combo minoxidil and dermarolling group experienced a much more significant increase in hair count than the minoxidil-only group.

However, it’s worth noting that the researchers could not establish that microneedling combined with minoxidil is an effective therapy for androgenetic alopecia — possibly due to the small sample size — and said that more research is needed.

A different study, however, divided 60 total patients between the ages of 21 to 40 with androgenetic alopecia into two groups: one that completed microneedling twice a month in addition to a topical minoxidil 5% solution, and another that only received the minoxidil solution.

The first group saw an 86 percent improvement in hair loss compared to the minoxidil-only group, which saw around a 63 percent improvement.

Although there isn’t much research on using dermarolling for beard growth, many people do try it. 

In short, plenty of research suggests that dermarolling could be an effective addition to your hair growth regimen. 

Not only can you dermaroll and use topical minoxidil at the same time, but research shows that doing so is likely to improve your results. Now for the next step, how to use a dermaroller for your hair.

Curious about how to use a dermaroller for hair growth? We’ve got a few options covered below. 

Visit a Clinic for Dermarolling 

Your first option is to go to a clinic and have the process performed by a professional. This is a good option if you’ve never used a dermaroller before and want the process to be as simple as possible.

A major advantage of having dermarolling performed clinically is that the device used is typically able to penetrate deeper into your skin than an at-home dermaroller. This may be more effective at stimulating hair growth in areas affected by male pattern baldness or other forms of hair loss.

For example, many studies of microneedling as a treatment for hair loss use a 1.5mm device — a needle length that’s limited to clinical, physician-operated devices.

In comparison, most home dermarollers can only penetrate 0.25 or 0.5mm into your skin.

One downside of having microneedling performed by a professional is the cost. A microneedling session can cost anywhere from under $100 to several hundred dollars based on the area to be treated and your location. Over time, this can add up to a significant amount of money.

To find a clinician who is trained to perform microneedling, you can ask your healthcare provider or a dermatologist for a recommendation.

Use a Dermaroller at Home

The second way to dermaroll is at home. Dermarollers are available online from a range of retailers. Most dermarollers come with a variety of heads with needles of different lengths and are priced from as little as $15 to $30 or more.

To use a dermaroller for microneedling, follow the instructions that come with your device. Most dermarollers are designed for light, slow use on the affected areas. While using the dermaroller, you may feel a mild tingling or pricking sensation in the targeted area of your scalp.

Make sure to keep your skin safe and protected while dermarolling by:

• Applying numbing cream. If you find the feeling of using a dermaroller uncomfortable, it may help to numb the area by applying a mild lidocaine numbing cream. Make sure that you fully wash away the cream before using the dermaroller.

• Disinfecting both your dermaroller and the targeted area of skin. You can do this using 70% isopropyl alcohol. This is especially important if your dermaroller has needles that are 0.5mm or longer.

• Rolling vertically, then horizontally. Most dermaroller products recommend rolling over the target area vertically, then horizontally. Apply the dermaroller from top to bottom a total of six times, then repeat the process horizontally over the same area. 

After you’ve finished using the dermaroller, it’s important to rinse the target areas of your scalp using warm water. 

Make sure that you also follow the instructions provided with your dermaroller to keep it clean and free of bacteria after you’ve used it on your skin.

After you’ve completed this process, you can apply minoxidil to the areas of your scalp affected by hair loss. Our guide to applying minoxidil for hair growth provides step-by-step instructions for the liquid and foam versions of minoxidil.

How Often to Use a Dermaroller for Hair Loss

Although minoxidil can be used twice per day, dermarolling isn’t something that you should do too often. This is because excessive dermarolling may irritate your scalp and increase your risk of experiencing side effects. 

Most studies of microneedling for hair loss involve using a dermaroller one time per week, with minoxidil used two times per day, so, unless a professional advises otherwise, try to keep your hair loss treatment routine on that schedule. 

Be sure to avoid using a dermaroller if your skin feels irritated or swollen, or if it’s not fully recovered from the last session.

While results can vary by person, it usually takes around two to four months before minoxidil starts working for most people. 

Which Size Dermaroller Works for Hair Loss?  

As mentioned, most home-use dermarollers have needles that are either 0.25mm or 0.5mm in length. 

But when it comes to using dermarolling to promote hair regrowth, which needle size should you choose?

Generally, it’s a good idea to start with shorter needles. Use the 0.25mm needles if you’re new to dermarolling or if you have a lower pain tolerance. As the needles are shorter, they’re less likely to cause intense pain. 

But if you’re experienced at dermarolling — and if you’re feeling brave — a 0.5mm dermaroller might be a great choice. It penetrates the skin more deeply.

With this said, there are no clinical trials that compare the effectiveness between the two different sizes for hair loss treatment, so there isn’t much hard data to suggest one is better than the other.

Microneedling using a dermaroller can cause side effects, whether it’s performed by yourself at home or by a professional in a clinic or other setting.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, microneedling may cause some degree of swelling and bruising. This may persist for several days after you treat your scalp using a dermaroller.

Your scalp might also be at a higher risk of infection after you treat the area using a dermaroller. As such, it’s important to practice good hygiene if you use a dermaroller as part of your hair loss prevention routine. 

Wash your hands before touching your scalp post-dermarolling — and if you’re using dermarolling for beard growth, be sure to avoid touching your face after. 

As for the possible side effects of minoxidil, you can expect skin irritation at the application site, itchy scalp, skin rash, and more.

Not too keen on needles? We get it! Fortunately, there are a variety of options for treating hair loss that are, um, less prickly. 

Other than trying minoxidil on its own — which is still very effective, by the way — you can try hair loss treatments like:

• Oral finasteride. This once-a-day pill blocks dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes male pattern hair loss. It’s a prescription medication. 

• A combo of finasteride and minoxidil. Much like dermarollers and minoxidil, using finasteride and minoxidil together is an effective hair loss combination for male pattern baldness. Try our topical finasteride and minoxidil spray.

• Hair growth supplements. Since vitamin deficiencies can lead to hair loss, you can try eating a balanced diet and adding biotin supplements to your daily routine. 

• Hair care products. Some shampoos contain DHT-blocking ingredients like saw palmetto. Our thickening shampoo with saw palmetto is designed to slow down hair loss and promote healthy hair growth.

If you don’t mind a bit of discomfort and have wiggle room in your budget, there are even more options. You can try other in-office treatments, like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which uses stem cells to stimulate hair growth. Hair transplants — while expensive — are also an effective way to treat hair loss.  

Hair loss can be a real annoyance to deal with, and in the search for hair loss treatments, you’ve probably come across minoxidil and might have heard of dermarolling. As a refresher:

• A dermaroller is a tool with tiny needles. It creates small injuries that may increase collagen production, as well as improve blood flow to the scalp and increase hair growth.

• Minoxidil is a hair loss medication. It’s a topical solution that stimulates the regrowth of new hair and lengthens the growth phase of the hair growth cycle. 

• Using a dermaroller and minoxidil together may slow hair loss and boost hair growth. Multiple studies show that this combo can be pretty effective — so if you want to hold onto your hairline, it’s worth a shot. 

If you’re not sure which hair growth treatment to use, your best bet is to consult with a professional. We can help you book a consultation with a healthcare provider who can assess the cause of your hair loss and walk you through your options. 

Our foremost piece of advice: Hair loss tends to get worse over time, so don’t put off making that appointment!