Some physicians in their discussions with patients will relate the size and width of donor scars directly with the width of the strip that has been removed. This is an overly simplistic view of the cause of scaring, and may unfortunately mislead patients on some occasions.
Patients frequently ask how it is that we are able to harvest such relatively large strips from our patient’s donor area. The answer is really quite simple. There are a few surgical techniques that can be easily learned, which make it possible to reduce the overall tension on the wound and still get an excellent donor scar
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Will My Hair Transplant Ever Begin To Thin?
With today’s closure, if the donor hair is taken in the mid of the donor zone and not on the fringes, and with the techniques of the trichophytic closure, it’s highly unlikely that the scar would be so pronounced that it would cause an interference with your daily life or routine. We do need to understand that as time goes on, we all, all types of scalps, men and women, will go on to have what is called senile alopecia. There will be some type of thinning and loss of density throughout the whole scalp. So yes, it is possible when you get into the 70s and 80s, that some of the hair that is transplanted may shed and fall
If I Have a Hair Transplant, Can I Still Wear My Hair Short?
In general, people who always cut their hair very short would be able to more easily camouflage their donor scars if they did FUE. These are tiny little punctate scars versus a linear incision, however, what a lot of people don’t understand about FUE is that if you have the type of genetic hair loss that your hair loss is going to continue over time and you are going to need more hair transplantation as the years go on and as you age, and you continue to do the FUE type of hair transplants, you can almost get a moth eaten appearance in the donor area versus having a one little linear line that can be very easily covered by hair.
Is a Hair Transplant Advisable When Losing Hair Rapidly?
The most important thing that you need to do now is to come in and have a consultation, because the first order of business is to see if we can determine why your hair loss has been accelerating recently. There can be a variety of causes, it may simply be that your male pattern baldness has gone through a phase where it has accelerated, but it can also be something else, so we need to take a careful history and do a careful examination in order to rule out any underlying causes. I always feel that if a patient has entered into a period of accelerated hair loss, the first order of business is to try to stop that accelerated hair loss before we do hair transplantation.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Transforming Thymus Cells into Skin Cells May Offer Future Cure for Baldness
Recent results published by a joint team of stem cell researchers from Sweden and Scotland may one day offer hope for those suffering from hair loss. The team, led by Professor Yann Barrandon, head of the stem cell lab at the University of Lausanne, had been searching for a way to help burn victims by growing viable skin when they unexpectedly changed one cell type into a completely different one. In the process, they ended up with skin cells complete with working hair follicles.
While testing how stem cells extracted from the thymus of lab rats would perform if transplanted into growing skin, the team discovered that the cells ceased behaving as they did in the thymus and began performing just like healthy skin cells.
While testing how stem cells extracted from the thymus of lab rats would perform if transplanted into growing skin, the team discovered that the cells ceased behaving as they did in the thymus and began performing just like healthy skin cells.
Can NeoGraft Revolutionize Follicular Unit Extraction?
has received a lot of press lately with promises to make follicular unit extraction (FUE), a complex and labor intensive procedure requiring a highly skilled surgeon and staff, simpler, faster and more effective. However, NeoGraft has failed to garner the support of many of the world’s expert FUE practitioners (of which there exists only a handful) due to several key concerns.
Consisting of an adjustable, slowly rotating, motorized punch and a pneumatic pressure suction device that allegedly allows each follicular unit to slide in and out smoothly and uniformly, the NeoGraft method of extraction theoretically exerts less force on the grafts than manual extraction. This spinning punch however, while facilitating graft removal, may subject the follicular unit grafts to unnecessary and detrimental torsional forces. In addition, due to the potential for grafts to be wider at one end, there is also a possibility for transection as they are forced through the rotating punch.
Once extracted, the grafts are then sucked through a series of tubes into a collection canister where they are misted to keep them moist while they await implantation. Leading FUE physicians have expressed concerns that the route that the grafts take as they are sucked through the punch and into the collection canister may expose them to further damage. Furthermore, there are concerns that the resulting air flow from the pneumatic pressure may result in rapid desiccation (dehydration) of the extracted follicles. Dehydration of the follicles during surgical hair restoration is one of the primary causes of poor hair growth.
The NeoGraft hair transplant machine offers physicians two options for implanting the follicular unit grafts. They can be auto-loaded into an implantation cannula and then inserted into the recipient site pneumatically using reverse air pressure or, the physician has the option of manually implanting the grafts if he or she so desires. Manual implantation may prevent the delicate follicular unit grafts from exposure to yet another blast of potentially desiccating air pressure.
In addition to the above mentioned mechanical concerns, the NeoGraft machine has been mass marketed to the neophyte hair restoration surgeon as an easy to learn all-purpose device that replaces the need for highly skilled and experienced surgeons and their staff. Since no automated device or machine can adapt or make critical decisions during the procedure like a skilled and experienced physician, there is a major concern that many patients who undergo this FUE procedure with the NeoGraft will be left with poor results. Additionally, since the NeoGraft machine costs in excess of $70,000, the cost of FUE with the NeoGraft machine for each patient has actually increased over standard FUE rather than decreased. While typical FUE procedures range between $6 and $10 per graft, some using the NeoGraft charge as much as $20 per graft.
Only time will tell what effect, if any, NeoGraft will have on the future of surgical hair restoration but, one thing is for certain. Regardless of the tools or device used to perform hair transplant surgery, there is no substitute for a skilled and experienced physician with a proven track record of producing excellent results.
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Consisting of an adjustable, slowly rotating, motorized punch and a pneumatic pressure suction device that allegedly allows each follicular unit to slide in and out smoothly and uniformly, the NeoGraft method of extraction theoretically exerts less force on the grafts than manual extraction. This spinning punch however, while facilitating graft removal, may subject the follicular unit grafts to unnecessary and detrimental torsional forces. In addition, due to the potential for grafts to be wider at one end, there is also a possibility for transection as they are forced through the rotating punch.
Once extracted, the grafts are then sucked through a series of tubes into a collection canister where they are misted to keep them moist while they await implantation. Leading FUE physicians have expressed concerns that the route that the grafts take as they are sucked through the punch and into the collection canister may expose them to further damage. Furthermore, there are concerns that the resulting air flow from the pneumatic pressure may result in rapid desiccation (dehydration) of the extracted follicles. Dehydration of the follicles during surgical hair restoration is one of the primary causes of poor hair growth.
The NeoGraft hair transplant machine offers physicians two options for implanting the follicular unit grafts. They can be auto-loaded into an implantation cannula and then inserted into the recipient site pneumatically using reverse air pressure or, the physician has the option of manually implanting the grafts if he or she so desires. Manual implantation may prevent the delicate follicular unit grafts from exposure to yet another blast of potentially desiccating air pressure.
In addition to the above mentioned mechanical concerns, the NeoGraft machine has been mass marketed to the neophyte hair restoration surgeon as an easy to learn all-purpose device that replaces the need for highly skilled and experienced surgeons and their staff. Since no automated device or machine can adapt or make critical decisions during the procedure like a skilled and experienced physician, there is a major concern that many patients who undergo this FUE procedure with the NeoGraft will be left with poor results. Additionally, since the NeoGraft machine costs in excess of $70,000, the cost of FUE with the NeoGraft machine for each patient has actually increased over standard FUE rather than decreased. While typical FUE procedures range between $6 and $10 per graft, some using the NeoGraft charge as much as $20 per graft.
Only time will tell what effect, if any, NeoGraft will have on the future of surgical hair restoration but, one thing is for certain. Regardless of the tools or device used to perform hair transplant surgery, there is no substitute for a skilled and experienced physician with a proven track record of producing excellent results.
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Hair Transplants For Men
Nowadays men have that have gone bald have a few options, these include either wearing a toupee or getting a hair transplant. A toupee is good if it looks natural and is properly serviced.
However, depending on your preference, you might be adverse to getting a hair transplant. Usually a hair transplant involves a surgeon removing hair from at the back of the donor’s head. Usually three strands are removed at a time. It is often called a follicular unit transplant. The section of hair is dissected into three different units and then the hair is placed into your scalp using a large needle.
In this process a hairline is created, however hair transplantation is not cheap, so be prepared to pay from $5,000-10,000 dollars.
However, depending on your preference, you might be adverse to getting a hair transplant. Usually a hair transplant involves a surgeon removing hair from at the back of the donor’s head. Usually three strands are removed at a time. It is often called a follicular unit transplant. The section of hair is dissected into three different units and then the hair is placed into your scalp using a large needle.
In this process a hairline is created, however hair transplantation is not cheap, so be prepared to pay from $5,000-10,000 dollars.
Hair Loss Due To Health Problems
For many women, they remember the days when their hair was long, luxurious, and thick. However, if they are have had the same experience as Ruth Caton, it which her hair became thin and started falling out, they might have a medical condition.
Caton realized early on that not only was her hair falling out, but that she was feeling dizzy and gaining weight. It took a few doctors to diagnose her with hypothyroidism, meaning her thyroid gland was not producing enough hormones. After taking replacement hormones, Caton’s hair returned back to normal.
According to Dr. Leslie Coker, hair loss really affects women because it is men that are thought of as being bald. “We’re not supposed to lose our hair,” she stated.
However, more than 30 million women in the US have experienced hair loss, and in some women this can be a symptom of a chronic medical condition. These conditions include anemia, thyroid disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Also some women can experience hair loss after childbirth, crash diets, emotional stress, and surgery.
Caton realized early on that not only was her hair falling out, but that she was feeling dizzy and gaining weight. It took a few doctors to diagnose her with hypothyroidism, meaning her thyroid gland was not producing enough hormones. After taking replacement hormones, Caton’s hair returned back to normal.
According to Dr. Leslie Coker, hair loss really affects women because it is men that are thought of as being bald. “We’re not supposed to lose our hair,” she stated.
However, more than 30 million women in the US have experienced hair loss, and in some women this can be a symptom of a chronic medical condition. These conditions include anemia, thyroid disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Also some women can experience hair loss after childbirth, crash diets, emotional stress, and surgery.
Hair Loss Drug Distributed
Banyu Pharmaceuticals announced today that it was distributing Japan’s first male hair restoration pill.
Propecia is expected to retail for 250 Japanese Yen or 2 US dollars. Banyu Pharmaceutical is a division of the pharmaceutical giant, Merck and Co, Inc. which already sells the drug in many other countries.
Studies conducted by Banyu Pharm. showed that a least 58% of the men who took the drug Propecia had hair regrowth. The drug acts to reduce the effect of dihydrotestosterone.
Propecia is expected to retail for 250 Japanese Yen or 2 US dollars. Banyu Pharmaceutical is a division of the pharmaceutical giant, Merck and Co, Inc. which already sells the drug in many other countries.
Studies conducted by Banyu Pharm. showed that a least 58% of the men who took the drug Propecia had hair regrowth. The drug acts to reduce the effect of dihydrotestosterone.
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