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This blog was written by Dr. Steven Gabel of  Hillsboro, OR who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

When is it safe to have alcohol and smoke a cigarettes after hair transplant surgery?

Typically, I like my patients to be off tobacco products two weeks prior and two weeks following surgical hair restoration as using these products before surgery and during healing may negatively impact hair growth. Of course, it is best if they quit altogether as the negative overall effects of tobacco products have been well documented.

In terms of alcohol, I ask my hair transplant patients to refrain while they are taking the pain medication as mixing narcotics and alcohol is not recommended. If they are off their medications and would like to have a social drink (ie – a glass of wine or a beer), I have no problem with that. If they do drink, they need to be extra careful not to disrupt the graft sites.

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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Assistant Publisher and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Get Proven Hair Loss Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new Online Hair Loss Product Store

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair restoration, hair growth

In today’s technological world of speedy internet connections, everyone enjoys watching videos online. That’s why our new and improved hair restoration forum and social community is extremely video friendly. Hair loss sufferers and physicians alike can view and share their own videos as it relates to hair restoration in our hair restoration video library.

Now, over 250 videos featuring interviews with the world’s leading hair restoration physicians, hair transplant results, and more have been uploaded by veteran hair transplant patients and physicians. Feel free to view these videos or share your own.

Bill Seemiller
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum and Social Community
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Watch hair transplant videos  on YouTube

Technorati Tags: Hair loss, hair restoration, hair restoration physicians, hair transplant, Bill Seemiller

This question comes from a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums:

Unfortunately, my most recent hair transplant surgery did not go according to plan, and I was left with a series of unsightly, small bumps or “cobblestones” in the implanted scalp area. These bumps are causing quite a bit of anxiety, and I’m looking into repair procedures to fix the problem. Because of this, I’m wondering if it would be possible to remove the bumps via follicular unit extraction (FUE) and replace them with transplanted tissue (either containing or not containing hair follicles)?

From what I gather,  in order to get rid or your excessive cobblestoning, you want to remove the “cobblestone tissue” via follicular unit extraction (FUE) and implant other (transplanted) tissue either containing or not containing follicles into the area?

Although this sounds interesting, I’m unsure it’s the best way to proceed. I definitely understand the idea of removing the cobblestone pattern, but the combination of removing that tissue, removing additional tissue from somewhere else, and then implanting the new tissue into the area seems excessive and has the potential to create unnecessary trauma to the scalp. Additionally, I feel like removing “grafts” (or the cobblestoning pattern in this case) has the potential to create excessive scarring due to the diameter of the graft requiring removal. Furthermore, the blood supply necessary to support all this new tissue could be a problem.

How Today’s Hair Transplants Can Produce Natural, Dense Looking Results

Due to the advancements in surgical hair restoration, today’s hair transplants can produce thick natural looking results that mimic nature.   However, due to a limited donor supply, significantly bald men and women may not be able to achieve both full coverage and high degrees of density.   Covering a large balding area will result in fewer grafts available for transplantation per square centimeter and thus, may result in a slightly thinner appearance.   Other attributes such as hair texture and scalp quality also play a role in the patient’s final result. To get an idea of the kinds of results today’s hair transplant procedures can produce for men and women with varying degrees of thinning hair and baldness, visit our extensive hair transplant photo gallery.

A skilled hair transplant surgeon’s artful placement of the follicular unit grafts can enhance the look of transplanted hair leading to a thicker appearance. This is what’s referred to as an “illusion of density”. It takes a skilled and experienced hair transplant surgeon like those recommended on the Hair Transplant Network to design a hair restoration plan that takes into account all of these variables while still meeting their patient’s expectations.

So, what are realistic expectations? Is it reasonable to expect your hair transplant to appear full and natural under all lighting and weather conditions? Can your hair transplant give you back the kind of “wash and go” hairdo you had when you were younger or will you continue to rely on hair loss concealers like Toppik and DermMatch to provide the icing on the cake?

This question, asked by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles:

Ever since high school, I’ve been unhappy with the shape and height of my natural hairline.  I’m now in my early 20′s and beginning to see some early hair loss in my hairline and frontal 1/3 of my scalp. However, after consulting with several hair restoration physicians I’ve realized that most doctors don’t recreate low hairlines in young patients. Why is this? Isn’t this what a young patient would want now?

Hair transplant surgeons are obligated to try and keep the hair loss patient happy over time, not just happy for a few years (followed by a long period dissatisfaction). The concern in cases like yours (a young patient, with the beginning phases of hair loss, looking for the low hairline of someone in their late teens or early twenties) is that at your age, there is a good chance that you will have further hair loss and changes to your face. This can create a hairline that looks great in the beginning, but later becomes no longer “age appropriate.” There is also the possibilty of not having enough donor follicles for subsequent touch-ups due to a combination of a hairline that was made to low initially and significant hair loss later as part of the patients genetic male pattern baldness.

Dr. Glenn Charles

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Despite the best efforts of patient-driven hair loss communities such as the Hair RestorationForum and Social Network, misinformation, myths, and outright lies about the causes of and treatments for hair loss abound on the Internet. Some of these fabrications are, in fact, elaborate ploys to market and peddle ineffective hair loss cures to unwary balding men and women. To set the record straight regarding the cause of androgenic alopecia, let’s bust some more popular hair loss myths:

• Wearing a hat causes hair loss: Hats, especially the venerable baseball cap, have been scorned by balding men and women for ages as the root of the hair loss problem.   But have no fear; there’s no need to forgo the chapeau! Wearing a hat will not cause nor will it exacerbate thinning hair.

• Brushing with a boar bristle brush stimulates hair regrowth: Many hair loss myths surround the act of brushing hair. Hair brushing is both heralded as a hair growth stimulant and derided as a hair loss accelerator. But, many believe in the magical hair growth powers of boar bristles. In truth, boar bristle brushes do help spread sebum across the length of the hair shaft. This helps to naturally moisturize, protect and add shine to the hair. They may also stimulate blood flow and speed hair growth to some degree but for the 2/3 of men and women experiencing genetic hair loss, brushing with one of these will simply not regrow hair.   Conversely, brushing your hair will not cause it to fall out either.

This following article was written by recommended hair restoration physician Dr. William Lindsey and posted on our Hair Restoration Social Community and Discussion Forums.

What is the typical width and length for a 2,000 graft donor strip? This is for a person with average donor density.

When performing follicular unit transplantation (FUT), our donor strips are almost always 1.6-1.7cm wide or about the width of a stick of gum. The length of the strips varies with density and the number of follicular unit grafts needed to meet the patient’s hair restoration goals. This has let us get up to 3,900 grafts.

When folks speak of 5,000 graft hair transplants, frankly I have the man/woman power to do these, but I am rather limited by strip width. Scalp laxity is like a box of chocolates: you just don’t know until you excise the strip how loose a scalp will be. As closure tension has a direct relationship with scarring, I am concerned about getting the scalp closed well more than getting that extra 1,000 grafts.

Dr. William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS
McLean, VA

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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Assistant Publisher and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Get Proven Hair Loss Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new Online Hair Loss Product Store

Technorati Tags: follicular unit transplantation, FUT, follicular unit grafts, hair restoration, hair transplants

This question comes from a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums:

I underwent hair transplant surgery 9 days ago,  and was told by day 7 I could start playing basketball again. Tonight during a game, I was hit in the head pretty hard and although I never bled, the implanted scalp was red and irritated, almost like a rug burn, and it looks like a couple of the “stubbly” follicular unit grafts fell out. Did I lose a graft?

The general rule is that between days 7 – 10 (with most hair restoration experts agreeing on 7) the grafts should be fully “rooted” and dislodging them should no longer be an issue. Because it had been 9 days since your hair transplant, chances are that the grafts were fully anchored and you may have lost a hair shaft, but no follicles (the important aspect of a follicular unit graft), especially if you didn’t notice any blood.

However, if you’d like further confirmation, I highly recommend contacting the clinic where you underwent hair restoration surgery and asking them directly.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Follow our community on Twitter

Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

Get Proven Hair Loss Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new Online Hair Loss Product Store

Technorati Tags: Hair Loss, hair transplant surgery, follicular unit grafts, hair restoration, grafts, hair transplant, hair restoration surgery

Today’s hair transplant procedures performed by world renowned hair restoration surgeons are so natural that even your own hairstylist can’t detect them.   Below, view some of the most impressive hair restoration transformations of 2010 presented by real patients on our popular discussion forum, patient blogs and patient websites. Take a moment to meet the formerly balding patients who’ve undergone successful hair restoration and the physicians that delivered them.

In his hair restoration website, “Johnny B” shares his stellar results after a mega-session of 5,139 follicular unit grafts by Coalition member Dr. Victor Hasson. He very succinctly summarizes his feelings with the following words, “Am I happy? Yes, most certainly I am.” In fact, regarding Hasson & Wong, he states, “I would consider a further procedure with them if I needed it without question. I would also recommend that those considering a hair transplant put them in the list of top contenders for the job.” Be sure to drop by Johnny’s patient website and leave a comment or discuss his results by visiting the discussion topic “Johnny-B Dr Hasson UK Patient“.

“Roytom” presents his impressive one year results after 2583 follicular unit grafts with Coalition member Dr. Scott Alexander on his  patient website. “Roytom” emphatically states, “I still can’t believe how well this has turned out. You get so used to seeing yourself in the mirror every day that you forget what it used to be like until you see old photos!” Be sure to check out his Pre-op vs. 1 year photos. As he puts it, “You can’t make this stuff up.”

Although the Hair Loss Q & A blog and Hair Loss Learning Center have previously featured segments on Saw Palmetto and its effectiveness as a hair restoration treatment, it’s often a good idea to review the available information on [thair lag]hair loss therapies[/tag] and describe them from a new or different point of view.

Recently, Spex, a senior member at our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums and consultant to Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Alan Feller re-visited Saw Palmetto and offered his own explanation on how the drug works, who it’s intended for, what to expect, and how to properly utilize the treatment. To read his thorough review, please feel free to visit the discussion topic: Saw Palmetto.

We expect that  Spex’s commentary on Saw Palmetto will help  balding men and women  analyze this [tag]hair loss treatment[/tag[ in a new light and determine whether or not they should use it in their own treatment regimen.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Follow our community on Twitter

Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

Get Proven Hair Loss Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new Online Hair Loss Product Store

Technorati Tags: Hair Loss, Saw Palmetto, hair restoration, hair transplant surgeon, balding