Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

If the recipient area is exposed to sunlight (through glass) after a hair restoration procedure, can this damage the grafts or impede hair growth? I sit in front of a window with a thin curtain for about an hour a day.

This hair loss question was answered by Dr. Glenn Charles of Florida who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. His professional answer is below.

Technically, you can get a sunburn through the window. Too much sun exposure after a hair transplant is not recommended. The recipient area is usually irritated already and sun exposure can only make it worse.

Sunlight through a window with a curtain will not likely cause any damage depending on the thickness of the curtain and the angle at which the sunlight hits the scalp.

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Anthony – Editorial Assistant / Forum Co-Moderator of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit out Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.
Follow our community on Twitter.
Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube.

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

I have two questions concerning long-term hair restoration goals. Regarding medications, doesn’t Propecia lose its effectiveness over time? Also, what happens when patients’ donor hair starts to thin? I was told that hair from the “safe zone” eventually becomes susceptible to Male Pattern Baldness. If these things are true, how can anyone guarantee lasting results?

This hair loss question was answered by Dr. Cam Simmons of Toronto, Canada, who is a highly esteemed member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

I know some patients who have taken Propecia (finasteride) since 1997 (before they met me) who feel that they haven’t lost more hair, and some who have had a slow decline.

Some hair follicles in the donor area may be affected by DHT, but most aren’t in most men. Take a look at the seniors you meet or pass in a day. In a few, you can see through their hair on the sides, but not in most. Some men can get generalized thinning of all of their hair in advanced age, called senile alopecia.

I just did a touch-up hair transplant for a 68 year-old man who had 4 sessions from 1976 to 1980 and the transplanted hair was still there. His hair was about 2 inches long, and the rows and rows of punch graft scars did not show. The scars made up about half of his 9mm wide, 30cm long donor strip, but we still managed to get 1408 grafts.

The role technicians play during a hair transplant procedure seems pretty important. How can I make sure prior to surgery that the technicians are skilled and experienced enough to be handling my grafts?

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

The issue of hair transplant technicians placing grafts is certainly an important one. Last year I posted pictures on this network of how we train our techs: first on pickles, then on fruit. Ask your hair transplant surgeon how experienced the graft placers are when you are there for a consultation. Better yet, as we try to do, have your potential doctor show you a case in progress and spend a few minutes watching how the techs place.

Before I had enough skilled placers, I used to place at least half the grafts, then a third, and now I do a few to give breaks and come in at the end to look for empty spots. That’s not entirely because I don’t want to place anymore, but rather I have found a group of small-handed females who are better and faster than me at placing. In the end, I believe the hair transplant patient gets a better result.

I’m worried about not being able to sleep properly after my hair transplant (strip) procedure. I understand that patients are normally advised to stack pillows, but how does this prevent you from rolling over onto the grafts? That’s really my primary concern. I tend to toss and turn a lot during the night, so any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

This is a fairly common post operative concern. Many patients feel more secure sleeping with the aid of a neck support pillow; it’s a very practical way to keep your head propped up and comfortably stabilized during the first few nights of your recovery.

You can purchase one of these for under $20 at most medical supply stores. They’re usually a bit more expensive at airport shops, but making sure you pick one up is definitely a solid little investment, in my opinion.

Ideally, you’ll also want to keep your head raised at a 45 degree angle for the first 3-4 nights following your hair restoration procedure to prevent swelling. You might stack several pillows underneath your neck support device to insure that you remain in the correct position during sleep. Others might choose to settle into a recliner chair instead.

Hair transplant patients invariably will experience some degree of awkwardness during this stage of their recovery, but you can feasibly reduce the discomfort following follicular unit transplantation (FUT) by being prepared and taking your prescribed pain medication as directed.

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I’ve heard these terms used quite often, but what exactly is the difference between the Pre-Made Incision technique and the “Stick-and-Place” method? Is one better than the other?

This question was answered by Dr. Mike Beehner of Saratoga Springs, New York who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. Follow the original topic on our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum to also see expert replies from Coalition surgeon Dr. Cam Simmons and our managing publisher,  Bill Seemiller (Falceros).

For myself, the one big advantage of the stick-and-place method, which I take advantage of in certain unique cases, is the fact that it allows the hair transplant surgeon to make the SMALLEST possible incision to place the graft in. This is because, at the instant you withdraw the needle or slit blade, you are immediately placing the graft into the opening before any elastic recoil or shrinkage can occur at the site. The benefits of this fact are two: One, you do the least possible damage to the vascular system of the scalp because of the smaller sites, and two, you can place grafts closer together, because the sites are smaller and more will fit into a cubic centimeter than with a slightly larger site.

The big problem with stick-and-place is that it is not possible for the surgeon to personally perform the whole hair restoration operation due to the time factor (time the grafts are out of the body) and the fatigue/exhaustion factor. He would be there for 16 hours (till the wee hours of the morning) and a lot of the grafts wouldn’t survive because of the time out of the body. So this task has to be delegated or shared with one’s assistants.

Hi. I was just wondering about something: Is there any particular kind of hat I can wear while applying Rogaine?

Just to clarify, there is no practical, recommended way to apply Rogaine (minoxidil) while you are wearing a hat. I suppose it might be remotely possible to treat the area through the open space above the adjuster in the back of a baseball cap, but this would be time consuming and counterproductive.

Consumer medical information for the original formula advised users to wait at least an hour after using Rogaine before putting a hat on; however, Rogaine Foam is absorbed into the scalp more quickly. Many users consider this to be the  superior method for topically treating thinning hair.

In my opinion, as long as the area has completely dried and no residue remains, you’re free to wear your cap or apply other hair care products in moderation such as gel or hairspray after minoxidil. Using a blow dryer on a light, cool setting (never hot) can speed up the drying process without causing breakage or  inducing further hair loss. For more information, I suggest you visit the company’s official site and browse through the Q & A section.

Anthony – Editorial Assistant / Forum Co-Moderator of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit out Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.
Follow our community on Twitter.
Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube.

I recently emailed several of my pictures to a highly recommended hair restoration center and am quite disappointed with their response. They basically told me that I’m not a hair transplant candidate at this time based on my photos and age, but didn’t really bother to elaborate. I’m certainly no expert, but how can anyone make this decision without seeing me in person? I feel like I got brushed off.

Due to the increasingly high demand for online consultations, many of the leading worldwide hair transplant clinics become inundated with emails from prospective candidates, and therefore might not always be able to offer in-depth responses to every patient query. If you are dissatisfied with their reply, I encourage you to schedule an in-person consultation with the hair restoration physician.

Remember, although online evaluations can be a very practical solution for long-distance candidates who might be interested in booking a procedure, they can never truly substitute for a proper, in-office assessment, particularly for patients with indistinct hair loss patterns or ill-defined expectations. If traveling to the hair restoration clinic isn’t a feasible option, I suggest you try to resubmit clear, non-flash pictures of your hair that effectively expose any perceived problem areas, and also take a brief moment to really articulate your concerns and goals. Lack of proper photos and general miscommunication may explain the initial response.

If people with male pattern baldness (MPB) have hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT, then why is it that they don’t lose their hair right away in their twenties but rather much later in their life? I presume that DHT gradually lowers when we get older?  So why do some hair loss sufferers start going bald in their thirties or even forties?

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

In men, except in unusual circumstances, hair loss is all genes and luck, or lack thereof.

I recall from some source or another, that male hair loss affects 10% of the population per decade.  Thus, 40% of guys in their 40’s have significant hair loss. My “eyeballing” of people walking around the mall or at a recent football game suggests that is probably reasonably accurate.

So then the issue is what do you do about it. My consultations always offer 4 choices.

• Do nothing. You won’t die from hair loss.
• Wear a hairpiece when needed. We have done quite a few fellows who wore hairpieces and either were able to get rid of them, or wear a smaller hairpiece after surgical hair restoration.

3. Medical therapy works for many folks but has its own pros and cons.

4. Hair transplant surgery.

At the first sign of obvious hair loss, men and women are immediately concerned with whether or not the condition will progress and if so, how much will they lose and how long will it last.

While genetic female hair loss and male pattern baldness is progressive, not everybody experiences the same amount and degrees of hair loss. To see the varying patterns and degrees of balding experienced by men and women, see the Norwood Scale and Ludwig Scale of hair loss.

Given that men and women suffer from varying degrees of baldness, is there a way to determine just how it will progress for each person? Members of our community are asking the same question. To see what other members are saying and to offer your input, visit this discussion topic.

Bill Seemiller – aka Falceros
Managing Publisher of 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

Technorati Tags: hair loss, balding, baldness, Bill Seemiller, Falceros

Differentiating between fact and fiction when it comes to hair loss can be tough. That’s why our hair restoration community works to uncover the many hair loss fallacies you may have heard or read about since you were young. Below, we expose several popular hair loss myths, their origins, and reveal the solid truth about hair restoration and treatments for baldness.

Wearing a Hat May Cause you to Go Bald

This popular hair loss myth often scares teenagers away from wearing their favorite hat or head covering. The reality is, hats don’t cause or contribute to genetic female hair loss or male pattern baldness. Genetics is the actual culprit.

Hair Loss is Caused by Stress

Are you afraid the daily stress of work and life will cause you to go bald? Don’t worry, it won’t. Only severe traumatic stress has been known to cause a temporary and sudden thinning hair known as telogen effluvium. However, once the stressor has been reduced or eliminated, in almost all cases, hair growth returns to normal. Learn more about stress and other non-genetic causes of hair loss.

Balding Comes from Your Mother’s Father

Traditionally, men were taught that they would follow after their mother’s father when it comes to hair loss. Conversely, women were taught to believe hair loss is linked to their father’s mother. And while this isn’t a total fallacy, the baldness gene is not linked strictly to only one relative. In fact, the genetic link is to any member or members of both your mother’s and father’s side of the family. Learn more about androgenic alopecia.