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Vitamin E (Tocopherol) as a Hair Loss Treatment 

There are a number of herbal supplements out there that claim to work as a treatment for hair loss.  Whereas there is no question that marketing is over-reaching at best in order to sell a product, the real question that any hair loss sufferer asks is: will this product help combat baldness or is there any chance that it will regrow hair?  To date however, it is important to understand that there is no hair loss cure, therefore realistic expectations must be kept when considering any hair restoration product.

Below I decided to take a look at an herbal supplement that has been said to combat hair loss.  This product is an “active” ingredient in a few hair loss remedies such as HairMax MD.  Vitamin E is also sold as a stand alone product in nutritional stores. 

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Vitamin E consists of 8 molecules, four of which are known as tocopherols (one of the ingredients in HairMax MD), the other four known as tocotrienols. Both tocopherols and tocoltrienols consist structurally of a chromanol head and a phytyl side chain. The difference between these 2 types of molecules has to do with the phytyl side chain where tocopherols are fully saturated and tocotrienols are not. Tocotrienols contain three double bonds at the 3, 7, and 11 positions. Ultimately, these two types of molecules are distinct entities and not derivatives of one another. (Theriault et al, Clinical Biochemistry (1990) 32(5):309).

I will be undergoing a donor scar revision in a few weeks.  How can I best care for my donor scar in the days following hair transplant surgery?  I really would like avoid scar stretching.

Caring for the donor scar after hair transplantation is relatively easy.  Your responsibility will be to keep the donor area clean by washing the area thoroughly but gently.  I find it helps to run my fingers with shampoo in the donor scar area in a circular motion in order to work off the dried blood that surrounds it.  Keep the sutures/staples in as long as your hair transplant clinic recommends and then after that just keep the area clean by washing.

The other component in properly caring for your donor scar to help minimize the risk of scar stretching is to relax.  Do not put too much strain on the hair transplant scar.  Don’t do any intense weight lifting, stretching, or heavy aerobic exercises for the first several weeks.  Gradually increase your workout routine over the course of several months.  Common sense is the key.  If you feel a strain in the donor area, stop what you are doing.   See the following hair loss Q&A blog: Fitness/Sports After a Hair Transplant for more information.

Also avoid putting your chin on your chest as that will cause additional strain on the back of the scalp. 

You can also ask your hair transplant surgeon how your physiology plays a role in the risk of donor scar stretching.

I am 7 days out from a hair transplant and want to know how gentle or aggressive I should be with the follicular unit grafts when washing my hair in order to work off the scabs.

Keep in mind that every hair transplant clinic has their own hair restoration postoperative instructions and they vary.  Therefore it is always best to get detailed postoperative hair washing instructions directly from the hair transplant surgeon.

That being said, I thought I’d share my personal experience with hair washing after hair transplant surgery that worked well for me.

Day 0: (day of hair restoration surgery): Just relax.  Do not wash your hair at all.

Day 1: If at all possible, visit your hair restoration clinic for a postoperative hair wash.  If not, fill a cup with water mixed with shampoo and pour it gently over your head several times.  Gently massage the shampoo into the donor area, cleaning the area around the scar. 

Day 2 and 3: Fill a cup with water mixed with shampoo and pour it gently over your head several times.  Gently massage the shampoo into the donor area, cleaning the area around the scar.  Wash donor area normally working around the scar with care to work off any dried blood.  Apply as much pressure as needed however, avoid using so much pressure that it causes pain. 

Is it Safe to Use the Laser Comb After a Hair Transplant?

Some hair restoration physicians support the use of low level laser therapy after hair transplantation to facilitate the healing of the wounds in the balding recipient area.  And some hair transplant surgeons believe that low level laser therapy will help stimulate new hair growth, especially now that it has been FDA approved as a hair loss treatment.  Learn more about low level laser therapy.

It is perfectly safe to use the laser comb after hair restoration surgery as long as the bristles of the brush are not touching the transplanted hair until they are properly secured which takes about ten days.  During the first ten days, lift the laser comb up slightly so that the brush doesn’t connect with the hair grafts to ensure a hair graft isn’t dislodged before it’s properly secured in the scalp.

Bill – aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Laser Comb, Hair Transplant, hair restoration, laser therapy, balding, hair transplant surgeon, low level laser therapy, hair growth, FDA approved, hair loss treatment, hair restoration surgery, transplanted hair, hair grafts

At the Hair Transplant Network, only those hair restoration physicians who have a proven track record of performing state of the art hair transplantation and producing quality results are recommended.  See our standards for recommendation by clicking here

Recently, Pat Hennessey, our Publisher, sought the advice and opinions of our online hair restoration forum community regarding the potential recommendation of Dr. Bernardino Arocha of Houston and Dallas, TX. View Dr. Arocha’s featured potential recommendation thread here.

With Dr. Arocha’s extensive experience and ultra refined results, it seemed apparent that he merited recommendation. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Arocha has been approved for recommendation by our community. To see his recommendation profile, click here.

If you are a hair loss sufferer considering hair replacement surgery and local to Houston or Dallas Texas, you are encouraged to consult with Dr. Arocha for hair transplant surgery.

Technorati Tags: hair restoration physicians, hair transplantation, hair restoration, hair loss, hair replacement surgery, hair transplant

It is vital for hair loss sufferers seeking hair replacement surgery to select a surgeon with a proven track record of performing high quality hair transplantation and a reputation for satisfying their patients. 

This is why at the Hair Transplant Network, only those hair restoration physians who meet our high level of membership standards are recommended.  An elite group of hair transplant surgeons who perform regular larger sessions of ultra refined follicular unit hair transplantation are elligible for the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.  To see our coalition membership standards click here.

Recently, Pat Hennessy, the Publisher of our online hair transplant community, visited with Dr. Gabel of Portland, Oregon to observe his ultra refined follicular unit surgery. It was evident that Dr. Gabel performs high quality ultra refined follicular unit grafting at a reasonable cost. As a physician recommended on the Hair Transplant Network, Dr. Gabel also earned a strong reputation on our hair restoration forum for outstanding results.

To see the highlights of Pat’s visit, see the following hair restoration forum thread: Visit to Dr. Gabel’s Hair Transplant Clinic in Portland, Oregon.

After careful consideration and input from members of our hair restoration discussion forum community, we have granted Dr. Gabel membership into the elite the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. You can view Dr. Gabel’s technique, results, and comments at “Potential Coalition Membership for Dr. Gabel of Portland”.

If you are a hair loss sufferer considering hair replacement surgery and local to Portland, Oregon, we encourage you to at least consult with and consider Dr. Gabel for hair transplant surgery.

I am a level 2 on the norwood scale with balding in the crown area and recession at the front hairline.  Recently my hair loss appears to have accelerated and I am getting sick of looking in the mirror every morning.  But I am getting married in April 2008 and can’t get time off from work until January 2008.  Should I undergo hair transplantation surgery in January or should I wait until after the wedding?  My primary concern is that I want to look good at my wedding. 

The fact that your hair loss is rapidly progressing may indicate that a hair transplant may not be a viable hair loss solution at this time.  Remember that even though transplanted hair is permanent, that hair transplantation is not a hair loss cure.  If you are not already on FDA approved hair loss medication such as Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxodil), I’d recommend researching and considering it as a hair loss treatment to combat against future hair loss.

Additionally, your age and hair restoration goals will play a significant role in answering the above question. See What should I consider before undergoing hair transplantation?

You may not be a good candidate for a hair transplant in the crown at this time depending on your level of hair loss. If the area of hair loss widens, you could end up with a “halo” of skin around a patch of hair.  Additionally, younger hair transplant patients have a greater chance of this as future hair loss is often more certain.  See why waiting to have hair transplanted into the crown may be the best idea by clicking here.

Is there anything I can do after a hair transplant to minimize or eliminate the risk of donor scar stretching?

How your scar is going to turn out in hair transplant surgery is dependent upon the width of the donor strip, your natural skin elasticity, and the donor closure technique used.  Donor scalp elasticity is typically looked at as a positive thing however, according to Dr. Epstein who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons, it is possible that too much scalp elasticity could be a sign of “thin skin” due to the lack of supporting collagen.  Because of this, one might be at greater risk of scar stretching.  Dr. Beehner, one of our recommended hair restoration doctors states that the extreme form of this is a syndrome called Ehlers-Danlers Syndrome in which the skin is ridiculously stretchable. These hair transplant patients usually have hyper-mobile joints and other body idiocynrocies.

Alternatively, too little elasticity could put a hair transplant patient at greater risk as well – especially if the skin is stretched beyond it’s capacity.  Therefore, many hair transplant clinics recommend scalp exercises before performing hair transplant surgery to increase scalp elasticity.  To read about scalp exercises and my observation of how skin works, click here.

The only thing that can really be done after hair replacement surgery is to give the donor scar proper time to heal and to minmize tension to the donor area. The scar may look wider for the first few months after hair restoration surgery due to possible inflammation and donor shock loss.  Ridging can also occur with the trichophytic closure technique in the donor scar in the first few months after hair transplantation however, it typically flattens over time.

Where on the scalp is the best place to remove the strip for a hair transplant?

This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. Michael Beehner of Saratoga Springs, NY who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

Nine out of ten times, it turns out that the best place to mark the lower border of the donor strip to be taken does in fact lie just over the level of the occipital tubercle (”bump”) on the back of the head.  This level corresponds to a point, below which lies around 1/3 of the dense donor hair and above which lies around 2/3 of the same. Assuming at least a couple of sessions are done and that the hair transplant surgeon takes the second strip just above the first scar (removing the initial scar at the same time), this is usually a good point to mark this lower strip level.  But there are exceptions.

Some men show evidence of hair thinning up from the nape of the neck. In these sometimes the strip is taken slightly higher up if there is a sufficient height of “safe” donor hair there. In each hair transplant patient an experienced hair surgeon uses a great deal of judgement in choosing at which level the best hair to take is located.

This insightful information was provided by well respected hair restoration forum member “Janna” who is also the lead hair transplant technician for Dr. Ron Shapiro and Dr. Paul Shapiro of Shapiro Medical Group who are elite members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxodil) have been around for many years. Hair loss patients have tried them either separately or together. Do these hair loss drugs work or don’t they?  Balding men suffering from male pattern baldness struggle to decide if it’s worth the time and cost. I have found however, that more often than not, those hair loss sufferers who choose to stop taking them, go back after a few months.

I’ve been wanting to share this hair loss medication patient’s results for about a month and I’m finally getting a chance to do so.  This patient came to us wanting a hair transplant, and Matt encouraged him to get on these two FDA approved hair loss drugs first to see if it had any benefit for him.   So with that, this patient decided that he was willing to try Propecia and Rogaine for a year to see if it had any effect on him.  

What he saw, he did not expect!  Without undergoing hair replacement surgery, this hair loss sufferers had startling results of using both these hair loss products together!  I also got the chance to see a dozen or so patients of Dr. Collin’s in Ireland who had similar results.   Though these cases may not be typical, clearly many hair loss sufferers are able to regrow hair (sometimes a significant amount) by using these two hair loss drugs.