Can Derma Roller be used for Beard?
The theory behind Micro-needling
Micro-needling is the use of tiny needles to create micro-injuries into the skin. When your body identifies these injuries, blood and nutrients rush toward them for healing, in turn stimulating the production of collagen.
Derma Rollers are instruments used for this process. The needles come in varying sizes.
If the thought of tiny needles puncturing your skin is scary, then you are not alone. Though this process isn’t painful at all, they are too small for you to feel more than a pinprick. These punctures are just surface-level.
Derma Rollers are used to treat acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.
As they help in the production of collagen and elastin, in theory, micro-needling can help with growing a thick, long beard.
Does micro-needling work on beards?
Many companies have taken the initiative to advertise derma rollers as Beard Rollers, to make them sound more appealing to men. There is hardly any difference, if at all, between derma rollers and beard rollers. They might sell the whole ‘beard roller kit’ with beard shampoos and serums or oils.
Nevertheless, if you want to try them, let us show how it is correctly done.
The first step is choosing the correct derma roller, especially the needle size. In the market, there are a variety of sizes available. The skin under your beard is thin and like everything, overdoing it will do more harm than good. Hence, start with the smallest needle size – 0.25mm and go from there.
Now that you have bought the correct roller, next, how do you use it?
1. Make sure your face & beard is clean before using the roller on your skin
2. Also, make sure your roller is clean
3. Roll the derma roller horizontally, vertically, and diagonally in up and down motion.
4. Don’t roll more than 3-4 times over a single surface
5. Do not apply too much pressure, be gentle and uniform.
You follow with the application of beard oil or serum.
The micro-punctures will penetrate deeper. Again, make sure the serum or oil doesn’t burn or tingle when you apply it.
How many times a week can I do this?
When you are starting with a 0.25mm needle size, do it twice or thrice a week. If you aren’t feeling any pain, you slowly increase the needle size to 0.5mm – with this needle size, only use it twice a week. Your skin needs time to heal after you have punctured it.
Your comfort is paramount, don’t overdo it or continue doing it, even after it is painful.
How long till I see results?
With such treatments, consistency is crucial. You cannot expect hard and fast results. If you follow the guideline mentioned above, it should take about 4-6 weeks to start seeing visible results in the overall condition of your beard.
Safety & Side-effects
If you stick to using a 0.25 to 0.75mm needle size derma roller at home, there should not be any side effects. Anything above, you will come across some nasty ones like
1. Bleeding
2. Bruising
3. Infection
4. Worsening of acne
5. Skin peeling
6. Formation of scar tissues
Note that you should always disinfect and clean the roller before & after every use. And people suffering from acne, eczema, or psoriasis should avoid using derma rollers altogether.