After touring the U.S. to introduce Exo-Grow, DermapenWorld’s Tracey Hughes, General Manager, and Rita Perner, Partnership Manager, didn’t just launch a product, they sparked a conversation. From packed rooms and post-event emails to late-night Q&As that attendees didn’t want to leave, the roadshow revealed an industry hungry for answers around hair loss, thinning, and scalp health. At America’s Beauty Show, the duo reflected on what they learned and what comes next.

A Q & A About Hair Loss, Community, and Solutions for Stylists and Beauty Pros

Q: Now that you’ve completed the U.S. roadshow, what were your biggest takeaways?
Rita Perner: For me, it was how much people really needed this product—and didn’t even realize it until they experienced the roadshow. There were so many “aha” moments. The emails afterward were incredible—people asking how to get it, how to learn more. They’re hungry for it.

Q: What kind of feedback were you hearing in those follow-ups?
Perner: A lot of “tell me more.” How does this work? Why does it work? That was surprising in a good way. There’s always been this perception that U.S. hairstylists don’t care about the “why” as long as something works. But now they’re asking deeper questions. That’s exciting.

Q: Tracey, what stood out to you most from the tour?
Tracey Hughes: I’d echo that. This is information the industry really needs. The level of engagement and the desire to learn was incredible. Hair loss hasn’t been talked about enough, and now we’re able to open that conversation.

Q: You’ve described this as more than just a product launch. Why?
Hughes: Because it was about building a movement. What was really impactful was bringing together hairdressers, barbers, aestheticians, doctors—everyone—into one conversation. That’s never really been done before. We bridged a gap between the salon and the medical space.

Q: Why is that connection so important?
Hughes: Hair loss conversations often start behind the chair with the hairstylist, but then the client may be referred to a doctor. Those two worlds haven’t always been connected. Now they are. That sense of community—where professionals can support and learn from each other—that was my biggest takeaway.

Q: There seems to be a bigger cultural conversation happening around hair loss right now. Did you see that on the tour?
Hughes: Absolutely. There’s so much more awareness—whether it’s post-COVID hair loss or conversations tied to things like weight loss medications. It’s bringing the topic into the mainstream in a new way.

Q: What’s next now that the tour is complete?
Hughes: The roadshow was essentially our soft launch in the U.S. Now we’re building our infrastructure—sales teams, education teams, and a strong community. We want to get the product into more hands, but also provide the education and support behind it. We’re not here to sell a bottle—we’re helping people regain confidence. That requires a different kind of conversation.

Q: Are there new product developments coming?
Hughes: We’ll keep the Exo-Grow range focused and niche, but we do have additions—like a smaller rollerball version of the tonic, an LED laser cap, and ingestible supplements. And there’s more in the pipeline.

Q: What role has word-of-mouth played so far?
Perner: It’s been huge. The roadshow and word-of-mouth are driving everything. We’ve had people fly in from places like Hawaii just to attend—and then refer others. That kind of organic growth is powerful.

Q: The roadshow events themselves seemed highly engaged—people staying late, asking questions. Was that intentional?
Hughes: Completely. We designed them to be intimate and conversational—not scripted, not sales-driven. That’s why people stayed. They felt heard, they learned, and they connected.

Q: Final question—how would you describe what you’re ultimately building?
Hughes: Community. Collaboration. And confidence. Brands need to work together, not against each other—and at the end of the day, we’re here to help people feel like themselves again.