Derma rolling is an affordable and minimally invasive hair growth technique, but do beard rollers work for beard hair loss? Derma rolling for hair has been shown to help men with male pattern baldness improve their scalp hair loss when combined with minoxidil and other hair growth treatments [1-3].
In this article, we’ll discover whether beard rollers can do the same for facial hair and explore:
While no scientific studies have investigated the effectiveness of beard rollers specifically, evidence suggests they work for scalp hair loss — and the same mechanism may also apply to beard hair.
One study revealed that derma rolling (also known as microneedling) could boost the effects of minoxidil [2]. The average hair count was four times higher in those using microneedling and minoxidil at the same time compared with those using minoxidil only.
In addition, 82% of hair loss patients who added derma rolling to their hair loss routine said their hair improved by more than 50%. By comparison, just 4.5% of minoxidil-only users reported this level of growth.
Whether these results can translate to beard growth hasn’t yet been clinically tested. However, beard rollers may improve the absorption of minoxidil for beard growth, which has been shown to be an effective treatment [4]. So, it’s possible that a beard roller could enhance your facial hair if you use it in conjunction with minoxidil.
Beard rolling doesn’t work overnight. Like all hair loss treatments, it takes at least a few months for the results to kick in.
One study found that microneedling with minoxidil for scalp hair could enhance hair growth within just one week, compared with minoxidil alone [2].
However, it’s more likely to take three or four months to see sustained beard growth following microneedling treatment.
It isn’t recommended to use a beard roller every day. Beard rollers create hundreds to thousands of tiny wounds in your skin, prompting your body to produce collagen and start the healing process.
Beard rolling once or twice a week gives your skin time to heal between sessions. But if you use a derma roller every day, you’re not allowing for that crucial healing time.
So, how often should you use a beard roller if you want to see results? Again, there’s not much scientific evidence to prove the perfect timeframe for using a beard roller. But we do know that it’s linked to needle size.
Larger needles should be used less frequently as they pierce your skin more deeply and, therefore, need more time to heal.
Beard rolling has relatively few side effects, but you might experience:
If your derma roller isn’t clean, you may also be at risk of infection. So it’s really important to clean and disinfect your derma roller between uses.
Yes, it’s possible to use a beard roller too often. As well as increasing the risk of pain and discomfort, you could damage your skin and create scar tissue which can inhibit hair growth. So try to limit your beard rolling to the maximum limits outlined above, and never use a derma roller more than every other day.
Clinical photographic evidence showing the effects of beard rolling is limited. So, what does the anecdotal evidence show?
One Youtuber shared his beard rolling results after three and six months:
However, he felt the impact of using the beard roller was minimal. He didn’t feel the experiment was a success in terms of filling out his patchy facial hair, but is glad that he gave it a shot.
Other people have had greater success using a beard roller. Greg Berzinsky (who’s known for his full, lustrous beard) says he noticed a 5% increase in new facial hair growth after six months of beard rolling:
Another Youtuber has seen even more substantial results after using a combination of beard rolling and minoxidil. Here are his results before and after three months of use:
Consistency and patience are key to achieving results from beard rolling. Some people see results within three months, while it may take longer for others to get the same gains.
Because beard rolling is a relatively low-risk hair growth technique, there aren’t too many downsides to using a beard roller. However, there are some cautionary points to consider before you get started:
These downsides can be mitigated and managed, so if you’re keen to try beard rolling, don’t let them put you off.
Microneedling is a common technique that’s widely used in the cosmetic industry. It helps certain treatments penetrate the skin barrier that are otherwise poorly absorbed.
While there’s minimal evidence to support the use of derma rollers for your beard, the risks are low, and beard rollers are very affordable. So, there’s no harm in adding beard rollers to your facial hair growth routine, especially if you’re already using minoxidil.
Make sure to manage your expectations of beard rolling. Most people only see minimal improvements, often just the transition from thin vellus hairs to terminal hairs.
A beard transplant is the best way to get a fuller, thicker beard. Beard transplants look completely natural, and while they’re more expensive than derma rolling, they often give much better, more consistent results. Some people also use derma rollers after a hair transplant to stimulate further growth.
Aside from derma rolling, minoxidil, and a beard transplant, how else can you improve beard growth? There are several other treatments that may help.
If you’re experiencing facial hair loss, help is available. Expert trichologists can identify the reason your hair is falling out using diagnostic trichology tests, such as hair loss blood tests.
For advice on tackling your limited beard growth, book a consultation at one of our clinic locations. We can talk you through your options and help you find the right beard growth solution. You may even be a candidate for a follicular unit extraction (FUE) or follicular unit transplantation (FUT) beard transplant.
Shaving before using a beard roller may help it reach your hair follicles more easily. Avoid any cuts while shaving because using a beard roller on an open wound is not a good idea.
Yes, it does. Derma rollers can work on your hairline in the same way they help with beard growth — creating microtrauma that encourages regeneration of your hair follicle cells. Research suggests this can also help scalp hair regrow, particularly when combined with minoxidil [2].
If you’re 40 and you’ve never been able to grow a full beard, this is likely due to genetics. If you could have previously grown a beard but are now unable to, this could be due to a hair loss condition. It’s worth speaking to a hair doctor to identify why your beard has stopped growing.
Facial hair usually emerges in boys around 11 or 12 years old at puberty. By 16-17, hair growth spreads over the whole upper lip, and then hair extends down from the sideburns and below the lower lip until around 18.
From 17-21 onwards, hair spreads to the lower face to form a full beard. Beard hair may continue to thicken and grow up to about 30 years old. Ethnicity plays a role — men of Mediterranean descent tend to have thicker beards, and Chinese men tend to have less facial hair than white men. [6]
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