New Breakthrough? Scalproller..

[d0072]

Looks like something i saw Dr. Greco use in one of the videos of PRP therapy. well the way its described makes me believe its the roller thing that pinches the or punctures the scalp.

A unique Titanium microneedle roller called the Scalproller™ was unveiled by the British biotech Nanogen at a recent conference in Amsterdam. Over 400 of the world’s leading hair loss surgeons and trichologists visited the recent July ISHRS annual meeting where the Scalproller was first exhibited.

Nanogen’s Scalproller has 4 clinical applications to enhance existing hair loss treatments. When using the Scalproller, penetration of Minoxidil – a prescription hair loss treatment, is increased by over 5 times on treated skin compared to untreated skin. Additionally, Scalproller therapy fades and removes donor scars from hair transplant surgery. Cutting edge hair loss treatment Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) also requires Scalproller treatment to activate the growth factors. Furthermore, the latest research on behalf of Intercytex by Dr Bessam Farjo, and pioneering studies by Dr George Cotsarelis provide evidence that Scalproller therapy may produce new hair growth independently of any other treatment.

Dr. Farjo, immediate past president of the ISHRS and also an attendee of the conference, was impressed with this innovation, “Nanogen's Scalproller device is interesting in that it uses concepts of recent leading-edge hair loss research. Certainly, as demonstrated by the recent Intercytex cell therapy trials and previous work on the animal model by Cotsarelis et al., there is good research data to show stimulation of hair growth in response to skin stimulation or injury. Studies have also shown that needle holes of 0.5mm depth or more penetrate the skin sufficiently to increase the diffusion of compounds of similar molecular weight and charge to Minoxidil.”

The Scalproller is unique in that it is the only microneedle therapy roller specifically designed for hair loss treatment. According to Nanogen Medical Director Elliot Isaacs, “The previous technology for dermatological purposes was insufficient to meet the durability and accuracy requirements of a professional medical device. Harder titanium needles and precise European engineering techniques were necessary to produce a roller that will stay sharp for over 4 months, and perforate the skin to the exact depth every time.”

The Scalproller, already the subject of several international patents pending, was enthusiastically received by the hair loss and surgical community. Both the home use versions and the longer 1 & 2mm clinical models are already in use in a range of professional practices, and several applications have been made to Nanogen to conduct new research utilising the Scalproller.

http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=c...0814&Itemid=28

[smileyface19]

I'm 20 years old (norwood 2-3), and it feels as if you're shaving off a 2 days old stubble beard when you use it. I bought the Nanogen Scalproller 0.5 mm which is the only needle length long enough to promote collagen, and stimulate the scalp. The 0.2 mm isn't long enough and is a waste of your time and money, according to my research on the epidermal layer. It actually feels pretty good and the scalp turns red but doesn't bleed. I have this theory that hair loss is caused by a lack of blood circulation ONLY to the top of the head (primarily when we're sleeping, we're not positioned on top of our heads and blood circulation is diverted away from the top of the head to the back and sides.) I have stopped using Minoxidil and Finasteride a year ago because no one can explain to me how they work properly, which leads me to believe they could be affecting other aspects of my body as well, and they didn't really work to a point where I was happy to pay for them. They just say take it because most people are lucky to avoid side effects and that it's our only option, when in fact this may not be true at all. This derma roller is about 60.00 for a titanium micro-needle roller (and international shipping) from the UK and it took no more than a week to arrive to Canada. It lasts 6 months but some people have had them for 2 years "apparently" don't quote me on this, but even still $120.00 single hair treatment for a year! Wean off of Finasteride and Minoxidil and begin researching the affects of stimulating collagen (the main structural protein found in animal connective tissue) and exfoliation to the skin while also initiating the healing and hair follicle regeneration mechanism by your own bodies.

The scalp roller needs to be used every day to produce enough collagen ("type1 - This is the most abundant collagen of the human body. It is present in scar tissue, the end product when tissue heals by repair. It is found in tendons, skin, artery walls, the endomysium of myofibrils, fibrocartilage, and the organic part of bones and teeth") to begin to reconstruct the follicle and reset it to the anagen phase to produce a new grouping of hair. Similar to growing a plant of some sort, the follicle is completely dependent upon it's root supply and the nutrients being circulated through it's stem. This is the same for the hair shaft being dependent upon it's root and nutrient system. All problems need to be attacked at the source. Similar to a building, a great building depends completely upon its foundation. I'm not a rep for this company but I know how shitty it feels, not just suffering from hair loss, but not really understanding how to remediate the problem itself. I also feel like there is too much money in this industry to promote this inexpensive medical device properly, even if it is a miracle, simply because it is less valuable commercially compared to minoxidil or Propecia. I have a whole case study on the benefits of microdermabrasion to the skin (even the face and neck area as well). I'm only on day 4 of using it on my face and scalp, but I'm feeling better already, about the way in which I'm now treating this condition, whereas I was skeptical constantly about putting chemicals in my body without any idea of what they were doing. If you'd like some more information, including published scientific papers on microdermabrasion to the skin, send me a message.

Devin.

[Gubter_87]

Weird that the skin stays healthy and does not shrivel up and die on top of the scalp, I mean with the lack of blood flow and all.

I'm sorry but it's just not logical that hair loss is caused by bad circulation in the scalp. How come hair planted from the back of the head on top of the scalp keeps growing for the rest of a persons life?

Derma rollers however is a total different issue and may be beneficial, but they don't work by increasing blood flow.

[smileyface19]

Not one person could possibly know if the transplanted hairs won't ever miniaturize or shed because hair transplants have not been around long enough to say that transplanted hairs are permanent. You'd have to base that hypothesis on only 10-20 year old hair transplant maximums. And we all know you will continue to recede, even after the operation, for which they prescribe finasteride and minoxidil anyway. Also, the scalp roller is technically responsible for the same mechanism of reinvigoration of the follicle as minoxidil except only 10,000 times more affective (some studies have found). Only time will tell if those transplanted hairs will really last indefinitely, or if they will fall out because of lack of blood circulation which will ultimately render the hair follicle dead again anyway.

In my opinion, you've nothing to lose from trying this, but don't if you don't want to. I'm only trying to help those who want to listen and want to actually figure out why our hair is falling out to begin with. The current medical understanding of this condition is at best, horrible. Again there are, at least more than 112 published scientific papers describing the affects of microdermabrasion to the skin. Let me know if you'd actually like to read any of these. That's way more than finasteride or minoxidil can provide and therefore gives me reason to believe that these remedies are experimental at best, and unpredictable. I'd rather not put chemicals in my body if I don't have to, especially if they can't guarantee any predictable outcomes on any two patients.

[Gubter_87]

Okay, I'm not going to start a big discussion here. I am not saying that derma rollers are not effective, to be honest I have no idea if they are or not.
I am just saying that hair loss in not caused by reduced blood flow to the scalp.
Transplanted hair will keep growing for the rest of a persons life - the first transplant was performed in 1952 so that is quite a bit longer than the 10-20 years you stated.
And I don't believe that a severely shocked follicle that has been moved from the back of the scalp would ever start growing if placed where there is not enough blood circulation - there would not be enough healing capablities. And once again, how come the skin stays healthy and does not start to rot?


And I have no idea what you mean by scalp rollers working in the same way as minoxidil. I am going to assume you are talking about minoxidil vaso-dilating capabilities. However this is not thought to be how minoxidil works to fight hair loss.
It is believed to work by opening potassium channels of the cells, which are genetically programmed to shut down. How would the derma roller achieve this?

Again I am not saying that the derma rollers are ineffective and by all means anyone who wants to try them, please go ahead and do so.
And if you have any peer reviewed placebo controlled studies on them, I would be very grateful if you would provide me with a link, so that I can read them.

It is easy to get lost in all the psuedo-science that is out there when searching for a cure for this devastating disease. I would not advice anyone who is concerned about their hair loss to start using derma rollers instead of finasteride/minoxidil, simply because the latter are the most tested and effective treatments out there at the moment.

[d0072]

I actually stopped using it consistently enough to see results.
The pain to me is just unbearable since i got the .5mm one.
Also, i cant last 2 days with redness on my temples, its too noticable.
The bleeding isnt bad, you barely see any, but the redness really does
become obvious and after a while you have pain to the touch.

[yecats]

Hey Devin,

I have just stumbled across Your Post in regards to using Derma Rollers & just wondering if You are still using Them & also Have YOU had a Luck with Your Hair-Loss?

Stacey

[25 going on 65]

Bad circulation unfortunately isn't the cause of MPB. I don't see a way for the scalp roller to fight genetic hair loss at all. Maybe it would assist in absorption of keto and minox, but maybe not, or if so, not necessarily by a useful amount.
If someone can prove me wrong I hope they do!

Interesting note on the history of hair transplants... wiki claims:

"The use of both scalp flaps... and free grafts dates back to the 19th century. Modern transplant techniques began in Japan in the 1930s, where surgeons used small grafts, and even "follicular unit grafts" to replace damaged areas of eyebrows or lashes."

Is that first part for real? God, I don't even want to think about what scalp flap surgery would have been like in the 1800s.
But it sounds like the Japanese were doing superior, more delicate work in the 30s and 40s than what westerners did from the 50s through the early 90s (albeit on eye brows and lashes)....

[Aston]

Scalprollers could affect MPB. I remember seeing research in which controlled lesions of the scalp stimulated scalp staminal cells to produce hair. My doubts lie in its effectiveness though.