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Recently, Coalition member and highly acclaimed hair restoration surgeon Dr. Bessam Farjo of Manchester, United Kingdom was interviewed by the Times of India for a lifestyle article about hair loss.  Topics discussed include advancements made in hair loss research, state of the art hair transplant surgery and hair multiplication (cloning). In the article, Dr. Farjo discusses why he chose to specialize in hair restoration and his role in shaping its future through the ongoing research and development of new techniques.

Dr. Bessam Farjo has a long history of performing state of the art, ultra-refined follicular unit hair transplantation with outstanding results. Along with his wife and colleague, Dr. Nilofer Farjo, he founded the Farjo Medical Centre in 1992. Since that time, the Farjo Clinic has become the UK’s premier center for surgical hair restoration, medical hair loss treatment and research.

Dr. Bessam and Nilofer Farjo are both highly esteemed members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians and recommended by the Hair Transplant Network. To learn about our criteria for recommending physicians, click here.

Click the image below to see the full article.

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.

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The following article was presented on our Hair Restoration Social Community and Discussion Forums by forum member “TM”, Marketing Manager for Dr. Melike Kulahci.

Each year, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) invites a member who lives outside of the United States to organize a seminar in order to share his/her own hair restoration clinic’s research. This year, that honor was bestowed upon Dr. Melike Kulahci of Istanbul, Turkey. Dr. Kulahci is an esteemed member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians and ISHRS board member.

The Next Big Thing Conference, hosted by Dr. Kulahci, gathered together many of the most prominent names in the study and treatment of hair loss to share the latest developments in hair transplantation technology including; the latest improvements in follicular unit extraction (FUE) with live demonstrations; hair multiplication or cloning; platelet rich plasma (PRP) and the use of ACell and lasers in hair transplant surgery among other topics.  You can view a video promo of the conference below.

The conference included live surgery demonstrations and presentations by several world renowned hair restoration surgeons including; Dr. Jerry Cooley, Dr. Bessam Farjo, Dr. Robert Haber, Dr. Ron Shapiro, Dr. Jerry Wong and Transmed Medical Director Dr. Melike Kulahci.

With 98 surgeons from 32 countries in attendance, 5 live surgical demonstrations and 9 presentations performed, the TNBT Conference hosted by Dr. Kulahci created a strong platform with which to carry these advances in hair transplantation to the next level.

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.

The article covers topics ranging from the evolution of hair multiplication research, Aderans Research Institute‘s “ARI Process,” automated follicular unit extraction (FUE) devices (including an interview with recommended hair transplant surgeon Dr. James Harris discussing the SAFE Powered Scribe and ARTAS Hair Restoration System), and the potential integration of surgical, medical, and stem cell hair loss treatments in the near future.

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.

To read the Men’s Health Online article, click here: The New Science of Hair Growth. 
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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

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Technorati Tags: hair transplant surgery, hair restoration, hair multiplication, Aderans Research Institute, ARI Process, follicular unit extraction, hair transplant surgeon, SAFE Powered Scribe, ARTAS Hair Restoration System, stem cell hair loss, hair loss, surgical hair restoration, future hair loss treatments

On July 11th, 2011, Aderans Research Institute, a biotechnology group specializing in non-surgical hair restoration, released an update on its (hair multiplication) clinical research.

During a recent hair loss conference in Paris, France, Aderans Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ken Washenik, MD, PhD gave a presentation on the Aderans hair multiplication process and the preliminary results from phase II of its clinical trials.

According to Dr. Washenik, during the “ARI process” follicular stem cells are extracted from the back of the scalp, cultivated for special multiplication in a laboratory, and injected into areas of balding scalp. Allegedly, this process greatly increases the number of viable hair follicles, which will grow and produce terminal hairs after injection into the recipient area.

Dr. Washenik continues by explaining that although it’s only preliminary, the data from the second phase of the clinical studies is promising and demonstrates a quantifiable level of new hair growth. Furthermore, Dr. Washenik states Aderans will continue improving its methods and hopefully someday achieve the consistency and success rates associated with traditional follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) hair transplant surgery.

To review these hair cloning updates and watch Dr. Washenik’s presentation, please visit the following: Aderans Hair Cloning Updates. 
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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

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

I have written this in response to a few folks asking why I’m not on the extracellular matrix (ECM)/ACell bandwagon. I’m all in favor of improving our hair restoration results, but need to see the science actually done, rather than anecdotal reports. When the science is there, if something warrants adding to my armamentarium, I’ll do so.

At this time however my reason for not offering these options are because controlled scientific studies done in a reproducible manner have not been published.

Anecdotal results, whether from ECM proteins, laser light, or dietary herbs, are of little use until scientifically proven. That’s not to say one can’t go out and spend money on them and possibly get a result…one can. But until it’s shown to have some effect for good, in scientifically done studies, published in a peer-reviewed medical journal it’s all guesswork.

Most doctors have large egos and would love to publish ground-breaking scientific information in a reputable peer-reviewed journal. So far, lasers for treating hair loss have been around a decade and I have yet to see a peer reviewed journal show a clinical result from them. Hence, I don’t offer laser hair loss therapy. But, others do, and some patients feel that they have had success. Unfortunately, in any given week I see 5 patients who have spent what they’d consider a fortune on unproven hair loss treatments and all they have to show for it is a depleted bank account and no hair growth.

Recently, recommended hair restoration physician Dr. Ricardo Mejia sat down for an interview with Skin and Allergy News and discussed future hair loss treatments. During the interview, Dr. Mejia commented on exciting future therapies like hair cloning, stem cell hair loss treatments, and automated follicular unit extraction (FUE) technology.

Additionally, Dr Mejia provided his opinion on more controversial topics like low level laser treatments and the NeoGraft follicular unit extraction device.

When asked about the future of medical hair restoration Dr. Mejia said the following:

Robotic hair transfer, multiple technologies to optimize new growth, and even hair cloning could help overcome current limitations in hair transplantation … promising technologies could someday supplant donor strip and follicular unit extraction techniques, and we’re even [moving toward] more robotic involvement

Furthermore, Dr. Mejia had the following to say about eagerly awaited cell-based hair loss treatments:

Dermal papilla cells or fibroblasts are the starting point, because they stimulate formation of new hairs. Multiple companies are working on proprietary processes to spur these fibroblasts to produce enough follicles in culture to replace an entire scalp … research includes fibroblasts grown in subatmospheric oxygen tension, addition of wound-healing factors, and injections of a “hair-stimulating complex” to promote greater hair growth.

It’s always exciting to hear a hair loss expert‘s opinion on new “hair restoration breakthrough” therapies and how they may be integrated in the future. Click here to read the entire article.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

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

Four years ago, I underwent my first hair transplant procedure and was told by the surgeon that a revolutionary hair loss cure would be available within the next year. After years of hearing the next big “breakthrough” is right around the corner and reading countless articles published on new “stem cell” treatments that never seem to materialize, I wonder if a true hair loss medical breakthrough will ever happen in my lifetime?

We’ve come to a point in society where the breakthroughs in medicine, bio-engineering, and research are astonishing. However, for every breakthrough that achieves a 10 minute spot on a local news station or a mention on the CNN homepage there are literally decades of behind the scenes research, trials, theorizing, and sacrifice that’s never mentioned or observed.

Genetics, the human body, engineered compounds, etc, are extremely complex entities, and progressing from understanding a condition to isolating its source, to theorizing a cure, and finally to creating a therapy is a huge ordeal. Some of the greatest minds of our times have spent lifetimes studying and conducting very specific types of research and still never achieved their goals. What I’m trying to say is that these breakthroughs are real and do happen, but it takes an immense amount of talent, dedication, time, and money.

In an exciting new study conducted at the University Of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, researchers concluded that male pattern baldness may be caused by an inactivation of stem cells. For years, scientists and hair restoration physicians theorized that a depletion of stem cells or an abnormality of healthy stem cells causes genetic baldness. In this newest study, researchers seem to have clarified these differing ideas.

In the experiment, the research team analyzed scalp affected by male pattern baldness compared to healthy scalp and were surprised to find that the number of stem cells located within these two regions was identical. After some analysis, the team realized the difference between the bald scalp and healthy scalp wasn’t the total number of stem cells, but the number of one specific time of stem cell called a progenitor cell.

Progenitor cells are stems cells which have been activated and converted to a healthy, functional state. The lack of progenitor stem cells in the balding scalp seems to indicate that the hair loss is a result of the inactivation and improper conversion of certain stem cells into the progenitor cell state.

The researchers then isolated and extracted an analogous progenitor cell in mice, which, when removed and injected into a specialized mouse without an immune system, were able to grow a hair follicle. From here, the researchers plan on analyzing these types of progenitor cells in female hair loss sufferers, and also theorize that this type of therapy could be used in a type of injectable, stem cell based serum or topical treatment in the future.

Aderans Research Institute, a biomedical group working toward developing an injectable hair cloning therapy, recently released updates from the second phase of its hair multiplication research trials. According to Aderans, the results of the trial (the second step in a proposed series of seven clinical observations) showed “significant hair growth” in over 50% of participants at the one year mark. Essentially, half the research subjects demonstrated new hair growth one year after receiving the injectable hair cloning therapy.

Although this is definitely exciting news and suggests that hair restoration research is continually progressing, there are several factors to consider before scheduling an injection appointment. The press release, whether intentional or not, does not contain certain, objective details: What does “significant hair growth” mean? Are these new hairs resistant to dihydrotestosterone (DHT – the hormone directly responsible for genetic hair loss)? Why were no objective “before and after” images released? What type of results were observed in the 50% of patients who did not see new growth?

Granted, this is a very recent update and Aderans may continue to analyze the information and release more conclusive data in the future, but there is definitely room for further clarification. However, as Dr. Ken Washenik, M.D., Ph.D. – the Executive Vice President of Aderans states, these new findings are likely an important first step and will lead to even greater future prospects. As usual, I highly recommend utilizing proven, effective techniques, like finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine), for the time being and remaining “cautiously optimistic” toward future treatments.

This question was asked by a member of our Hair Restoration Social Community and Discussion Forums:

I’ve recently read a lot of exciting news regarding stem cell based injectable hair loss therapies and hair duplication (formerly known as autocloning), and I started wondering: should I investigate hair transplant surgery now, or wait for these future hair loss treatments?

Although recent reports of injectable hair loss cures and scientific research like the ACell Matristem projects are exciting and likely represent a hypothetical new shift in the way we treat hair loss, it’s always best to be mindful of treatments that are safe, effective, and currently available, and “cautiously optimistic” toward future modalities.

Because of the progressive and unpredictable nature of hair loss, it’s probably best to utilize the available solutions today (such as Rogaine/minoxidil, Propecia/finasteride, and, if appropriate, surgical hair restoration) and maintain your current level of native hair. Remember, seeking treatment now does not mean you’ll be ineligible for future therapies, and the more you stabilize your current level of hair loss today, the better the chance of successful future treatments tomorrow.

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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