Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

If you have had or are considering a hair transplant, you might be interested to know the best ways to measure the success of your results.  A patient may receive 2000, 3000, or even 4000 follicular unit grafts, but how do they really know whether or not all the hair really grew?  There may be a few patients who have friends or relatives with amazing eyes and patience who can count each hair graft one by one; however, this solution isn’t very realistic.

Hair loss forum member “Time to do Something” suggests that a hair restoration physician may have a mathematical formula to calculate the approximate hair growth yield which can determine the success of a hair transplant.  View this hair loss forum thread to engage in this discussion and offer your input.

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, follicular unit grafts, hair graft, Hair loss, hair restoration, hair growth

Do you feel that staples or sutures are better for closing of the donor area after hair transplant surgery.  Which one produces a better scar?

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

I see this question a lot on the hair loss forum and have put my 2 cents in a few times.  To summarize, I don’t think there is any difference between sutures and staples if placed with the same amount of skill.

I place staples about 25% of the time and it really depends on how the skin comes together for me. The hair restoration patient who is shown in this hair transplant photo album was listening to my assistant and me discussing this very topic. In the last 8 years I conservatively guess that I have placed 300,000 sutures; so I am very comfortable sewing. If there is any tension on the scalp after deep closure I do sutures. On the other hand, I think staples are more comfortable for the patient during that initial 10 days, and if the scalp comes together easily I will use staples for patient comfort. But if I have to trade a bit of comfort for a worse potential scar in my hands, I will suture and explain it to the patient.

Good question.

William Lindsey, M.D.

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

This insightful hair loss information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Jerry Cooley of Charlotte, NC who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Propecia is approved by the US FDA for once a day use for hair loss. This does not mean it is the best dosage, only the one that was studied and approved. The average serum “half-life” of finasteride 1mg is about 5 hours in young men and 8 hours in older men. This does not mean that half of the medicine is out of your body in that time period though. The finasteride molecule is distributed throughout the body where it binds to the type II 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, thereby inhibiting conversion of testosterone to dihydrotesterone (DHT). Serum DHT is reduced about 65%, and less DHT means less balding. But several studies show that a single dose of finasteride suppresses serum DHT for 7 days or more (Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 1991 Jan-Mar;16(1):15-21, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990 Apr;70(4):1136-41, Prostate. 1989;14(1):45-53). So the finasteride is leaving the bloodstream, entering the tissue throughout the body, and binding to the type II 5AR (5-alpha-reductase) enzyme, resulting in long lasting DHT suppression.

In our hair loss forum community, we spend a lot of time discussing hair transplant surgeons who perform only the best work. And though these physicians deserve the online accolades they receive, the experience and hard work of the medical technicians and office staff plays a significant role in the success of the surgery.

These “unsung heroes” are largely responsible for regularly performing the important but tedious tasks of carefully trimming follicular unit grafts under microscopes and placing delicate grafts into recipient sites without damaging them.

Each member of the hair restoration surgical team must be on their game in order for the hair transplant procedure to be a success. One technician improperly trimming or placing grafts could amount to a significant amount of wasted follicles and a much lower hair growth yield.

Surgeons are often more publicly recognized because they are ultimately responsible for the work of the entire surgical team and the end result. However, each member of the hair restoration team plays a significant role in the final outcome of the surgery. Large ultra refined hair transplant megasessions are only possible today because quality surgeons employ a large and experienced staff who can handle grafts quickly, accurately, and safely.

Kudos to the dedicated medical technicians and office assistants who work hard alongside elite surgeons to ensure the end result is as good as it gets.

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

In response to your suggestions on our hair loss forum, we created a new forum category to give you a specific place to interact with other members on a more personal level.

Here you can interact with other balding men and women by sharing your experiences with baldness and how it has impacted you. Relate to others more intimately and offer and receive helpful encouragement in our “Support Group – Discuss personal issues due to Hair Loss”

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, balding, baldness

With your involvement, our hair loss discussion forum has brought a whole new level of transparency and accountability to the hair transplant profession. Today clinics must share impressive patient results on a regular basis if they hope to earn the respect and patronage of the patient members of our forum.

However, over the past few years, only a handful of hair restoration physicians were presenting their work on our forum on a regular basis. This small handful of hair transplant clinics typically got all the online accolades. This created the false impression that only a small handful of surgeons were doing world class hair restoration surgery. This is understandable since those who are “out of sight” are often “out of mind”.

Although each surgeon recommended on the Hair Transplant Network has been privately and publicly evaluated by our community, patients deserve to see their ongoing patient results. To get virtually all recommended clinics to share their work on our forum each month, rather than just a handful, we recently provided all recommended physicians with strong incentives to get active. See Recommended Clinics Required to Present their Patient Results on this Forum.

So far this month, we have had great success in getting virtually all physicians recommended on the Hair Transplant Network to agree to post at least one photo album monthly showing patient results. You may have already noticed a big increase in hair transplant photos posted by a much wider range of leading clinics on the Patient Results Posted by Leading Hair Restoration Clinics forum. There will be many more to come!

Our Associate Publisher Bill “Falceros” goes head to head with “JoTronic”, a dedicated hair loss forum member and employee of Hasson and Wong in a hair transplant showdown: “Who Has the Best Afro?” 

But Pat Hennessey, the Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network feels that his long curly head of multi-colored hair not only merits inclusion in the contest, but is worthy of a win!

But you must be the judge.  Click here to vote for your favorite afro and have some fun posting your most ridiculous photos!

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 transplant

This hair loss question was answered by Dr. Sharon Keene of AZ, an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

I have hair loss in my frontal hair and at the back. I have noticed that a patch of hair in the back came off (that did not regrow) when I accidentally pulled out some from the braids.  Does this mean that I will not regrow the hair in the donor site if i have a hair transplant?

Your description of frontal and back hair loss sounds like typical androgenic alopecia (androgenetic), though I would have to see it to be certain.  However, your history of traumatic hair loss from a braid being pulled off sounds like traction alopecia.

I assume you had a wound in that area which would have left a scar.  It is typical for hair to not grow in an area of scalp trauma that created scarring, and where the hair follicles were injured or destroyed.  That will not have an effect on the survival of your donor hairs, however, they remain permanent.  The traction alopecia scar, depending on its size, can be excised, with the scar being removed and the hair bearing edges brought together.  Non-surgical hair loss treatments can help prevent further balding from the androgenic alopecia, and in this country the 2 FDA approved medications are topical minoxidil (marketed as Rogaine and found in other treatments such as Xandrox) and oral finasteride (found in Propecia and Proscar).  The medications can stabilize hair loss in 85% of men who use them, but they are not capable of repopulating lost hair follicles.  For that, hair transplant surgery can assist in recontouring your hairline and frontal and back areas where you have already experienced baldness.  If you would like more information specific to your hair loss pattern and [hair characteristics, please send me photos of your hair/hairline from the front, top, sides and back.  I hope this information has been helpful.

I’ve been told by a hair transplant clinic that they can guarantee results and a “no scar” procedure.  Is this possible and is it legal?

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

I wish you could get someone to teach me how to guarantee no scars in hair replacement surgery! I was recently deposed on another doctor’s malpractice case, and several experts and me stated that every transection of the skin leaves a scar. Now, hair loss doctors can attempt to make it a very fine scar or minimally noticeable, but there will be a scar.

As to guarantees, I believe that some states may differ on their rules, but the honest doctor will only guarantee to do his/her best; not guarantee a hair restoration result. People aren’t mathematical formulas where 2 + 2 is always 4. People are chemistry, where results are often reproducible, but variations in other factors (temperature, salt content, etc.) can influence an outcome, or the results are just nonsense.  Remember Cold Fusion in 1988 was to solve all energy problems forever.

William Lindsey, M.D.

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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, hair replacement, hair loss doctor, hair restoration

Non-surgical hair loss treatment solutions such as Propecia and Rogaine typically work well for those with a mild case of thinning hair. But men and women with greater degrees of balding commonly find themselves disappointed in their effectiveness.

Only hair transplant surgery has been successful in restoring hair in completely bald areas. Done right, hair transplants are natural and can’t be detected even by your own hair stylist.

But the decision to proceed with hair replacement surgery should not be taken lightly. It is important to spend time researching and consulting with qualified hair transplant surgeons who can best help you meet your hair restoration goals.

Below you will find 3 important hair transplant considerations for evaluation before jumping into the surgical chair.

• Is Hair Replacement Surgery for Me? Not everyone with hair loss is a candidate for hair surgery. Read this article to help you determine if is right for you.

 

• Considerations and Developing Realistic Hair Restoration Goals: Planning for the long term is important in order to get the most out of your hair transplant. Read this article to learn what to consider that will help make your hair regrowth goals a long term reality.

 

• Selecting a Quality Hair Transplant Surgeon: Though the hair transplant industry has evolved significantly over the years thanks to our patient based hair loss forum community, not all surgeons utilize up to date techniques. Selecting a quality surgeon therefore becomes the most difficult task of all. Learn what to look for and how we prescreen hair restoration physicians to help you achieve the best and most natural looking hair transplant possible.