Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

Would Provillus hair treatment really help in baldness type of hair loss?  I have had this since I was 13 years old and I am not 24 years old.  It has been on and off ever since.  At the moment, I’m using minoxidil 2%.

Though Provillus hair loss treatment comes in both a topical and oral solution, the only proven ingredient in this product is minoxidil which is in the topical formula.  Some anecdotal evidence exists that saw palmetto (an “active” ingredient in their oral solution) might help block DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness.

In my opinion, if your alopecia is genetic, I would stick with Rogaine (which contains minoxidil) and consider Propecia (finasteride) for men only, which are both FDA approved to treat baldness.  Be sure to consult with a physician and learn about the benefits, limitations, and potential side effects of these medications.

But based on your description above, of “on and off”, I’m wondering if you have alopecia areata, which is characterized by rapid hair loss in a targeted area leaving you with a bald patch in certain areas of the scalp or body.  In about 50% of all cases, those suffering from this condition experience hair regrowth without any treatment.  However, some treatments have been used including a combination of minoxidil, steroid injections, clobetasol or fluocinonide, creams, cyclosporine (a topical immunotherapy), and anthralin or topical coal tar.  Because Provillus topical treatment contains minoxidil, this could probably be used instead.  However, generic minoxidil is less expensive.

Technorati Tags: Provillus, hair treatment, baldness, hair loss, minoxidil, hair loss treatment, DHT, male pattern baldness, alopecia, Rogaine, Propecia, finasteride, treat baldness, alopecia areata, bald patch, hair regrowth

I want to get a hair transplant but I want to know if I will experience further hair loss after it’s complete?

I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that transplanted hair is permanent and will not be susceptible to future baldness.  This is due to the principle of “donor dominance”, which means that hair removed keep their characteristics when transplanted.  Because hair on the sides and back of the head are resilient to DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness), when transplanted into balding areas, they will remain resilient.  In my opinion, this is what makes hair restoration surgery a worthwhile consideration.

The bad news is, hair replacement surgery does nothing to stop the progression of androgenic alopecia (hereditary hair loss).  This is why many physicians will recommend non-surgical treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) to minimize the likelihood that alopecia will progress.

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

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss, transplanted hair, baldness, DHT, male pattern baldness, balding, hair restoration, hair replacement, androgenic alopecia, hereditary hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, alopecia

What are the chances that genetic hair loss can be passed on to my children.  At the moment, I’m single but have been carrying this sickness for 12 years.

Because there are a number of genes responsible for female and male pattern baldness and it can be passed down generation to generation through the mother or father’s side of the family, there is really no way to give you a percentage of the chance that your children will exhibit symptoms.  Carriers of baldness genes may not even be bald themselves.  This is the difference between dominant and recessive genes.  Those with dominant hair loss genes will most likely experience some form of balding while those with recessive genes may go scott free.

There is a genetic hair loss test called HairDX that may be able to help predict whether or not men will go bald.  Though it’s not necessary free from all error, it may help identify whether or not a male is carrying variances known as SNPs which have been found to be associated with androgenic alopecia in men.

Of course, this test must be taken by the individual and works only for men.

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, male pattern baldness, baldness, bald, balding, hair loss, androgenic alopecia

Turning on the TV late at night, you may find yourself showered with promises of dream fulfillment of restoring a natural and full head of hair with the latest and greatest miracle cure hair loss products. Tapping into emotional insecurities, these infomercials entice balding men and women with the hope that all of their hair loss problems will soon be yesterday’s news. But do these fancy hyped products live up to their promises?

Below you will find 5 important tips that will enable you to properly evaluate each product with sound mind rather than gut and emotion.

• There Is No Miracle Hair Regrowth Therapy: Though this may sound like common sense, late night infomercials may just pull the emotional heart strings and convince you otherwise. Keeping this truth in the back of your mind may save you money and hair.

 

•  If it Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is: An old motto to reacquaint yourself with as it applies in most situations.

 

• Research Any Hair Loss Treatment You are Considering: Though temptation lures impulsivity, use the internet to research each product you are considering thoroughly. Evaluate each ingredient and research whether or not there have been any third party unbiased clinical studies on hair loss efficacy.

 

• Make Informed Decisions Instead of Emotional Instinct: Advertisements wouldn’t blatantly lie would they? Maybe not – but in many cases, they will stretch every truth imaginable to lure your business. Make decisions based on evidence from your research, not promises and “money back guarantees”. Money may be refundable, but I guarantee they can’t promise a return on lost hair.

Technorati Tags: hair loss products, balding, hair loss, Hair Regrowth, Hair Loss Treatment

This insightful hair loss article was written by Dr. William Lindsey of Reston, VA who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians.

We did a hair transplant last week on a man who initially complained of terrible pain. I was surprised as his reaction to even the initial numbing of the donor area, then he added that he needs to get put to sleep for dental cleaning. We often give our patients a valium before the procedure and even a pain pill as needed, and this almost always eliminates discomfort. But this guy had to drive 4 hours after the hair restoration procedure and that wasn’t an option.

So we did the next best thing. The female cutters came in and talked with him. They quickly distracted him enough to breeze through both donor anesthesia, strip harvest and closure, and recipient anesthesia. But they had to get to work doing microscopic dissection and no sooner had they left the room than his discomfort and anxiety returned.

I had made about 25 dense pack 0.7mm slits and this guy was about to jump out of the chair. After a bit of discussion, it wasn’t pain that was bothering him, it was the sound of the slits being created.

I had him start text-messaging all of his friends(he was able to keep his head still thankfully) and we turned on classic Van Halen and he tolerated 1800 slits being created in his balding areas without any trouble.

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, hair restoration, balding

The viability of laser therapy for hair loss has been heavily debated for some time by reputable hair restoration physicians. While some physicians reject its use entirely, others use it as a daily part of their practice. Some hair transplant surgeons also feel that laser therapy can assist with postoperative healing and expedite transplanted hair growth.

Though laser hair loss treatment is often incorrectly promoted as FDA “approved” and its benefits oversold, the real question is – can low level laser therapy (LLLT) have any benefit for balding men and women trying to restore their hair? If so, how does it work and what should be expected from its use?

Recently, we interviewed several leading hair restoration physicians and asked them to share their experience with laser therapy in treating hair loss at their clinic. A special thanks to Coalition surgeons Dr. Joseph Williams, Dr. Glenn Charles, and Dr. Alan Feller who have offered their expertise, experiences, and opinions on this highly important and controversial topic.

Click here to read exclusive interviews with these leading physicians about the effectiveness of laser therapy. Also learn how laser therapy is said to work and what role the FDA clearance of the Hairmax laser comb has.

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

Technorati Tags: laser therapy, hair loss, hair restoration, hair transplant, hair growth, low level laser therapy, LLLT, balding, hair restoration, Hairmax laser comb

I have a bald spot from radiation treatment, not from chemotherapy due to a brain tumor that has been removed.  The doctors told me before we started the radiation treatments that my hair in that area would more than likely not grow back because of the high intensity of the radiation treatments killing the hair follicles.  Any suggestions on what might help me regrow hair?  I have been wearing ball caps the last 6 years, I have every color they make.

I’m glad to hear that they were able to successfully treat and remove the brain tumor, that is the most important thing.  Congratulations for recovering from some a dreadful situation.

Considering the bald patch is a result of radiation treatment, if the follicles are truly dead, non-surgical hair loss products will do nothing to restore your hair.

Hair transplant surgery may be an option for you.  In this surgical solution, a surgeon can remove donor hair from the sides and back of your head (called the safe zone) and transplant it into tiny incisions made by the physician in the bald area.  These new follicles will take route under your scalp and begin to grow just like your regular hair. 

Given the complexity of your situation however, be sure to speak with a qualified hair loss doctor about your previous radiation treatments so they can properly educate you of the possible benefits, limitations, and risks hair replacement surgery may bring for you. 

Technorati Tags: bald spot, regrow hair, bald patch, hair loss products, Hair transplant, donor hair, bald, hair loss, hair replacement

If you are balding, you are most likely here to learn how to restore your hair and possibly identify with other men and women who are suffering from hair loss.  Patient and physician members of this patient driven community have been helping men and women with alopecia find real hair loss solutions for 10 years. 

In addition to the regular help you receive by asking questions on our hair loss forum, we have answered a few popular questions asked by members like yourself who are seeking to restore their hair.  Feel free also to post your question on our forum or email us privately at help@hairtransplantnetwork.com. 

The Real Causes of Hair Loss and Various Hair Loss Myths

How Much More Hair Growth Will I See 6 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery?

Can Wearing a Hat or Hair Piece Negatively Impact Hair Growth? (Dr. Beehner)

Do I have to Use Propecia and Rogaine for Life?

Will Provillus or Scalp Med Stop Hair Loss?

Additionally, these questions and more are answered daily on our news and blog sites including the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, the Hair Transplant Network, and the Hair Loss Learning Center.  Be sure to check this thread on our hair restoration forum frequently as new highlighted questions and answers will be featured here! 

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

Technorati Tags: balding, hair loss, alopecia, hair loss solutions

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Timothy Carman of La Jolla, CA, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network.

I have noticed some hair transplant patients will have a lesser number of follicular unit grafts but a greater hair count.  Which is more important? Does the hair count matter?  Often I only hair loss patients speak about the number of grafts they received.

In my opinion, both are relevant.  Hair graft counts alone can be misleading, as follows. 

Say a hair restoration patient has 1000 follicular units available in the donor area.  When trimmed to their naturally occurring groupings (true follicular unit grafts of 1’s, 2’s, 3’s and 4’s), they will average 2 hairs per follicular unit.  This will yield 2000 hairs as per my example. Now one can cut each and every follicular unit down to one hair grafts, and if a hair restoration physician were to do that, you would have 2000 grafts.  This would be labeled as a “2000 graft case”, when, in fact, a surgeon is moving the same amount of hair mass in both instances. As Pat Hennessey, Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network says, “More slices doesn’t make the pizza bigger”.

Now, to the hair loss newbie, the 2000 grafts sounds like a “better and bigger deal”. In fact, the result obtained, were one to compare the 1000 graft case (native follicular unit grafts, original groupings) with the 2000 graft case (all follicular units cut down to 1’s), in my honest opinion, the 1000 graft case would look much more natural, due to the heterogeneity of grafts (which mimics nature).

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss, Hair graft, hair restoration, follicular units, hair restoration physician, Hair Transplant Network

Transplanted hair is not fake; it’s your real hair.  Once it’s transplanted and fully matures, it will feel, look like, and act just like your normal hair. This gives you the flexibility to manage and style your hair however you see fit.  Determining the best hairstyle for you after hair transplant surgery however, can be a challenge.  At what hair length and style will your hair appear thicker?  Is it better to comb it back, forward, or to the side?  

Real hair restoration patients discuss hairstyles that have worked best for them after surgery.  Feel free to share your own story and experiences on our hair loss forum.

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

Technorati Tags: Transplanted hair, hair transplant, hair restoration