Do Beard Rollers Work?

When you think about hair loss, you probably think about the hair on your head. That’s not the only place you can lose hair, though. Many men experience thinning facial hair at some point, even if they could grow a full beard in their younger years. 2% of people even go through alopecia barbae [1], an autoimmune condition that causes a patchy, balding beard.

Losing your beard can have a devastating impact on your confidence. It’s a huge part of your facial features and could even be a part of your identity. That’s why so many men look towards hair restoration treatments like beard rollers.

What is a Beard Roller?

Before answering the question, “Do beard rollers work?” it’s first important to understand what they are. A beard roller is a small, hand-held device that you can use at home. It contains lots of tiny needles (microneedles) made of titanium or stainless steel, which penetrate the upper layers of the skin to stimulate rejuvenation and boost collagen. They can even help boost hair growth.

Is There a Difference Between a Beard Roller and a Derma Roller?

You might hear people using the phrases “beard roller” and “derma roller” interchangeably. Are they different in any way? The answer is no. Beard rollers and derma rollers are the same type of item, but a beard roller might be bigger to accommodate the large area of facial hair. You may also hear derma rolling be referred to as microneedling – again, it’s all the same concept of using tiny needles on the skin.

How Do Beard Rollers Work?

Beard rollers work by puncturing the epidermis – the outer layer of the skin. Once this happens, the dermis (the layer underneath the epidermis) notices that the epidermis has sustained damage and reacts by boosting collagen production and blood flow, increasing cell turnover and leading to healthier skin, faster healing, and stimulated hair follicles (that leads to hair growth). It’s pretty magical. Keep in mind that the puncturing is superficial; it doesn’t hurt or bleed.

Do Beard Rollers Work for Hair Growth?

There’s a lot of evidence to back up that derma rollers are good for skin health. However, do beard rollers work for hair growth? While there isn’t as much research into this, there is some evidence that suggests beard rollers can help your beard grow hair.

There are more studies into microneedling boosting scalp growth, which suggests it would also work on a beard. One study on a young, 3-year-old female patient [2] combined the corticoid betamethasone with microneedling treatments. The results were positive – after six months, the girl experienced no adverse side effects and had nearly complete hair regrowth.

If you look online, you can also see a lot of anecdotal evidence that beard rollers work – looking at images of men using a beard roller before and after will show that it can actually stimulate hair growth and repair a patchy beard.

Do Beard Rollers Work Better with Medication?

If you’ve ever experienced hair loss, you’ve likely stumbled across medications for hair loss restoration, such as Minoxidil and Finasteride. Minoxidil is a topical treatment that’s particularly effective at stimulating hair growth, with one German study with 984 patients resulting in 62% of patients experiencing a smaller area of hair loss at the end of the 12-month study [3].

As beard rollers haven’t been confirmed to help with beard growth, but Minoxidil has, you might want to consider using both a beard roller and Minoxidil to help you get the perfect beard. It’s best to go to a clinic for this treatment to avoid adverse side effects.

How Often Should You Use a Beard Roller?

It’s essential not to use your beard roller too much – you can still enjoy beard roller results without using it constantly. In fact, using it too often can lead to skin damage and discomfort, which won’t help any beard growth. Generally, stick to using your beard roller a maximum of every other day.

When deciding how frequently to use your beard roller, it’s also important to keep the size of it in mind. While you can use one with 0.25mm needles every other day, you should only use a 0.5mm beard roller three times a week (or less). Needles longer than that need to be used even less often.

How Long Do Results Take to Work?

Does a beard roller work quickly? Like most hair restoration solutions, a beard roller’s results take a while to come through. It typically takes around six months to see new beard hair come through, so don’t expect results too quickly – patience is a must when it comes to hair restoration.

If you want to keep track of your results, take a picture of you using the beard roller before and after six months – you’ll be able to see if it has had a positive effect.

Are There Risks Associated with the Use of Beard Rollers?

Most beard rollers are very safe, and you can use them at home with no problem. However, if you misuse them, there are some small risks involved, including:

• Skin discomfort
• Bleeding
• Itchiness
• Irritation
• Infection

An infection will only occur if you don’t follow the instructions properly. It’s crucial to always sterilise the microneedles before use to avoid the risk of infection.

What Other Benefits Do Derma Rolles Have?

As mentioned previously, derma rollers aren’t just for stimulating hair growth. In fact, microneedling is primarily known for its ability to boost the skin’s health. Here are some of the problems that microneeding can help you with:

• Acne scars
• Wrinkles
• Fine lines
• Large pores
• Surgical scars
• Stretch marks

If you use a derma roller to help with any of these issues, use a different device to your beard roller – it’s best to keep them separate. Plus, a beard roller is often slightly larger than a derma roller. Also, while microneedling is excellent for minimising acne scars, it should never be used directly on acne, as that could cause an infection.

Good Grooming Tips for a Healthy Beard

While using a beard roller to help boost growth, there are other grooming tips for maintaining the perfect beard to follow.

Use Beard Oils

An effective beard oil will moisturise and condition your beard, leaving it in much better condition. It’s best to oil your beard straight after a shower, as the hair follicles will be open and absorb the oil deeply.

Trim Often

For a well-groomed appearance, trim your beard often. Your beard hair grows at different rates; trimming it will keep it nice and neat. You can either use an electric trimmer or some scissors. You could even go to a pro for a well-defined, perfect result.

Brush and Wash Your Beard Regularly

Your beard collects a lot of dirt throughout the day – even stubble. To protect your beard and stay clean, brush and wash it at least once a day. Exfoliating it is even better, as that will remove dead skin cells that have accumulated there. Also, getting a high-quality beard comb is always a good idea.

What Other Hair Loss Solutions Work for Beard Loss?

Of course, you don’t have to rely only on a beard roller to restore beard hair loss. If you have a patchy beard, you might want to try other solutions that have more evidence to show that they work. As mentioned earlier, medications like Minoxidil and Finasteride work well for men experiencing hair loss, so consider using those to help regrow your beard.

Another option is getting a beard transplant. Yes – these exist, and they work a lot like your typical hair transplant. Usually, hair is harvested from the back of the head for a beard transplant and then implanted in the patchy or balding section of the face. The result is a naturally growing beard that will last a lifetime. Interested in this procedure? Our top surgeons perform beard transplants here at Harley Street Hair Clinic, so get in touch if you want to explore this beard hair restoration option.

The Bottom Line: Do Derma Rollers Work?

Hopefully, we have answered the question, “Do derma rollers work for beard growth?”. Right now, there is no direct evidence to suggest that a beard roller will grow out a full beard. That doesn’t mean that they definitely don’t work, though. With evidence showing that microneedling can stimulate scalp hair growth and the amount of anecdotal evidence out there, it suggests that a beard roller may help you grow a beard once more – especially if used in conjunction with a hair growth medication like Minoxidil. Of course, if you’re looking for more effective, noticeable results due to alopecia barbae, getting a beard transplant is also an excellent option.

Sources:

1. You thought hair loss was bad? Beard loss is even worse
2. Microneedling combined with compound betamethasone in treatment of severe alopecia areata: A case report
3. A one-year observational study with Minoxidil 5% solution in Germany: results of independent efficacy evaluation by physicians and patients