Video is becoming increasingly popular on the web. Thus, Patrick Hennessey, publisher of the Hair Transplant Network has interviewed dozens of leading hair restoration physicians recommended by our online patient community in order for you to learn more about them, their skill, their experience and their hair transplant philosophy. All of these videos can be found on their recommendation profiles (click here to see who’s names are recommended) and our Hair Transplant Video YouTube Channel.
Recently, we’ve created a brand new hair loss discussion forum, “Video Interviews with Leading Hair Transplant Surgeons” in order to make it more convenient for members and guests visiting our community to view and add comments to these videos. Note, that we are still in the process of adding these videos so stay tuned for more.
We encourage you to view and add your comments to these videos. We trust that you’ll enjoy learning more about each hair loss doctor and the kinds of quality hair restoration results they provide to their patients. We also hope this personal touch will also help you in your decision making process when selecting a quality surgeon to perform your hair transplant.
Men’s Health Online, the online version of the popular men’s health, wellness, and lifestyle magazine, recently featured an article discussing modern hair transplant surgery and exciting future hair restoration treatments.
Although the article does contain some (recently) outdated information and slight misconceptions, it’s still a well researched piece and may be interesting for hair loss sufferers researching current trends in surgical hair restoration and future hair loss treatments.
In this hair transplant video interview, Dr. William Reed of La Jolla. California discusses the importance of planning a successful long-term hair restoration game plan. Dr. Reed is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians and is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network.
Dr. Reed is an active member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and participates in their annual conferences. He has received funding for research from the ISHRS and has made presentations annually since 1998. To learn more about Dr. Reed, his experience, skill, philosophy and to see examples of his hair restoration results, visit his Coalition profile here.
Dr. Harris’ recent acquisition of the ARTAS Hair Restoration System provided the opportunity to ask a proven FUE specialist and expert surgeon crucial questions about the this robotic FUE machine. Below, view Dr. Harris’ expert answers regarding the ARTAS and automating at least a portion of the hair transplant procedure.
(Q) 1. What is your philosophy on automating the hair transplant procedure using devices such as the ARTAS Hair Restoration System?
(A) The answer really relates to what the impact will be on patient results. Powered FUE devices, when used in the right hands, offer greater speed and hopefully better grafts, but not always. For example, there is a supposed “automated” device on the market right now, but in reality it is nothing more than a sharp rotational punch coupled with a suction powered graft extractor.
Every possible difficulty in using a sharp dissection device still exists with this product because a technician or surgeon is making guesses about the follicle angle/direction and trying to manually make the punch go in the direction and depth that the operator is guessing it should go. All these individual guesses and decisions make for a very unforgiving system. I believe the Powered SAFE Scribe System for FUE that I developed is more forgiving than a sharp punch system, but it is still subject to the skill of the operator.
Is Follicular Unit Transplantation permanent? Is there concrete evidence (anywhere!) that hair transplants last a lifetime, or at least last for a fair amount of years?
The question you pose is the million dollar question. I’m not sure anyone knows the exact answer, but I’ll give you my attempt at honestly answering it.
For starters, I think the permanency of the transplanted hair varies some from one patient to another. There are patients I have seen over a 20 year period (including looking in the mirror every day at my own hair, which was transplanted 29 years ago) and it seems the transplanted hair has thinned more than the remaining donor hair has. There are also a great many patients I have observed over those 20 years from my early days of doing hair transplants who are still very full.
There are a few facts that have been proven and are general knowledge: First of all, to some degree, almost all men and women develop what is inappropriately named “senile alopecia“. This refers to gradually thinning hair everywhere on the head in people as they age. This hair loss varies tremendously among individuals, but I do believe everyone does thin from their 40′s up and through their 70′s and 80′s – some to such a small degree that it may not seem noticeable. Another fact that has been proven with research is that the diameter of the resultant transplanted hair in most studies has been measured to be slightly less than when it was originally in the donor area. Thus there is probably less “hair mass” right from the get-go.
Recently, Dr. Jim Harris, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network became amongst the first hair restoration physicians to purchase the ARTAS Hair Restoration System, a hair transplant machine innovated by Restoration Robotics in an attempt to automate the follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedure. But can ARTAS live up to its promise of increased extraction speeds, lower transection rates, increased session sizes, and optimal hair growth yield?
Like previous FUE extraction machines, the ARTAS Hair Restoration System attempts to increase the speed of extraction (allowing for larger single sessions) while automating the surgical process. Claims that very little skill is needed to use automated devices has led some marketing giants to mass market their machine to the neophyte hair transplant surgeon and untrained medical professionals. Since no automated device or machine can adapt or make critical decisions during an FUE procedure, many hair loss practitioners and veteran patients have expressed concerns that many who undergo surgery with a neophyte surgeon using the ARTAS or any automated hair transplant equipment will eventually come forward with less than satisfactory results.
While the concept of automating the FUE hair transplant procedure is impressive, putting such advanced equipment in novice hands may be disastrous. However, innovative machines like the ARTAS Hair Restoration System in skilled and experienced hands could significantly aid quality physicians and their staff in providing patients with the best results.
According to Dr. Harris:
I acquired the system because it produces great follicular unit grafts at an efficient rate and it will help leverage my resources.
Since its inception in 2002, patients, physicians, and hair loss experts have debated the role of follicular unit extraction (FUE) in modern hair transplant surgery. Initially, various individuals were skeptical as many couldn’t help noting the similarities between FUE and the archaic multi-graft, “hair plug” extraction procedures of the past. Additionally, many leading hair restoration physicians today still don’t believe that the FUE method can match the success rate of modern follicular unit transplantation (FUT) via strip and microscopic dissection.
However, as follicular unit extraction (FUE) continues to advance and evolve, many are beginning to appreciate its merit and believe the procedure could serve a valuable purpose in the field of medical hair restoration. Additionally, as news of higher hair growth yield rates, precise extraction tools, and more cost effective methods continue to unfold, a greater number of patients and physicians are becoming receptive to undergoing and performing this procedure.
Although most hair restoration physicians and hair loss sufferers today maintain a neutral and logical opinion of FUE (believing it has a valuable purpose and acts as a good modality for certain patients), its rapid evolution, rise in popularity and hype surrounding the procedure has created a new, distinct division in the minds of various hair restoration patients and practitioners. One group continues to see FUE as an overhyped and under developed technique that could not match the “gold standard” set by modern follicular unit transplantation while another distinct sect of individuals sees FUE as the next logical step in surgical hair restoration and believes FUT is an overly invasive, outdated procedure. This continual debate unfortunately, often leaves hair loss suffering men and women researching surgical options confused and disillusioned.
Dr. Joseph Williams of the Advanced Medical Hair Institute of Las Vegas, Nevada discusses what factors are important to achieving excellent hair transplant results for his patients.
Dr. Williams is a highly esteemed member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians and is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network. To learn more about Dr. Williams, his experience, skill, philosophy and to see examples of his hair restoration results, visit his Coalition Hair Loss profile here.
During a recent exchange at our Hair Restoration Discussion Forums, several members began debating whether each hair transplant procedure performed should be able to “stand alone” as a natural restoration or if it’s ever acceptable for patients to undergo an incomplete fix (a low density procedure, a hairline placed in front of balding scalp, et cetera) with the intent of finishing the result via planned future procedures.
Frankly, I have mixed feelings on the issue:
In one sense, I agree and think that “stand alone” procedures are important; there are always ways to naturally restore areas of hair loss without creating patterns that do not exist in human physiology.
For example, instead of adding a 1 inch hairline around the otherwise bald scalp of a Norwood VI patient, a hair restoration surgeon can begin more conservatively and instead fill out the mid-scalp and plan to slowly rebuild a stronger hairline and possibly restore the vertex/crown if time, resources, and donor supply allow. To me, this is a logical, effective plan, and if something happened and this patient was never able to undergo a second procedure, the thickened mid-scalp would not create an unnatural appearance and could, in and of itself, stand alone.
However, in another sense, if I’ve learned one thing from analyzing, reviewing, and researching hair restoration procedures over the years, it’s that no patient or procedure is the same. Surgical hair transplantation is a very individualized and unique process, and I think in almost all cases, hair transplant surgeons and patients collaborate and design a restoration plan that satisfies both parties. In some cases, this may involve an initial procedure that may not completely follow or resemble natural scalp/hair physiology.
Does every hair restoration physician who knows the trichophytic closure use this? If not, why?
There are several different ways to suture the donor wound in a hair transplantation procedure. Some doctors have tried the trichophytic closure and did not get as good of a result as they did with their previous technique. It is the kind of technique that, if not done properly, may lead to more problems later on. Others feel that if a patient is likely to need several procedures that the trichophytic closure should only used on the final surgery. There are some two layer closures being used in hair transplant surgery today that leave a donor scar that is very difficult to find.
The publishers and editors of this web blog are
former hair loss sufferers and not medical
professionals. Medical questions should be directed to
qualified medical professionals.
No information provided on this site constitutes a
warranty of any kind; nor shall visitors to the site
rely solely on any such information or advice.
Video is becoming increasingly popular on the web. Thus, Patrick Hennessey, publisher of the Hair Transplant Network has interviewed dozens of leading hair restoration physicians recommended by our online patient community in order for you to learn more about them, their skill, their experience and their hair transplant philosophy. All of these videos can be found on their recommendation profiles (click here to see who’s names are recommended) and our Hair Transplant Video YouTube Channel.
