Hair Restoration Blog

Innovation in Hair Loss

Hair loss continues to be one of the leading medical cosmetic concerns among men and to a lesser degree for women. Modern hair transplant is a proven natural solution and continues to benefit many people. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is growing in popularity and can offer a unique solution to some individuals with limited donor hair.

Many men today are opting for shaved or ‘military type hair styles where the entire scalp and hairline frames the face with closely cropped ‘stubble’ hair. A person with limited donor hair can be a prime candidate for this safe and less invasive hair transplant procedure.

Hair Transplant Surgeon Can Combine both Techniques

Skilled hair restoration surgeons can take individual follicular units (FUs) and create the maximum balanced coverage over the scalp. They can then create further ‘look of density’ by simulating hair stubble with scalp micro-pigmentation (SMP).

SMP is a procedure where special surgical needles are used to inject dermal pigments into the scalp or other areas such as eyebrows into the skin. The color of pigment selected is close to that of the patient’s hair resulting in a cosmetic hair shadow. SMP is a safe and very non invasive procedure.

Combining FUE and SMP to resolve the challenge of hair loss for people with little alternatives and represents an advancement in modern hair restoration. This solution is not for everyone but is a welcome choice for some people who previously had limited alternatives to resolve their hair loss problem.

A few days ago, I have seen a patient in my office whom I did not recognize. After, reviewing his file, I remembered that he was a patient that we transplanted about a year before. He could not come to see us at his 6 months follow up after his hair transplantation. Now, after a year from the time we performed his hair transplant, he was completely transformed to the point that it was difficult for me to remember him. I reviewed my notes from the first time I met him in our Los Angeles Hair Restoration Center. I had written in his chart his first question when he saw me: “DOCTOR IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME?”

He was a man with advanced male patterned baldness (class VII on the Norwood scale) with not the most generous donor hair. His donor hair was very fine. Fortunately his scalp laxity and density could compensate for his fine hair shafts.  We performed a giga-session hair transplant with over 4,000 grafts in one session for him.

I was extremely pleased to see the transformation in his look and self image. And I was glad to be able to answer his question after one year:

YES, THERE IS HOPE!

Dr. Mohebi,

You classified my hair loss as class III.  I agree with the evaluation but given my family background I will be approaching more towards class V or VI.  My miniaturization % is 30 in both Top and Crown areas which means there is a sign of active hair loss.  Do you think we can arrange something to cover up those two areas as well?  Or, is my miniaturization level too low to have any type of procedure in those areas?

A:

You are class III of hair loss and as you said, you might be going toward class V or VI.  However, prescribed finasteride  you might change what is considered your genetic pattern by taking it.  I don’t recommend that we transplant hair in certain areas just in case you get lucky with the hair loss medications, you may never lose that existing hair.  If you progress to lose more hair, you can always have another hair transplant surgery in the future for those existing areas.  Even if you don’t continue hair loss medications, it is hard to predict if you will totally lose hair on the top and crown areas.  Your particular numbers for miniaturization is slightly more than normal.  A good decision today is a good decision tomorrow.

Hair loss is a common side effect with some types of chemotherapy and can be experienced by both men and women.  Chemotherapy medications attach rapidly to proliferating cells and hair follicles are some of those cells responsible for the continuous growth of the hair.

What do you need know about hair loss after chemotherapy?

Hair loss can typically be seen in the first few weeks after the start of chemotherapy and usually becomes worse with time.  It may be several months after the end of chemotherapy treatments before you notice that your hair growth is getting better.  The new hair may have a different color or texture than you are used to, but it will gain its normal characteristics back over time. 

Unfortunately, there is no known medication to completely prevent hair loss after chemotherapy.  It may take months for the hair to get back to normal following the end of chemotherapy treatments. While many patients will experience stabilization or regrowth of hair after completion of chemotherapy, some patients will experience accelerated hair loss that they were to have regardless.

If your hair growth is not back to normal after 2 years from completion of your chemotherapy, you are recommended to be evaluated by a dermatologist or hair specialist for hair loss medical treatments (hair transplantation is possible and eligibility should be determined for you by a quality hair transplant surgeon).

Q:

Hi doc I have a question.  I really need to get an answer towards this.

I am a propecia (finasteride 1mg) user for hairloss.  I just read an article regarding how the FDA recently(yesturday) rejected finasteride for use as a prostae cancer prevention due to the fact that finasteride sometimes increases high grade prostate cancers in  individuals who take it.  I am a bit scared since I am a healthy 25 year old who has been taking finasteride 1mg for a while and plan to to take it for hairloss.  Is it possible that finasteride can cause prostate cancer for someone who takes propecia for long term?  please help.  the article really freaked me out. I will post the link to the article below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/health/policy/02drug.html

A:

Finasteride is a DHT Blocker that is used both for prevention of male patterned baldness as well as prevention of prostate cancer.  There are several studies that evaluated the rate of prostate cancer in patients who take Finasteride long term.

The reported data from a recent Food and Drug Administration advisory committee evaluates available data on DHT blockers and whether or not the labels should stat that they decrease the rate of prostate cancer.

They evaluated results from two large studies of the drugs. GlaxoSmithKline’s study involved 8,000 men at risk for prostate cancer because their PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests had found elevations of PSA. The men also had prostate biopsies, but at the start of the study none had received a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The Finasteride study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, was done on 18,800 healthy men over age 55 who were randomly assigned to take either the drug or a placebo.

Both above studies indicated the drugs reduced the overall prostate cancer risk by about 25 percent which is a significant improvement.  However, both studies also found small increases in the incidence of higher-grade, riskier cancers, in men taking the drugs as compared with placebos.

There are two suggested reasons for the increase in these numbers.  One is that the drugs reduced the size of a man’s prostate, making it easier to find lethal cancers on biopsies.  Also, both medications reduce the levels of PSA in blood making early diagnosis of prostate cancer in those patients difficult.

In summary we know that DHT blockers such as Finasteride (Propecia or Proscar) reduce the rate of prostate cancer, there are some reports on some slight increase in the higher stages of prostate cancer in patients who were on those medications.  Finasteride (1miligram) is still recommended for prevention of male pattern baldness.

I generally ask the patients who are over 50 to be tested for PSA before they start taking Finasteride.  I also stress that their family doctor be aware of the medication they are using so any slight increases in PSA are able to be taken more seriously (as opposed to people who are not taking the Finasteride medication).

Q:

Are there any constraints on performing a further procedure if required in terms of the time interval and / or the number of grafts that can be harvested within a second procedure which is a) FUT, or b) FUE?

A:

If we need to add density to an already transplanted area we have to wait 6 months following the first hair transplant surgery.  By waiting this minimum of 6 months, we are able to see the complete growth of the recently transplanted hair  from the first hair transplant and thus, we can go in between these hairs to put the new hair.  The number of transplanted grafts in the second procedure is typically a bit less than the first surgery because we remove the scar of the first surgery for the second time.

Q:

Thank you for your reply to my previous e-mail Dr. Mohebi. I’m getting close to being ready for this, but I still have some concerns that I would like to address prior to booking.

I realize I won’t come out of this looking like Brad Pitt, but can I expect some decent density in the area you’re going to operate on? I’ve seen a lot of pictures of “great” results that were little more than thin whiffs of hair lying limp over shiny, conspicuous scalp. I’d like to be able to style it in the youthful way, showing off my hair line. I suppose that depends on the number of grafts?

A:

The number of transplanted grafts and extent of your balding area are two very important factors in the final thickness of your hair. However, because you have fine hair, even with using the maximum density, you may not achieve the original fullness that you once had. Some patients with the same circumstances as yourself may need more than one surgery to develop maximum density close to that of their original coverage prior to losing hair.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) – Advantages or disadvantages

My patients always ask about advantages and disadvantages of Follicular Unit Extraction so I thought this topic makes a good post for the blog. Before going over these points I have to say, although we at US Hair Restoration offer the most advanced techniques of FUE nationwide, most of our patients are still being transplanted by strip technique and I don’t recommend FUE to everyone and select my FUE patients very meticulously. Here are the main reasons why we do recommend FUE to some people and not to everyone.

Advantages

• FUE does not leave a linear scar, which is great for those who want to wear their hair very short on the back or the ones who may need to shave their head in the future (like actors).
• FUE has a more comfortable healing process with decreased healing time.
• No restrictions in physical activities for those who want to do strenuous exercise right after FUE procedure.
• FUE is a viable alternative for those who have tight scalp that makes strip surgery risky or impossible.
• Follicular unit extraction makes it possible to harvest hair from body, beard or almost everywhere else.
• FUE is very useful when we need limited number of grafts like for restoration of eyebrow hair.

Disadvantages

• The biggest disadvantage of follicular unit extraction is that the maximum follicular unit graft yield is lower than when it is done with strip technique due to higher rate of follicular transection compared to the strip technique.
• Although linear scar is not present after FUE, small punctuate scars will be there that may make future FUE hair transplant surgeries more difficult or impossible.
• Not everyone is a candidate for FUE and patients need to be tested with FOX before proceeding with the surgery.
• FUE procedure takes much longer to perform compared with strip FUT procedure.
• FUE is more laborious thus it cost more compared with strip technique hair transplants.
• In FUE, we have more chance of burying grafts that increases the risk of having folliculitis (tiny inflamed cysts under the skin) on the donor area.

Q:

I underwent a gastric bypass surgery about 2.5 years ago and since a few months after surgery my hair has been thinning. What do I need to do to prevent further loss?

A:

Losing hair or changing the quality and color of hair after gastric bypass surgery is commonly seen within the first few months after the gastric bypass surgery. This condition can mimic shock loss that could be seen after hair restoration surgery. Right after the gastric bypass surgery your body goes through a period of severe starvation and tries to divert nutrients toward more vital organs instead of skin and hair. Although carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins especially the family of vitamin B has been blamed for the hair loss in patients who had gastric bypass, it can happen while all of those elements are within normal range and the exact mechanism of hair loss after gastric bypass surgery is not completely known.

The great news is that the hair loss after a gastric bypass surgery is always temporary. Your hair condition should return to normal within a few months of hair loss occurrence. Patients who had gastric bypass should have serial examinations within the first few months of their gastric bypass. Your surgeon should check many elements because gastric bypass surgery could increase the incidence of iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D deficiency. Most people need to stay on supplementation of these minerals and vitamins. Close monitoring with regular laboratory tests for these deficiencies should be done by your surgeon or primary care physician.

Q:

I have heard high estrogen in males can contribute to hair loss. Is that true? I am a 40 year old man with low sex drive and female patterned hair loss.

A:

High levels of estrogen in men could be seen in many other conditions such as estrogen-producing tumors, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, chronic alcoholism and advanced liver disorders. Elevation of estrogen in men can cause sexual dysfunction, change in body fat distribution in a female pattern and breast enlargement and secretion.

Balding is not a typical sign of excess estrogen. In fact one of the signs of estrogen deficiency could be hair loss in female patients. A common type of this kind of hair loss is seen in telogen effluvium that women lose hair due to sudden drop of estrogen and progesterone levels. Although excess estrogen is generally not the trigger for hair loss, it can affect the balance of other hormones and indirectly cause hair loss. The latter is not a common cause of hair loss in men or women though.