Microneedling is a method for creating small entry points, known as microwounds, across your scalp with the use of needles at the length of 0.5mm or more. Microneedling encourages the wound healing process to reactivate follicles for improved hair growth & quality, and increases effective absorption of hair treatments [1,2,3].

• Activates damaged or dormant hair follicles. Hair growth goes through 3 phases: anagen (hair growth), catagen (follicle shrinkage), and telogen (hair fall) [4]. Microwounds activate the epidermal stem cells and wound healing process for follicles in the telogen phase [5,6]. This induces regeneration and helps damaged or dormant follicles re-enter the anagen phase, re-activating hair growth.

• Maximizes absorption of scalp treatments. Microwounds increase permeability for reliable & consistent absorption of scalp treatments, compared to oral medications. Direct absorption avoids the need for digestion, which degrades the effectiveness of treatments [2,3].

• Encourages new & fuller hair growth. Microneedling triggers revascularization of the skin to bring nourishment to the follicles, induce stem cells for repair by causing micro wounds [7,8]. The microwounds will function as vasodilators - reactivating and reopening the follicles’ access to receive nourishment, proteins, and nutrients from the body [9].

In patients with Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA), the affected hair follicles are shrinking, resulting in shorter, weaker strands similar to the invisible hair strands on the body. The follicles have a shorter growth phase, and become more sensitive to DHT that blocks proteins & suffocates the follicle. This leads to reduced hair density in affected areas [13].

Microneedling activates the Dermal Papilla (DP) cells and epidermal stem cells by creating microwounds. The dermal papilla (DP), a cluster of specialized fibroblasts, regulate the growth and activity of the various cells in the follicle, thereby playing a key role in the regulation of hair cycling and growth [10]. Hair follicle regeneration begins when signals from the DP cells reach the epidermal stem cells that are responsible for wound repair [7].

Based on a study of microneedling with shaved mice, the reactivation of hair follicles will result in hair growth, with or without application of hair treatments after microneedling [6,11,12]. This study also indicates that micro needling therapy using a derma roller is an effective hair growth treatment.