Links: International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery                 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery    American Society of Plastic Surgeons  American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery

Commercial Transplant Providers: (note providers are not associated with Ypatent Health –informationl purposes only). 

 Dr. Lam    Ken williams   Tempus Hair Restoration of Florida

Hair Transplantation: 

Hair Transplantation Procedures 

Follicular Unit Extraction:

Hair transplantation with micrografts and minigrafts was described in 1989 and 1991 and now is widely used for treating both male and femail hair pattern baldness. The prcoedure transplants follicular units harvested from the posterio occipital area of the scalp and places them in bald regions.

Hair Transplantation Robotics:  Restoration Robotics  is the manufacturer of the ARTAS robotic system for hair transplantation. 

FUE involves removing 1 follicular grat (1-4 hairs each), 1 at a time with some type of punch directly from the donor area in the back of the head. There are many punch designs and even a robot as discussed above to do this tedious task of coring and removing grafts. (Rassman “Combining follicular unit extraction and scalp-micropigmentaiton for the cosmetic treatment of alopecias)

Advantages:

The surgeon does not require the surgical skills required of a more traditional strip ahir transplant surgery and the process is faster and less labor intensive, often requiring only the surgeon with 1-2 assistants.  (Rassman “Combining follicular unit extraction and scalp-micropigmentaiton for the cosmetic treatment of alopecias)

Disadvantages:

People thing that FUE is a scarless surgery, however, therea re punctate scares measuring aobut 1 mm each for each follicular graft removed limiting the closeness of the hsaved stye that many of today’s male patietns want. (Rassman “Combining follicular unit extraction and scalp-micropigmentaiton for the cosmetic treatment of alopecias) (Rassman “Combining follicular unit extraction and scalp-micropigmentaiton for the cosmetic treatment of alopecias)

Hair Regeneration: 

—Aderans Research has been engaging in very interested clinical trils where hair follical cells are cultivated with a proprietary media and then inserted into the scalp where they regrow hair follicles. 

–PRP-Stem cell Approach:  The use of PRP plus BioD Amniotic Stem Cell ECM (Extracellular Matrix) for the treatment of alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia (hereditary male or female hair loss) has been reported as very successful for regrowing hair. 

Replicell   (takes follicals out of your scalp and regenerates them before putting them back in. Also patented injector).   See video for explanation  

Medications:

(1) minoxidil 2% and 5% topical solutions have been used and shown to thicken existing hair and, in a limited number of patients, regrow hair follicles in a dose dependent manner (Lee, “An update on hair restoration therapy” Current Opinoin in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, 2009, 17: 287-294). Minoxidil foam (which can be used much like a gel) is a convenient way to topically apply the minoxidil. Formulations with minoxidil can be bought in your pharmacy store. ScalpMed also adverstises what they claim is a unique formula containing minoxidil as an active ingredient. 

(2) Finasteride (also known as Propecia): is a type II 5?-reductase inhibitor which was initially approved for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It has been shown to increase the hair growth rate, thickness and, to a limited degree, hair count when compared with placebo.

(3) Ketaconazole: is an antifungal medication that has alo been shown to promote hair growth. Inui reported that using 2% ketaconaole topical cream shown increased vertex hair growht in 2 of 5 patients.

Molecular Mechanisms: 3 signaling molecules are known to be important for anagen onset: soncie hedgehod (SHH), wingless type (WNT), and signal transducer and activator of transcription.

Hair Fibers & Cosmetics: Toppik (advertised as way to eliminate scalp show through and thinning. Fibers are made of Keratin. Apply over any thinning areas and thousands of color matched hair fibers instantly blend with your existing hair).

Natural Products for Hair Loss: 

Dietary supplements: copper salt, p-aminobenzoic acid, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. US Pat. No. 6,149.933. Saw Palmetto extract, African Pygeum extract, stinging nettle extract and optionally zinc, vitamin B6 and a green tea extract. US Pat. No. 5,972,345. MAMMALIA PLACENTA prepared form the placenta of a mammal, FRUCTUS LIGUSTRI LUCIDI, SALVIAE MILTIORRHIZE, PEONIA RUBRA, CINNAMOMI CASSIAE, MOUTAN RADICIS, and ALISMATIS PLANTAGO-AQUATICA. US Pat. No. 6,183,749.

cocamidopropyl betaine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, caffeine, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, serenoa serrulate fruit extract, citric acid 

Herbal compositions: a topical formualtion consisting of grape seed, jojoba, lavender, rosemary, and thyme reportedly showed significant imporvement in hair regrowth for alopecia after 7 monhts of daily use.

Olguin: The two basic m ain inredients are castor oil and a special lemon extract. US Patent No. 6,159,475

oxyacanthin or an extract of a plant in which it is present such as berberis, vulgaris or barberry. US Pat. No. 5, 607.693

Treatment for Alopecia

Scarring alopecia, an alopecia where hair destruction occurs early in the course of the diease, takes several forms, e.g., pseduopelade of Broeq, chronic, cutaneous lupus erthematosus, lichen planophilaris, dissecting ellulities, acne keloidalis, central, centrifugal scarring alopecia and fibrosing alopecia. Scarring alopecia includes disorders wehre hair follicles are destroyed by inflammatory processes. 

Antibodies:

Truitt (US2005/0169870) teaches a method of treating alopecia by administering an antibody against CD200 or CD200R.