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Hair Rehab Starts At The Scalp
Hair doesn’t always follow the plan, even when you’re doing everything right. Maybe things look a little thinner around the edges, or your part feels more honest than it used to. It’s the kind of shift you notice before anyone else does, and it usually sends you down a “what actually works?” rabbit hole. Microneedling for hair loss has become a go-to in Houston, TX, for people who want something practical, low-drama, and science-backed. Think of it as a reset button for the scalp, encouraging healthier growth, stronger strands, and a fuller look over time. At Face Forward, the approach stays steady and personalized, built for anyone who wants to boost their hair without rewriting their entire aesthetic. It’s skincare energy, but for your scalp—simple, effective, and surprisingly satisfying.
Your Follicles Get The Memo
Microneedling for hair loss uses a medical device with ultra-fine needles to create precise micro-channels in the scalp. Those micro-injuries signal the body to repair: growth factors rise, circulation improves, and the environment around each follicle becomes more active. For patients with male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss, or early hair thinning, microneedling can help stimulate hair growth and improve how existing hair looks and behaves. It’s an in-office hair loss treatment that fits into real life—no surgery, no shaved head, and minimal interruption to work or workouts once the early healing window passes.
Density That Holds Up IRL
On the scalp, microneedling isn’t about “poking holes.” It’s about controlled depth and pattern. The device creates channels in the upper layers of skin over the scalp, close to where hair follicles sit. This triggers:
In androgenetic alopecia (the most common type of pattern baldness in men and women), follicles miniaturize over time. Microneedling doesn’t replace lost follicles, but it can help existing ones perform better and support new hair growth where follicles are still alive but underperforming. Dr. Bender often combines microneedling with medical therapy—such as oral medications (finasteride, where appropriate), topical solutions, or platelet-rich plasma—when the diagnosis and lab work support that approach.
From Shedding Stress To Scalp Wins
Most patients are looking for something practical: more coverage, thicker-looking strands, and a way to treat hair loss without jumping straight to surgery. Microneedling offers:
Many use it to slow the progression of male hair loss or female pattern baldness. Others bring it into a long-term treatment plan after hair restoration surgery to protect the non-transplanted hair.
For The “Too Soon To Thin” Crowd
You may be a good candidate if you:
Dr. Bender takes a detailed medical history and may order blood tests to check for thyroid problems, iron issues, hormonal changes (including menopause), or other factors contributing to shedding. Microneedling isn't first-line for every hair loss condition. In alopecia areata, scarring alopecia, or inflammatory diseases of the scalp, the priority is often controlling inflammation with targeted medical therapy (sometimes including steroid injections) before considering any device.
Conditions That Respond Best
Microneedling works best when follicles are still present but underperforming. That includes:
For scarring alopecia or patches of alopecia areata, Dr. Bender coordinates care with dermatology. In some cases, microneedling enters the plan only after the disease has stabilized; in others, it’s not recommended at all. The point is accuracy, not forcing every patient into the same procedure.
Real Talk, Real Scalp Strategy
Your visit in Houston, Texas, starts with a clear question: what’s driving your hair loss? Dr. Bender reviews medical history, medications, stress events, childbirth, recent illness, and family patterns. She examines the scalp for signs of scarring alopecia, traction from tight ponytails, and any inflammation that changes the treatment approach.
From there, you’ll discuss options: microneedling alone, microneedling plus PRP, or a combination of oral medications, topical therapy, and possible future hair transplant surgery. The plan is built around your diagnosis, not just your wish for “more hair.” Before treatment, you’ll receive clear instructions about hair washing, pausing certain supplements, and how long to avoid color or chemical services.
Scalp Care With Main-Character Energy
On treatment day, your scalp is cleansed and numbed with a local anesthetic cream. Once you’re comfortable, Dr. Bender or a trained member of her team makes systematic passes over the treatment area, adjusting depth for each region of the scalp. Zones with thicker skin near the crown may tolerate slightly deeper passes than the frontal hairline.
If your treatment plan includes PRP or medicated solutions, they’re applied while channels are open, which can help boost hair growth and improve contact with the follicles. Most patients describe a scratchy, pressurized sensation rather than sharp pain. A typical session lasts 30–45 minutes, and you leave the office without bandages or stitches.
Growth You Notice
Microneedling doesn’t produce overnight density. Instead, it shifts the scalp environment so hair growth can improve over several cycles. Most patients start to see reduced shedding and easier styling within 8–12 weeks. True new growth often shows around the three-month mark and builds over 4–6 months. A series is standard. Many patients complete three to six sessions spaced about a month apart, then schedule maintenance every three to six months. In cases of androgenetic alopecia, pairing microneedling with oral medications, topical therapy, or light-based treatments can extend and stabilize results.
Right after treatment, your scalp looks pink and feels warm, similar to a mild sunburn. That sensation usually settles within a few hours. Dr. Bender sends you home with simple rules: avoid heavy sweating, saunas, and swimming for 24–48 hours; hold off on harsh styling products; wait the recommended window before restarting minoxidil or coloring your hair. Most people go back to work the same or the next day. As with any procedure, the “low risk” label still assumes you follow the instructions.
Where This Fits
Microneedling supports the follicles you still have. Hair transplantation moves individual hair follicles from a stable donor area—typically the back of the head—to thinning areas that can no longer produce density. Dr. Bender uses microneedling to:
During consultation, you'll hear a candid take on which lane you're in now and how that might change over time.
Hair Plans Built Like Strategies
Hair restoration in Houston, TX, is crowded with quick fixes and aggressive marketing. Dr. Melissa Bender takes a more clinical approach. As a double board-certified facial plastic and head & neck surgeon with extensive experience in hair restoration, she treats hair loss as a medical problem first and a cosmetic concern second. Her work ranges from non-surgical hair loss treatment—including microneedling and PRP—to surgical hair transplant procedures when patients are ready for a more permanent solution. Every plan comes back to the same goal: a healthier scalp, stronger hair, and a path that feels honest and sustainable.
If you’re experiencing hair loss and want a thoughtful next step, schedule a consultation with Dr. Bender in Houston. You’ll leave with a clear diagnosis, realistic expectations, and a plan that may include microneedling, medical therapy, or both. Call the office at (713) 321-2424 or request an appointment online to get started.
Most patients start with three to six treatments spaced about four weeks apart, then move to maintenance a few times a year. The exact number depends on your diagnosis, pattern, and how your scalp responds.
With numbing cream, most patients describe pressure and scratching, not sharp pain. Some soreness or sensitivity can linger for a day, but it rarely interferes with normal activities.
No. Microneedling can stimulate hair growth where follicles still exist. Areas that are truly bald usually need hair transplant options like FUE or FUT to bring follicles back into that zone.
When performed by trained professionals with the right depth settings and sterile technique, microneedling is safe across a range of hair types and skin tones. Inflammatory scalp diseases need medical management first.
Home devices lack the precision, depth control, and sterility of in-office treatment and can irritate or infect the scalp. For meaningful results with lower risk, medical-grade microneedling under a doctor’s guidance is the safer route.
PRP uses your own blood to isolate growth factors and inject them into the scalp. Microneedling triggers a similar healing response through controlled injury. Many patients do best with a combined approach, built around their specific hair loss condition and lab work.
Schedule Your Houston Plastic Surgery Consultation Today
The Face Forward process starts with a consultation. You will meet with Dr. Rodman (either in the office or via video call) to discuss the result or look you want to achieve. Dr. Rodman will review and educate you about your options and schedule you for the procedure of your choice. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled as necessary. Achieve your look and enjoy the new you! Schedule your consultation for plastic surgery in Houston at Face Forward today.
6750 West Loop S Ste 1060, Bellaire TX 77401
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