Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

hey doctor:

is it true i can lose hair by wearing a baseball cap a lot of the time? if that’s the case, then i guess baseball players are good candidates for hair transplants! =P. but really, is there any truth to that? I read that it doesn’t have an effect on a person’s hair, but i wanted to verify with an actually hair loss doctor.

A:

We can lose hair due to environmental trauma to the hair shaft and, consequently, to the hair follicles. The name of this condition is traction alopecia; it can be seen when people braid their hair very tightly. One type of traction alopecia is called turban alopecia, for people who wear turbans on their head for long periods of time and when they wear it tightly. Baseball caps are regularly used by people, and I have not seen it in those people who wear them. However, you can guess that a tight cap of any kind may mimic the turban effect and may cause traction alopecia in which hair follicles are being pulled over time, which destroy them eventually.

Q:

Hiya Doc,

I’ve read in a book on hair loss that mentioned, in certain circumstances, hair loss can be caused by emotional or mental stress. I’ve started to lose a bit of hair, but I’m really hoping it’s only temporary, as I don’t think I have genetic hair loss because my two older brothers seem to be doing OK.

How common is it for hair loss to be caused by emotional distress?

Thanks,

A:

Many hair loss patients who come to me for their initial hair loss evaluation associate the beginning of their hair loss to some stressful event in their lives. Many say they notice hair loss when they moved to another city or different country, got divorced or had significant problems at work or in their personal lives. Usually, they are right as these types of evens can accelerate hair loss.

However, hair loss would not happen to these same people if they were not genetically predisposed to balding. In other words, at age 30 and after, we may have the hair loss gene which is supposed to cause balding. At age 30 or after, if we are involved in a stressful situation, an emotional traumatic event, or major surgical procedure, it can accelerate the hair loss process. So the loss expected to be seen in 10 years could come around sooner.

Stress, trauma, or major surgeries may cause hair loss in people who are not supposed to lose hair, but the condition is temporary and the lost hair will grow back after the passing of the stressful condition, or treatment of the medical condition.

In these cases, patients have a condition called telogen effluvium in which, due to stress, a significant number of hair follicles go to sleep. Remember: patients do not lose those follicles permanently and the follicles can produce new hairs in just a few weeks.

My recommendation for you is to see a hair specialist and get your hair miniaturization mapped by microscope; this way the doctor can tell you whether or not you are experiencing an early stage of patterned baldness or that you have lost your hair due to stress.

If your baldness has just begun, medication may help you. If you are experiencing telogen effluvium without being predisposed to pattern baldness, you only need to wait and your hair will grow back in a couple of weeks.

Q:

I started the Propecia at the beginning of March (8 months ago), prior to the procedure last March. Should I still be on it?

A:

It is great to hear from you and I am glad you are happy with the result of your hair transplant. The final result of your hair may still get better up until one full year after your surgery if you allow your hair on the transplanted area to grow longer.

Finasteride was mostly prescribed for prevention of shock loss after hair transplant or losing native hair on the balding areas after a hair transplant. You have significant miniaturization on the front, top and crown area (90%-100%), which makes your preexisting hair on balding areas prone to further hair loss. Now that you had your transplanted hair grown, you can decide to stop Propecia. By doing that, you may risk losing your own hair on the balding area further (transplanted hair does not need Propecia for its growth) or you can continue taking the medication to increase the longevity of your preexisting hair on those areas.

One time, a friend told me he was at a diversity conference and there was a man who came up to the podium to speak. He asked the audience, “what is the first thing you notice about me?” Someone yelled out, “BALDIE!” And subsequent laughter ensued (being an African American, it turned out he was hoping someone would say, “you’re black”).

Although the remark was taken as a joke, it’s unfortunate many people in our society notice physical appearances before anything else. There’s no shame whatsoever in losing one’s hair. The reality is that it’s not that person’s fault. It’s their genetic coding.

For those losing hair, there’s a socially acceptable solution: A hair transplant. Hair transplants have done wonders for all types of people, from big-name actors to prominent television sports anchors. It boosts self-confidence, makes a person feel less conspicuous in social settings, and may even increase the chance of a person landing a first date or better someone’s job prospects.

Hair transplants at US Hair Restoration are all-natural. Take a look at our hair transplant before and after photo gallery.  In a way, a hair restoration can restore your youth and help you feel at ease around people you’re meeting for the first time, making the experience of life better and more rewarding.

Much like narrowing a gap between teeth by getting braces, or correcting one’s near-sightedness by lasik eye surgery, a hair restoration can be a wonderful option for those who believe they may benefit from it.

Q:

Dear Dr. Mohebi,

Thank you for taking the time to see me on Saturday! Your correspondence providing a summary of our discussion was very comprehensive and is much appreciated!

Since our meeting on Saturday, I have done some research and would like to trouble you with a few more questions:

1) Is Alopecia the correct term to describe my hair loss pattern?

2) Would you consider cortizon shot treatment for me?

3) Would you consider laser therapy?

4) If I were to use monoxidil, does it have to be 2% or a higher percentage would yield more and faster hair growth?

5) you recommended a complete medical evaluation, could you please recommend someone that you trust?

I wish to thank you again for all your time and patience!

Best regards,

A:

Hi,

Here are your answers in the order you asked:

1) Is Alopecia the correct term to describe my hair loss pattern?

Alopecia is a general term that means hair loss. We have many different patterns of hair loss or alopecia, like male pattern or female patterned alopecia or alopecia cicatricial. Your pattern is similar to a male pattern because you lost your hair on the frontal area while you kept your hair on the donor area intact, which is why you might be a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure considering that your medical evaluation is negative for any medically treatable cause of hair loss.

2) Would you consider cortizon shot treatment for me?

No, steroid shots are sometimes used for Alopecia Areata (AA), which is an autoimmune disorder. Alopeica Areata is a hair loss condition with patchy hair loss spots. Your condition does not seem to be Alopecia Areata.

3) Would you consider laser therapy?

I do not recommend laser therapy for hair loss in the form of laser comb or laser machines because of the lack of solid medical evidence that support their effectiveness at this time.

4) If I were to use Monoxidil, does it have to be 2% or a higher percentage would yield more and faster hair growth?

You can start with 2% and then you need to be re-evaluated in six to 12 months and a treatment plan might need to be adjusted at that time.

5) you recommended a complete medical evaluation, could you please recommend someone that you trust?

Any good internist or endocrinologist could follow through with the lab works that you need.  Our letter includes the list of medical conditions that should be considered and lab works to rule out those women like you who have hair loss. You can share my letter with any good internist or endocrinologist and he or she should be able to follow through with your lab result and treat any treatable conditions that could possibly be found.

Have a great day,

Earlier this year, in an L.A. Times story, business columnist David Lazarus said he had visited a hair transplant center’s open house and noticed a lot of men in attendance. A lot more than he expected. He spoke to the director of the business and found out that, these days, a lot of the men looking for hair transplants are hoping to increase their job prospects by having a full head of hair.

Some studies have shown that people who are more attractive, or are not overweight, or are younger, tend to have an edge on the job market. They get paid more, are more likely to get promoted, and are likely to be treated better. Although this finding may be saddening, it unfortunately may be somewhat of a reality.

Considering this finding, there are balding men in our society who believe they can increase their job prospects by having a full head of hair. It may simply turn out to be a psychological edge, or a self-image booster, for these men to perform well during their interviews.

Nevertheless, what seems more important is the manner in which a job seeker presents himself to his prospective employer. The answers he gives, his attitude, eye contact, and overall vibe. But, it seems, to some people, it wouldn’t hurt to have a full head of hair.  Plus, due to the current state of the economy, hair transplant costs are at an all-time low for high-quality hair restorations.

Over the last few decades, different therapies which effect wound repair have been proposed. The connection between wound healing and hair growth was already proposed by Dr. Catsarelis at the University of Pennsylvania through the WNT pathway (some molecular process that controls would healing and hair growth). Now, we review the emerging fields of gene and stem cell therapy in hair restoration and wound healing.

Gene therapy, initially developed for treatment of congenital defects, is a new option for enhancing wound repair. In order to accelerate wound closure, genes encoded for growth factors or cytokines showed the greatest potential.

The majority of gene delivery systems are based on viral transfection (intentionally contaminating the host cells with a particular virus that insert the desired gene to the target cells), naked DNA application, high pressure injection, or liposomal vectors, etc. Embryonic and adult stem cells have a prolonged self-renewal capacity with the ability to differentiate into various tissue types. A variety of sources, such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue, skin and hair follicles, have been utilized to isolate stem cells to accelerate the healing response of acute and chronic wounds.

Recently, the combination of gene and stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treatment of chronic and acute wounds. This is good news for prospective hair loss patients: the idea that similar gene therapy techniques can be used to affect the baldness gene by switching the hair loss gene off and on.

This new study was done by Branski et al. at the Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Hair restoration cost is one of the main questions that is on the mind of most people who want to go through the process of hair transplantation. There is a wide range when it comes to the cost for hair restoration surgery nationwide.

The cost of hair restoration has never been better considering the quality of hair restoration surgery that could be offered these days. When you shop around for hair transplant surgery, you have to be aware that it’s not like shopping for a car or a shampoo that could be found with the same quality in different location. There is also a wide range for the quality of service that you receive.

Hair transplant has been evolving the last 10 years. Some hair restoration centers kept on with the new techniques and technology, but many stopped at some point in between.  I still see patients who received micrograft surgery one to two years ago in a hair transplant clinic in Beverly Hills. That is not all and you may see procedures done without proper attention to the patient’s facial aesthetics. Missing some of the details in the process may make the results disastrous. Little changes in direction and distribution of transplanted hair may be the difference between a happy camper and an unsatisfied client.

Aside from the artistic aspects of a hair transplant, preparation and maintenance of the grafts are very crucial and are not to be taken lightly, which is another cause of poor growth.

Having said that, getting a hair transplant by an artistic hair restoration surgeon could be done affordably these days. Medical hair restoration cost has been at the lowest since the birth of hair transplant surgery. Due to the current economy, many hair restoration centers have special packages and promotions that wouldn’t be available in a more stable economy. We at US Hair Restoration have our special promotion: 20% discount on standby rate and we also give 0% financing for two years or low interest financing for five to six years.

Cost of hair restoration being so little is a good excuse for many people to take advantage of the situation and get their hair restoration surgery done with significant discount. There is a big warning, though. When it comes to hair restoration cost, you have to understand that this is a customer beware market.

We are giving 20% off our high quality state-of-the-art hair transplant surgery costs. That brings the rate down to $3.2/grafts from our original cost ($4/graft). Still you can find hair restoration centers that offer cheap hair transplant surgery at $2/graft, but you are not comparing apples to apples.

You are getting a procedure with permanent effect on your face and your life. You do not want to take this lightly. If a center used the best standard in their surgeries and the most qualified personnel, they still cannot go lower than a certain price or it won’t be profitable for them. So beware of huge discounts and unreasonably low rates. Go meet the doctor or several of them. Educate yourself and ask proper questions about the technique and services being provided.

Never do cost shopping when it comes to cosmetic surgery. There are many hair restoration centers that offer cheap hair restoration. Remember, there is one thing about hair restoration surgery that can be both good and bad: the result is permanent, good or bad!

Q:

Dr. Mohebi,

I have read your blog for months now and I like the way you respond to questions. You don’t sound like most other hair transplant doctors that say anything to get you in their surgical chair.

This is my story; I lost my hair in a patchy form in 1979, one patch the size of a quarter dollar on top of my left ear and the size of a nickel on top of my right ear and one size of a bigger silver dollar on the top of my hair just on the front hairline. Since 1979 it never increase nor decrease in size. in 1992 I had HT of 400 grafts which completely erase the big silver dollar on top.

The one on the sides have transplanted hair but not enough density to complete erase them. 1993 the same HT doctors added 200 graft which is the only money l have then. By 2004 when l add 699 grafts my hair start to look like my father. My father have the ” horse shoe” shape can of lose. Every part of my hair growing area is hair, enough for me to hold with the tip of my finger, but they don’t grow out long and strong enough. I went to a place called Washington xx center they place a hand tool on my heard where it appears there is no hair and on the computer monitor I saw a lot of hair. Although, they told me I don’t need HT but to buy their laser machine for $3500 which l didn’t buy. but how could l have all that hair and they refuse to grow. I presently use Rogaine form.

Since 2004 l have had difficult financial situation and HT was not possible But I am back now by the Grace of God. But l want to use this money I save wisely. My goal is to have a mega session so I don’t have to keep doing this HT problem. The emotional  toll of this hair loss is devastating to me. With my pix attached, what and how do you think I can realize my dream and goal. one last question, How do you cater for patient on the east coast? I live in the Washington D.C metro area, will I get a discount from you as regard the expensive Beverly Hills hotels and flight?.

I will appreciate a detail response.

Thank you Dr. Mohebi

A:

Hair Transplant surgery has evolved in the last 10 years thanks to microscopic techniques and research which elucidated the mechanism of hair loss and hair restoration surgery.  We now can transplant with maximum natural results. We also increased the number of grafts which could be safely removed and harvested during a single hair transplant procedure. Mega session hair transplants have been a very hot topic and an interesting idea for many people who have a large balding area that cannot simply be covered with anything less than 3000-4000 grafts.

At the offices of US Hair Restoration, we evaluate every patient for the quality of donor hair and scalp which will determine the number of grafts that could be safely harvested and transplanted in one surgery. Many people who are getting their first surgery can have over 3000 grafts.  We have numbers of up to 5000 grafts, too.

Laser hair restoration is a pretty new concept and unfortunately we still do not have enough solid research published in peer reviewed journals documenting its effectiveness. There have been some results in smaller studies with some effect. However, I would rather wait on that until we have more research-proven documents in that regard.

You need to be evaluated for your donor potential and can consider surgery after that.  US Hair Restoration has hair transplant travel reimbursements for patients like you who have to fly from other cities.  We also provide hotel and transportation to and from the hotel for anyone who has to commute more than 50 miles to get to our hair restoration center.

Best hair loss treatment and best hair transplants are two of the most common questions of people who suffer from hair loss and want to have hair restoration surgery. Since most people understand that hair restoration surgery is a permanent procedure, they look for the best possible way to restore their hair using the most advanced technology available and conducted by the best hair transplant surgeon around. For this to happen, the person must make sure they are making the right choice when choosing a hair transplant clinic or the consequences could be catastrophic.

For those of you reading this article, we can safely assume that you are already on the search for the best hair transplant doctor who offers the best hair transplant surgery results. Hair restoration doesn’t have to start only with surgical treatment. In the process of restoration, medical treatment of hair loss still plays a major role. Here are a few factors to consider while searching for the best hair transplant surgeon and facility:

Knowledge of the most recent hair transplant technique:

• Only because a hair transplant surgeon states that he’s been practicing hair transplantation for many years doesn’t mean it’s the most recent technique or technology. Hair restoration is a relatively new science that is constantly changing and advancing almost every year.  If you educate yourself and know the facts about modern hair restoration surgery, then you can recognize the most honest hair transplant surgeon when you see one.

Artistic Talent

• This, of course, is not something you can really just study and apply. Some patients end up having hair transplant repair due to a failed or unnatural looking hair transplant. To make matters worse, some have had this situation even through the newest hair transplant technique follicular unit transplantation. Hairline design plays a crucial role in hair restoration and requires a designer’s eye to achieve a great result.

Surgical Team

• A hair transplant surgeon is only as good as his hair transplant team of technicians. It takes experience and dedication from the hair transplant team to achieve great results. To have anything less is an outright shame and almost a crime to both the patient and the industry. On top of that, quality control is essential and it is up to the hair transplant surgeon to make sure that the procedure is done accordingly or best based on the best hair trnasplant techniques.

As always, we at US Hair Restoration ask all whom are considering hair transplant surgery to fully educate themselves before they call a hair transplant surgery office and hair transplant surgeon. Read about the newest advancements in hair transplant technology and make sure that you are only getting the best hair transplant procedure using the best hair transplant technique.