There are two proven medical treatments for hair loss , aside from hair transplantation surgery, Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia). The hair growth action mechanisms for Minoxidil are not completely understood, three main suggested mechanisms are:

1. Blood Vessels in the scalp which are impacted by Nitric oxide chemical agonists
2. Hyperpolarization of the cell membrane of follicles caused by potassium channel openers
3. The effect of nitric oxide conceivably due to Vasodilation

A recent study was conducted by Korea’s Kyungpook National University’s Department of Immunology which was published in The Journal of Dermatological Science. It revealed a new Mechanism of Minoxidil which activates the Beta-Catenin pathway in derma papilla cells, which is one of the two different cells which aids in the growth and development of hair. It was announced by those performing the research that this particular mechanism may possibly be the reason for the anagen prolongation effect. 

The duration of growth in the anagen phase (time of continual growth) is what develops hair length. The researchers underscored the fact maintenance of the activity of Beta-Catenin for the dermal papilla cells (DPCs) aids hair follicles to actively grow. Minoxidil (Rogain) gives growth remedy for male pattern baldness which suggests it can enhance the growth phase in the life cycle of hair.

A mouse model was used for the study using 3% minoxidil for a ten day duration. Beta-Catenin responsive TCF reporter plasmid was used to transfect DPC’s. The results revealed the anagen phase was extended significantly after the use of minoxidil. The researchers came to the conclusion minoxidil prolongs the activating Beta-Catenin anagen phase in DPC’s and has the potential to be a primary pathway for hair growth or the prevention mechanism for hair loss.

A study like this helps to enhance our comprehension of hair loss and growth. Over time this can help the field of hair restoration providing more options to confront hair loss with greater sufficiency.

At time I receive inquiries from patients who have previously received transplant surgery at other facilities where they received a pluggy hair transplant, and are dissatisfied with their results.  I recently had a patient in my San Francisco hair restoration office with a lot of pluggs from his old transplantation from years ago.  He was wondering what repair transplant procedure I can do to help correct his previous surgical mishaps. I inform this patient of the repair hair transplant surgery we perform regularly.

It is important to have a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon to see what the best method is to repair the pluggy looking area. It is important for us to make a few observations. If there is a hairline which is high enough and the donor hair numbers are sufficient, no plugs need to be removed. The hair line can be lowered and a transitional zone in front of the plugy hairline will be created with a heavier density to cover the plug visibility.

If the hair line cannot be lowered because there is a lack of room from the original surgery, then plug removal is done by thinning them out (for denser plugs), or those micro and mini grafts could be removed. Follicular units need to be placed between the plugs giving a more even balance to the transplanted area. Adequate density is added to the transplanted area, thus minimizing the pluggy look.

I always emphasize the importance of being evaluated by a quality hair transplant surgeon, who can determine the proper route to take after a close examination. Repair in itself, appears to be simple, but there are challenging cases which might require multiple transplants for the best overall results.

A patient once asked me why his surgery of 2850 grafts did not bear the same results after three years as some who have had the exact same number of grafts. I informed him to never compare other patients results simply based on the number of grafts alone.

Whenever I meet with a patient before hair transplant surgery, I intentionally educate them of what they personally should expect after their procedure. At times I do give big promises to certain patients with better quality donor hair (denser, wavier, and thicker), and some I encourage to get more than one surgery for maximum results. The overall results will be determined by donor hair quality, number of grafts, and hair to skin color contrast.

If two different patients were to be compared who have the same hair characteristics, but one is twice the thickness than the other, a microscope would be used to reveal the cross section of hair. This would reveal the one patients hair is four times thicker (A= r2) and the final result is expected to have a volume of 4 times thicker.

Many factors can contribute to poorer results from a hair transplantation surgery. Some factors may be from the patient themselves, while others situation may be due to the technique of the surgery and how well the follicles maintain post-surgery.

Good day all,

I recently had a case that I found very interesting and I thought you might as well. A patient was experiencing hair loss and was very unhappy to the point that it had a negative effect on his and his family’s lives. He was attending a school of medicine in another state and was willing to fly to our US Hair Restoration offices in Encino, California for the possibility of receiving a large FUE transplant from his body and beard into the balding areas of his scalp. He was hoping that this would help to end his hair loss once and for all.

Body hair can be used as an alternative method for hair restoration, as long as the patient understands that the end result will not be comparable to a scalp hair transplant due to a shorter growth phase (Anagen), as opposed to a long resting phase (Telogen), and a smaller final length of the hair, which are the characteristics of body hair. Thus, you may only see a portion of transplanted hair follicles in growth phase while the remaining hair stays in resting phase without maintaining a visible hair shaft.

Another option for hair transplantation is the possibility of using beard hair. Beard hair (for many patients) is closer to scalp hair and has a longer growth phase which allows it to grow to be much longer in comparison to body hair.  Both of these options have pros and cons and patients should weigh all of their options, after a full evaluation with a certified hair restoration surgeon. By speaking one-on-one with a qualified hair transplant surgeon, patients are able to find a treatment plan that best fits their needs.

To determine what option is best for you, attend a free consultation with a qualified hair restoration physician. If (like the patient above) traveling to one of our offices is inconvenient for you, then please feel free to fill out an online consultation request and our office staff will follow up with you as soon as possible to begin scheduling for a internet/phone consultation.

Following popular demand, we have now decided to post all of our patients success stories on this blog.  I love having the opportunity to see my patient’s post operative results and personally witnessing their life transformations. Here is one example of a patient who’s life was changed following his hair transplant procedure:

We will be sure to keep you posted with all future video testimonials at US Hair Restoration.

Best,

Parsa Mohebi, MD

Folliculitis following hair transplantation are skin lesions that appear pimple-like and are seen when (for any reason) hair follicles become inflamed.  Folliculitis can be seen anywhere throughout the skin.  The follicle and its surrounding tissues may become infected with different bacterias called Streptococcus aureus.

There are also certain variations of folliculitis which are known as “hot tub folliculitis” and “barber’s itch”. Permanent damage to the hair follicles and local hair loss on the area of infection can occur in severe cases of folliculitis.

After Hair Transplant Folliculitis

One of the most common complications of hair transplant surgery is folliculitis. Folliculitis occurs when there is blockage of hair or its corresponding sebaceous gland when newly transplanted hair is growing.  Folliculitis typically appears as small, red or white-headed pimples around one or more follicular units following hair transplantation.  It may present with itching, mild pain and discharge in addition to the typical redness and swelling of pimples. Most cases of folliculitis (especially those occurring after hair restoration surgery) clear spontaneously within a few days, however more extensive types of folliculitis may need medical or surgical treatment by your physician.

Folliculitis is typically seen a few days or even months after hair transplant surgery. They are generally difficult to be differentiated from common pimples or acne and are recommended to be left alone to clear naturally. Presence of simple folliculitis usually does not affect the growth of transplanted hair. Those instances of folliculitis that do not clear naturally within a few days of forming are considered to be more aggressive and patients are recommended to contact their hair transplant physician at that point.

Treatment

Simple folliculitis generally does not need any treatment and lesions tend to clear up on their own within a few days. Occasionally, when small instances of folliculitis become infected and are seen with spreading of redness and inflammation around the originally inflamed follicles, your physician should be notified.  A physician’s evaluation is the best way to determine whether or not you need antibiotics for the treatment of your folliculitis. Occasionally, as a way to avoid use of medication or continuing infection, your doctor may alternatively decide to drain them. Draining the folliculitis is a simple procedure and can be easily done in your doctors’ office.

Q:

I am a previous hair transplant patient who has class VI hair loss. I had previous procedures done to get some thin hair in the front and top.  I am keeping my hair very short on the back and my primary goal was to camouflage the scar in the back of my head from previous hair transplants. So far, I have achieved this by simply growing my hair longer, and covered the rest of my scalp with Toppik-like products.

Cosmetically, the hair restoration was successful, but constant usage of this kind of product is a bit messy and annoying. Because of this, I have completely shaved my head and decided to try a different route. With the help of tattooing, I was going to go for a shaved head look. Unfortunately though, the scar is a show-stopper and I need to consider all of my options.

What I would consider to be a successful result is: short hair completely covering my head (even if only relatively light density) combined with tattooing and a self-tanner to reduce contrast. I am not “greedy” about the sides at the front, and will accept a 3 or 3A pattern. Is this possible in my case, though?

A:

It is good to hear that you are not striving for high density and that you are realistic about the final appearance of your hair.  Being a class VI with limited donor hair, should leave options open to create light density in your large balding area, but obtaining more density would be extremely difficult if not impossible due to your insufficient donor hair. You should know your priorities and how many surgeries you are committed to have in order to achieve your desired look.

• If you only need to revise the scar and have trichophytic closure done to minimize the visibility of your scar, one surgery is adequate.  Double edged trichophytic closure is a new technique that can improve the appearance of the scar tremendosly.
• If you are attempting to achieve higher density as well as scar revision, you may need several hair transplant procedures (depending on your donor amount available).

Your donor hair can be easily evaluated and options can be given to you for about what to be expected through attending a consultation with an experienced hair transplant doctor.

Hello blog readers,

I have some great news about US Hair Restoration’s current hair transplant costs!!

As the result of a recent meeting between my staff members and I, there will now be a Holiday Special beginning on December 1, 2010 at US Hair Restoration. This special will be offered for an extremely limited time and is one of the lowest prices for quality hair restoration yet.

We realize that holidays are quite busy for some people and that certain patients will need to book their procedure on a specific date in order to keep their schedules in tact. To accommodate this need of many of our patients, a rare discount of 40% off regular hair transplant costs will be offered to all of our valued clientele who have flexible schedules and are willing to book their procedures within 7-10 days of the procedure itself. By offering this discount to our patients with flexible schedules, we hope to accommodate the needs of all of our valued patients while not sacrificing the high quality that US hair Restoration stands by and is known for worldwide.

With this limited time discount, hair transplant costs at US Hair Restoration will be:

• Follicular Unit Transplants (FUT) — Regularly $4.00 per graft;  *WITH HOLIDAY STANDBY DISCOUNT $2.40 per graft
• Follicular Unit Extractions (FUE) — Regularly $8.00 per graft;  *WITH HOLIDAY STANDBY DISCOUNT $4.80 per graft

Offer only valid until January 31, 2011. Call 888-302-8747 to schedule your free consultation today. For additional information on the procedures we offer here at US Hair Restoration, feel free to check out our detailed webpages on Follicular Unit Transplants and Follicular Unit Extractions. We look forward to meeting you all in office soon!