u/WanderByJose

Dear Wanderers,

These past weeks have been quite busy at work and I have the feeling that I have posted less content than usual.

Most of my free time, I have been working on the newest version of the Microneedling app, as well as on a game based on a novel I wrote.

There is a huge overhaul coming up for the Microneedling app, and I decided not to use AI shortcuts to post content in order to reduce mistakes. I take your feedback seriously and I want to make sure I bring you something useful and good.

It is also true that the microneedling part which was just a tiny part of my adventure as WanderByJose seems to have taken most of my time in the past few months.

This is something I am reflecting on. On how to continue bringing value to this part of the community, but making sure that does not take away the key focus for me and my channel: which is create mindful experiences that allow others to slow down, that encourages self-care through walking and reflection.

As you know, I have an affiliation on my channel with a skinbooster brand. While they have always been very kind, open and had never ever put pressure on me; I do have the contractual obligation to post the deals following their calendar sales. In one hand, this gives you the chance to be informed on how to navigate your purchases and obtain discounts, but it also has a sense of urgency that changes the speed of what I do.

I will keep thinking of ways that I can give you the best of both: information+discount. And I am open to any feedback you may have for me.

The most important thing I want to share is: Never, ever feel pressured by my posts to consume. Never feel like you need to buy because I keep posting stuff. I would never want to put any of you in the position of feeling like I am driving you towards a sale that I expect you to take.

I am about to finalise the year before going on holidays. It is a very emotional moment for me. Looking back, out of a simple skincare routine that I walked into, we ended up becoming almost 750 wanderers. Some of you are here for my travel walks, my reflections; others for the microneedling and skin boosters.

To all of you, thank you for being part of this community.

I want you to feel at home here. Create your threads, ask questions, share thoughts with each other. As a shy guy that is the most difficult part for me to prompt. With that being said, feel yourselves at home. The community is made by you, not me, and I am curious to hear your stories, what is going on through your minds and have an open conversation about it.

Almost on holidays, but still not there. :)

Thank you for reading me this far.

Best, José

Dear Wanderers,

I think I already shared here before that I had a hair transplant back in 2018. I’m a 40 year old male, and I’ve been fighting hair loss for a very long time, honestly since I was a teenager.

So for me, I kind of feel like I’m in the second round of the game, or the extra lap. I’m not trying to get back the hair I had when I was 15. At this point, I’m doing what I can to preserve what I have, keep my follicles healthy, hopefully improve thickness, and of course, be grateful for any baby hairs or extra regrowth that may come from it.

My main approach is still medication. I take prescribed oral minoxidil and finasteride, and I really see those as the true engines of maintenance. They are what I believe keep what I have and maybe give me a bit of extra results. In the past, I also used a 0.5 mm dermaroller with topical minoxidil.

So whenever I try anything for hair loss, I try to keep a realistic mindset. I’m not expecting miracles. I’m not expecting to reverse time. I see things like microneedling and exosome products more as supportive tools, something that might help the scalp environment, support healthier follicles, and maybe improve the overall quality and density over time.

For this episode, I did scalp microneedling with Jeunetique Exo Hair, which MeamoLabs has kindly sent in a PR package.

A few things I wanted to share from the experience:

First, I do not use numbing cream on the scalp. From everything I’ve read, I personally feel this is a sensitive area to be extra careful with. On the face, it is much easier to wipe everything off properly before microneedling. But because I have longer hair, I find it much harder to make sure every trace of lidocaine is fully removed from the scalp. So I prefer not to use it, just to reduce the risk of it entering through the microneedling channels which is extremely dangerous.

For depth, I decided to use 0.75 mm. From the research I found, this feels like the best balance for me. It is above 0.6 mm, which is where you already start creating the type of reaction we want, but it stays under 1.0 mm, which feels important because I do not want to risk damaging the hair bulb. So my idea is to maximize the potential benefits of microneedling for hair growth, while minimizing the chance of losing hair in the process.

I also stamped instead of gliding. Again, same logic. I want to avoid hair rupture, pulling, cutting, or anything like that. For me personally, stamping feels like the safest and most controlled method for the scalp.

I used the Derminator 2 with a 12 pin cartridge, at medium speed. I actually found the session painless this way. When I tried high speed before, it was painful and I honestly could not take it. But at medium speed, it became a much more relaxing experience.

And for me, that matters a lot. Everything has to be sustainable. Not only financially, but also mentally. I need something I can realistically do once a month without dreading it. If the routine feels too painful or too stressful, I know I will not keep doing it.

So overall, this was my first proper scalp microneedling recorded session with Jeunetique Exo Hair using this approach, and it felt controlled, manageable, and realistic.

As always, this is not medical advice. It is also not a miracle protocol. I’m just sharing what I’m doing, why I chose this method, and how the experience felt for me.

Any questions, feedback, or personal experiences are very welcome. I’d be really curious to hear what depth, device, speed, or method others are using for scalp microneedling, especially if you are also doing it for maintenance after a transplant.

Small affiliate note: code JOSE gives you 15% off at MeamoShop and also supports me.

There is currently an Independence Day sale with 25% off, so I’m mentioning it while the offer is active. 

Some key takeaways from this systematic review:

1. The evidence is promising, but still early.
The review screened 256 unique references, quality-appraised 10 studies, and included 8 studies with a total of 171 patients. Study sizes were small, ranging from 3 to 60 participants, so this is not yet “strong proof,” but it is a useful early evidence base.

2. Microneedling + exosomes was studied across several targets.
The included studies looked at androgenetic alopecia, skin aging, melasma, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, active acne, and atrophic scarring. This supports the idea that exosomes are being explored not just for “glow,” but for regeneration-related concerns: hair density, pigmentation, collagen remodeling, acne marks, scars, and pores.

3. Hair growth data showed a measurable but modest improvement.
In androgenetic alopecia, one 24-week open-label study using freeze-dried exosome solution delivered with microneedling showed hair density increasing from 158.03 hairs/cm² to 166.14 hairs/cm² by week 24, with P < .001. Patient-reported hair thickness improved in 58.62% of patients, and daily hair loss improved in 55.17%.

4. Skin aging results were stronger when exosomes were added to microneedling.
In a split-face trial with 28 patients, exosome + microneedling outperformed saline + microneedling. Wrinkle roughness improved by 12.4% to 14.4% on the exosome side versus 6.6% to 7.1% on the control side. Elasticity improved by +11.3% with exosomes versus −3.3% on control, hydration improved 6.5% versus 4.5%, and pigmentation reduction was 9.9% versus 1%.

5. Histology matters: it was not just visual improvement.
The review reports histological findings showing greater collagen density and new collagen synthesis on the exosome-treated side. Another split-face trial showed increases in collagen I, glycosaminoglycans, and collagen remodeling markers after treatment.

6. Pigmentation results were notable.
In melasma, 88.9% of patients improved from moderate to mild modified Melasma Area and Severity Index scores. Another pigmentation study reported that 58% of patients rated their outcome as “very much improved” and 42% as “much improved.” Objective 3D analysis showed superficial dark spots decreasing from 39.75% to 26.8%, and deep pigmented lesions from 45.33% to 29.42% by week 12.

7. Acne, scars, and pores had interesting signals, but tiny samples.
A 3-patient case series using Lactobacillus-derived exosomes after microneedling reported improvement in acne severity from 3.34 to 1.34, PIH from 12 to 6.67, and scarring from 3.34 to 2.34 at 2 months, with mean satisfaction of 8.6/10. Another 3-patient pore study showed GAIS scores of 4.00 at 12 weeks and 4.32 at 24 weeks.

8. Safety looked good in these studies, but the certainty is limited.
Across the 8 included studies, no patient discontinued because of adverse effects. Reported reactions were mostly temporary: redness, mild swelling, petechiae, tingling, and burning, usually resolving within 24 to 72 hours to 1 week. However, the review also highlights major limitations: small samples, follow-up of 6 months or less, heterogeneous exosome sources, variable protocols, and undisclosed regulatory status for externally sourced products.

Source: https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/microneedling-with-exosomes-shows-early-promise-across-multiple-skin-conditions-systematic-review-finds