Hair Restoration Blog

There are several studies that suggest ketoconazole (Nizoral Shampoo) to be beneficial for men with male patterned baldness.  Ketoconazole has been compared with minoxidil in a research in 1998 that (ketoconazole 2% vs.  minoxidil 2%  in men with typical male patterned alopecia.  The study indicated improvement of hair density and growing hair with both medications.  Both 1% and 2% solutions and shampoos reported to benefit patients with male patterned hair loss.  The shampoo however needs to stay on scalp for at least 3 to 5 minutes before it is rinsed, which is not always easy in our today’s life.  Ketoconazole shampoo is used for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis or hair dandruff.

At this time, Nizoral Shampoo is not FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss and thus is not endorsed for this purpose for public.  We recommend finasteride for most men with active male patterned hair loss which has higher potency for correcting male patterned balding in comparison to minoxidil.  For more information on this topic, please visit our page discussing minoxidil vs. finasteride for hair loss.

Below are some responses to a few basic questions we received from a patient online:

How many grafts/hairs would I require for a good restoration? Could you please point to some examples.

Although for most cases with only frontal hair loss we recommend 1500-2000 grafts on average, your personal recommendation can be above or below that number depending on your eligibility, extent of balding area, history, donor density and scalp laxity.

An example of a female who received 1609 grafts with us can be seen here: http://www.ushairrestoration.com/hairrestorationbeforeaftergallery-view.php?album=93

What is the cost for hair transplants (including everything – procedural cost, fees, everything)? I understand you will not be in a position to get me the exact figures without a personal meeting but I need to have some rough idea to estimate my costs.

A hair transplant procedure performed at US Hair Restoration is calculated based on the number of grafts recommended to you. To determine what is recommended for your specific case, we recommend attending a free consultation with Dr. Parsa Mohebi at your earliest convenience. To view additional information on our general hair transplant costs please visit our hair transplant cost page.

There are times that US Hair Restoration offers Standby Rate discounts available to those with flexible schedules for booking the procedure.  Our stand-by option can offer you an additional discount (for discount rates and availability of this option please call 1-888-302-8747). You can also use our financing option in addition to that for your hair restoration.

Can the whole procedure be done in one sitting?

Yes. Overall, most hair restoration procedures performed by at US Hair Restoration will be completed in one day.  Occasionally patients may need more density that is not possible to create in one session or they have extensive hair loss that requires more than one hair transplant session.

Does FUE still have shock loss risks?
Yes, regardless of the technique of harvesting hair we recommend some sort of medication to prevent shock loss after hair transplant surgery.

In regards to your in-depth questions on exact number of grafts, donor hair growth, care after hair transplant, etc:
I recommend calling to schedule a free 30-60 minute consultation in which we can explain more detailed information to you personally and recommend an accurate number of grafts for your specific case.

Q:

Hello, I have a question, can you please help verify the answer to this. I am really stressed out regarding the situation. I can’t ask my doctor because he is on vacation for the next month.

I was prescribed propecia for hairloss, but I am reluctant to take it because of hyperandrogenicity from finasteride. Is there any truth to that? is there a chance that a person can develope hyperandrogenicity from taking propecia and making a persons hair loss even worse. By the way I also have acne, and I am scared that the hyperandrogenicity can make my acne worse and skin more oily.

Please help me. Can propecia(finasteride) cause hyperandrogenicity, or is it not true. Can the increase in testosterone from propecia cause more hairloss and make the situation even worse.

thanks in advance

A:

Finasteride (Propecia) is a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor. That means that it blocks the enzyme that converts testosterone (male hormone) to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. The main cause of baldness is DHT and not testosterone in addition to having the gene of hair loss. When first getting started on Finasteride, some men may even have an increase in their testosterone levels because it is no longer being converted to DHT and therefore its levels goes up. However, please be aware that these changes are temporary. Some men may feel an increase in sexual urge due to the increased testosterone for a few days but it is temporary. Since testosterone does not directly cause hair loss and its effect is due to the production of DHT, elevation of DHT should not worsen your hair loss in any way.

The increase in testosterone levels can affect your acne. I am not sure how significant the slight elevation of the testosterone could be on your acne and for that you need be seen by a dermatologist.

Q:

Hi doc?  could Rogaine foam have adverse effect on hair transplant result? some say it helps for hair growth, some say it does not add to hair growth, but have you seen any where saying it might prevent hair growth on men with hair transplant? thanks.

A:

Rogaine (minoxidil) can be used after hair transplantation (only on the newly transplanted area) to protect the native hair and not to promote the growth of transplanted hair. Transplanted hair does not need any medication to promote permanence or grow and if chosen correctly it is considered to be a permanent hair loss solution. I personally recommend Propecia to protect patient’s existing hair against shock loss (losing native hair) after hair transplant on men. It is proven that this medication works better than Rogaine for shock loss prevention and has had remarkable results in those patients who have used it as directed. Women cannot use Propecia and I tend to offer them Rogaine as an alternative for the few months following their hair restoration.

Hi everyone,

I had a somewhat funny call to me the other day from a past patient of mine and wanted to share his experience with this blog. Although we, at US Hair Restoration, are known worldwide for our quality results and affordable prices, there are some downsides to the remarkable effects that your hair restoration may bring you without prior notice.

One of our patients called over to our office the other day laughing and telling our front desk receptionist that his passport photo looks NOTHING like him. He was traveling out of the country the following day when he had glanced at his photo and realized that the previously taken photo in no way resembled his current image. He called to request that I write a general letter confirming his procedure in the event that there were any discrepancies in his change of appearance.

We would like to apologize in advance for any unexpected changes in your appearance that may make you look years younger or like a different person following your hair transplant procedure. We are 100% proud of our patient results and happy to hear that if nothing else, these are the only few negative aspects of a hair transplantation with US Hair Restoration. We thank our patient for the great laugh and hope that he made it through customs without a hitch!

Q:

Where can I see Dr. Mohebi’s before and after photos? Would Dr. Mohebi be doing the hair transplant surgery himself? How are the donor hairs relocated once broken down into follicular units? Do they just get shoved into place? Am I completely out during the procedure or awake? How long before I don’t look like I just dove into a pool full of needles? Can you send me a link to you’re site if you have one. Thanks so much!
A:

Here is the answer to your questions:
Before and after photos could be seen in our hair transplant photo gallery that we try to keep updated with the new pictures on a regular basis.

Would Dr. Mohebi be doing the hair transplant surgery himself?
Yes, at this point all surgeries will be performed by Dr. Mohebi himself.  A surgical team will assist the doctor during the dissection and implantation of hair follicular unit grafts.

How are the donor hairs relocated once broken down into follicular units?
We transplant the hair grafts or follicular units based on the need of a patient. The doctor will draw the hairline before surgery and discuss it in detail with the patient.  Hairline designing has to do with the degree of baldness in each area and patients preferences.

Do hair grafts just get shoved into place?
The follicular units need to be maintained in special solutions in sold temperature while they are out of the body.  When the sites are made, we insert the grafts gently into them one at a time.  This process is very meticulous and usually takes a few hours.

Am I completely out during the procedure or awake?
You will be sedated, but you will not be totally out.  You will become more alert during the surgery in which you are sitting in a surgical chair most of the time.  You can be watching a movie, listening to the music or reading a book during your hair transplant surgery.

How long before I don’t look like I just dove into a pool full of needles?
You will probably never look like that, but if you are concerned with redness and swelling after surgery they may last a few days.  Most patients recover from surgical swelling and redness after the first 4 or 5 days.

Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) is a hair loss condition in which hair thinning is seen diffusely throughout the scalp.  In DUPA, there is no a reserved area with good quality hair even on the areas of the back and side which are typically designated as the donor area in hair transplant patients.

A microscopic evaluation of the scalp generally shows significant miniaturization (fineness) of scalp hair diffusely.  DUPA can be seen in both men and women but its female type may at times be mistaken with typical female patterned baldness due to its close similarities.

A thorough medical evaluation with supporting lab work to rule out other causes of diffuse hair loss is always warranted before determining eligibility for a hair restoration procedure.  Hair transplantation is generally not a good option for people who have DUPA due to instability of the scalp hair on the back and side areas of the scalp.  Many people who have DUPA may suffer from other medical conditions that cause hair loss such as Iron Deficiency, thyroid or other hormonal imbalances or autoimmune disorders.  Medical treatment such as minoxidil in women and finasteride in men could be helpful in treatment of this condition.

Q:

Hi Doctor,

I am a class VI hair loss patient and have had one hair transplant in the past to get some thin hair on the front and top.  I am keeping my hair very short on the back and my primary goal was to camouflage the scar in the back of my head from previous hair transplants. So far, I have achieved this simply with longer hair, and the rest of my scalp was covered with Toppik-like products.

Cosmetically, it was successful, but usage of this kind of product is a bit messy and cumbersome. Thus I have shaved my head completely to try a different route. With the help of tattooing, I was going to go for a shaved head. Of course, the scar is a show-stopper and I need to consider my options. What I would consider successful is this: short hair covering my head completely, even with relatively light density. Combined with tattooing and a self-tanner to reduce contrast, that would be a success to me. I am not “greedy” about the sides at the front, and will accept a 3 or 3A pattern.

Is it possible in my case?

A:

It is good that you are not after high density and that you are realistic about the final appearance of your hair.  Being a class VI with limited donor hair, it should be possible to create some light density in the large balding area, but obtaining more density would be impossible or difficult due to your insufficient donor.  You need to know what your priorities are and how many surgeries you are committed to have.

• If you only need to revise the scar and get trichophytic closure to minimize the visibility of the scar, one surgery is adequate.  Double edged trichophytic closure is a new technique that can improve the appearance of the scar tremendosly.
• If you are after achieving higher densities and scar revision, you may need several hair transplant procedures if you have enough donor for them.

Through a consultation with an experienced hair transplant doctor, your donor hair can be easily evaluated and that can give you a good idea about what could be expected (in your case).

Q:

Good Afternoon Dr. Mohebi,

My body trainer recently recommended that I go on a medication for body building purposes.  The medication that I am planning on taking is ANAVAR (an anabolic steroid), so I just wanted run it by you to make sure it would be OK to take it along with the Propecia I am currently taking.

I appreciate all you help, Thanks!

A:

Anavar (oxandrolone) is a weak androgen and is considered an anabolic steroid.  It is indicated as adjunctive therapy to enhance weight gain after weight loss due to an extensive surgery, infectious disease, trauma and so on.  Anavar has also been prescribed to some patients who for no reason fail to gain weight despite of proper nutrition and work out schedules.   It may also be used to maintain normal weight or to prevent the catabolism due to prolonged administration of corticosteroids.

There have been some online reports of hair loss with Anavar’s use and some exagerated hair loss reports in patients who take both Propecia (finasteride) and Anavar (oxandrolone) in conjunction. Although my personal searches in medical publications have never revealed any studies supporting this information, reports can be found online by its claimed users.

My general recommendation is, unless there is a strong medical indication for its use, those people with any evidence of male patterned baldness should stay away from anabolic steroids.  Although you may find some anabolic steroids over the counter, your family doctor should always be involved and aware of any anabolic steroids that you take as part of your body enhancing plan.

US Hair Restoration’s Office in San Diego, California is now open!

US Hair Restoration’s debut hair restoration center in San Diego, California will now afford Dr. Mohebi the opportunity to serve an even larger portion of California with the same great quality that he is known for. Along with our already well-established hair restoration centers in Encino, Beverly Hills, and Orange County, US Hair Restoration is now able to provide its self-image enhancing services to countless residents of America’s Finest Cities.

By establishing an office in the southern most part of Southern California, both prospective and current patients of US Hair Restoration will reap the benefits. This new location will be much more convenient for those hair loss patients in the San Diego area seeking treatment close to home, while also offering closer resources for our current clientele in this area of Southern California. We truly hope that this new office location ensures the confidence of our current and prospective patients in that US Hair Restoration is willing to branch out to meet their needs, which will always come first.