Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

This hair loss sufferer came to our hair restoration forum seeking hair loss help and posted the below hair loss question.  Many of our hair restoration forum members gave this seeking hair transplant patient some excellent information.

How much hair density do I need to achieve a natural looking hair transplant with no signs of hair thinning?

You have been given some excellent information from our hair restoration forum community members.

The illusion of hair density is determined by a number of factors including the number of follicular unit grafts per square centimeter, the number of hairs per follicular unit graft, and hair characteristics (hair shaft thickness, and hair color).

To create an adequate illusion of hair density with hair transplantation, typically 50% of the natural hair density must be achieved between natural hair and transplanted hair - though this will also depend on hair characteristics.

Other key factors in ensuring a natural hair transplant include, the artistic design of the hairline, the strategic placement of the transplanted hair grafts, and the direction and angle of the hair implants.

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

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair loss help, hair restoration, hair transplant patient, hair density, hair transplant, hair thinning, follicular unit grafts, follicular unit, hair shaft, hair color, hair transplantation, natural hair, transplanted hair, hair characteristics, hair grafts, hair implants

In researching hair loss, I read that it’s possible for MSG, found in some foods, to cause hair loss?  Is there any truth in this?

When balding men and women journey to seek after an effective hair loss treatment, most hair loss sufferers would be eager to try everything they can to help with their hair loss issues. One might try medication, changes to one’s lifestyle, herbal hair loss treatments or anything else that claimed to help treat hair loss. Before any real time hair restoration solutions can be provided, one must first dispel some of the hair loss myths and learn about the actual causes of hair loss.

One such hair loss myth is that taking MSG causes hair loss.  MSG is a flavoring agent used in cooking to make dishes taste better. There is no scientific proof however, that shows MSG and hair loss are connected in any way. Like anything else however, use MSG in moderation as too much of it isn’t good for your overall health.

Learn more about the real cause of hair loss at the Hair Loss Learning Center.

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

Technorati Tags: balding, herbal hair loss treatments, hair loss myth, hair loss, cause of hair loss

I am a 30 year old hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help.  I’ve been an avid reader on this hair restoration forum community for the past 4 months.  I plan on getting a hair transplant procedure done within 1 to 2 years from now. After spending a lot of time researching different hair transplant doctors and viewing many hair transplant patient results, I have put Dr. Rahal as my number one choice at this point. This is mainly for his ability to create hair density and his creative ability for the hairline.I have created a hair loss weblog with photos and would like some feedback on whether you think the drawn hairline placement is attractive, too aggressive or about right.I also just started taking 1/4 pill of Proscar daily starting 2 months ago.  

Thank you for your inquiry.

Dr. Rahal is an excellent hair restoration physician who has a proven track record of providing state of the art hair transplantation.  This is also why he is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons who in order to be admitted into and maintain membershp, must meet our hair restoration forum community’s high level of membership standards. 

As it seems like you have discovered, hairlines should be custom taylored creatively and artisticly to each hair transplant patient.

The hairline should be decided on by both the hair transplant patient and the hair transplant surgeon performing hair restoration surgery. Obviously the lower and liberal the hairline placement, the less hair density that can be achieved behind it.  This is due to the fact that the donor hair supply is finite.

Attached are my hair transplant preoperative pictures.  I have been told that I need about 2400 follicular unit grafts, does that sound about accurate?  Can you recommend for me an affordable and quality hair transplant doctor in India?

Without knowing your hair restoration goals, based on what I am seeing you are most likely going to need more than 2400 follicular unit grafts to achieve both full hair coverage and adequate hair density.  Though it is more accurate to receive an estimate from a qualified hair transplant clinic, in my opinion and based on my experience in being a three time hair transplant patient, I would estimate that you would need approximately 4000 follicular unit grafts. 

Some hair restoration physicians have the staffing capability, skills, and experience in that they might be able to accomplish this number of hair grafts in one single hair transplant session depending on your donor hair density and scalp elasticity.  Other hair transplant surgeons lack the staffing and/or experience to do this large of a session and will most likely take more than one session to accomplish your hair restoration goals. 

Keep in mind also that if you lose more additional natural hair, subsequent hair transplant procedures may be necessary as hair transplantation is NOT a hair loss cure.

Jojoba Oil as a Hair Loss Treatment 

Hair loss sufferers seeking hair loss help are often attracted to the many herbal non surgical treatments 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 oil that has been said to fight against hair loss when used topically.  This product is an “active” ingredient in a few hair loss remedies such as HairMax MD, a topical hair loss treatment.  Jojoba oil can also be bought as a stand alone product in local nutritional stores. 

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is known to be a scalp cleanser that can help alleviate encrusted buildup (called sebum) on the scalp when applied topically. This sebum may block hair follicles from growing and impede normal hair growth. Its unique anti-oxidant properties may protect the scalp and hair from damage, ultimately, keeping them more healthy.

Though keeping the scalp clean is extremely important, in my opinion, unless a hair loss sufferer is losing hair for non-genetic related reasons such as scalp dermatitis, bad dandruff, or excessive sebum build up, this ingredient will do nothing to fight against Androgenetic Alopecia (genetic hair loss), which causes approximately 95% of all hair loss.

I am a hair loss sufferer and am considering hair transplantation.  What will I expect to pay for a hair transplant?  What other things should I consider?  Should I be taking any medication for hair loss, and if so, what?

The cost of hair replacement surgery will depend on a number of things including the price charged per follicular unit graft by the hair transplant clinic, the type of hair transplant surgery undergone (follicular unit hair transplantation – FUT or follicular unit extraction – FUE / follicular isolation technique – FIT), the number of hair grafts required, and the number of hair restoration surgeries required.  See also more information on hair transplant costs.

Though hair transplant cost is an important factor to consider it shouldn’t be the first. Finding a quality hair transplant physician who has a proven track record of providing positive hair transplant patient results is extremely important.  I strongly encourage you to research and consult with a physician who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians who has met the high level of membership standards of the Hair Transplant Network. 

A balding male or female suffering from genetic hair loss must also develop realistic expectations and hair restoration goals which should be discussed in detail with your hair transplant surgeon. I do not recommend undergoing hair transplant surgery until you are comfortable with the long term hair restoration plan that has been laid out for you.

I have small, itchy red patches of hair loss.  What could be causing this and how can I treat it?

Though the most common type of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia (genetic hair loss), this type of baldness sounds like it could be related to a scalp condition such as seborrehic dermatitis or psoriasis. 

Be sure to consult with a dermatologist or hair restoration physician in order to determine the cause of your hair loss condition.  Only then can a proper hair loss treatment be recommended.

Best wishes,

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

Technorati Tags: hair loss, androgenetic alopecia, genetic hair loss, baldness, dermatologist, hair restoration physician, hair loss treatment

This question was posed by a female hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help 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.

Female Hair loss is a little different than in men, and the approach for transplanting hair is often different for most hair restoration physicians. In our practice, women make up about 15-20% of our hair transplant patients. I find that around 70% of the women who present for consultation are able to be offered hair transplantation. The two key requirements are sufficiently dense, high-quality donor hair AND realistic expecations.

First of all, hair loss is far more psychologically devasting for a woman than for a man. Part of their body self-image is to have a full head of hair. Many men look fine without hair on top and it doesn’t bother them at all.

Transplanting hair from the body to the balding scalp, typically referred to as Body Hair Transplantation or BHT for short, has become a subject of intense interest to many hair transplant patients (especially those who are endowed with the body hair of hairy back gorilla).

Some hair transplant physicians have been experimenting with and studying the viability of such body to scalp hair transplants, including Coalition member Dr. Bob True in New York City.

Dr. True made an excellent presentation on this subject at the recent annual ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) meeting in San Diego this October. He was kind enough to provide me with his presentation so that I could share highlights of his findings on our community.

View the photos from this body hair transplant presentation.

According to Dr. True, there are up to 5 million hair follicles on the body. The follicles vary widely in hair character and behavior with the hairs on the torso generally most similar to scalp hair. Some races have very little torso hair. It is rare for a woman of any race to have much torso hair.

He finds that there is a wide variance among men who do have torso hair and that for men torso hair increases to the sixth decade of life.

This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. Steven Gabel of Hillsboro, OR who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.  His professional answer is below.

I believe that the first two weeks following hair transplant surgery are the most critical. And it is important to understand that each person heals at different speeds; some balding men and women look amazing after one week while others take a little more time to look the same way.

For the incision, it is important not to stretch it or put any undo forces opposing the edges of the incision. This will just lead to more collagen formation, and ultimately, a larger scar. I tell all my hair replacement patients to allow the incision to heal well before any strenuous activity.

Hair grafts: After two weeks, the follicular unit grafts are seeded pretty well. Again, I ask my hair restoration patients not to put any undo stress on the transplanted hair for about a month or when they start to shed. I do this for a couple reasons; one: that is a healing area and I don’t want anything to compromise the healing process. Living in the Northwest, I’ve had several hair transplant patients ask me if they can go skiing with helmets on 2 weeks after surgery (especially this season with fantastic snow). I let them know that I think it is still too early to allow anything to be rubbing on that area. Usually when the grafts start to shed, then I believe they can resume their normal activity. The second reason is that every hair transplant patient has put a lot of effort into the surgical procedure, not just the time of the procedure, but the time after the procedure caring for the surgical sites. Having them wait a couple extra weeks to insure that the grafts are completely seeded and will not be damaged by outside factors is worth the wait.