Author Archive for Paul J. McAndrews, MD

Paul J. McAndrews, M.D. is a Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at the USC School of Medicine, teaching the residents the latest advances in hair loss and transplantations. Dr. McAndrews also lectures extensively to other physicians throughout the United States on the etiology and treatment of hair loss. Dr. McAndrews has a private practice located in both Pasadena and Beverly Hills, CA. Unlike most hair transplant surgeons, Dr. McAndrews was formally trained in a residency on hair transplants and the pathophysiology of hair loss. Dr. McAndrews formally learned the art of hair restorations during his dermatology residency at the distinguished USC/LAC Medical Center. He was honored with the distinction of Chief Resident. He also received years of professional training under the mentorship of Dr. M.B. Corbett, who is known as one of the early "pioneers in the field of hair restorations". In 1996, Dr. Corbett asked Dr. McAndrews to join him as a partner in his practice. Dr. McAndrews has since taken over Dr. Corbett's practice that was limited to the field of hair restorations. Dr. McAndrews is the senior medical advisor of the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons and recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. Visit Dr. McAndrew's Website: www.hairgrowthdoctor.com

Do I Have To Stop Coloring My Hair Before Or After a Hair Transplant?

I am wanting to start coloring my hair.  If I color my hair, can I still get a hair transplant?  Do I have to stop coloring my hair before or after the hair transplant? - Todd
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Todd,

It is okay to color your hair.  It will not affect your ability to receive a hair transplant. I advise my patients that they are able to color their hair up to the day before their surgery.  The bigger concern is after surgery.  Because the scalp is more sensitive immediately after the procedure and during the healing process, I advise my patients to wait at least 4 weeks after their procedure before they color their hair. Read more

Will Insurance Cover The Cost of a Hair Transplant if Hair Loss Is Caused By a Disease?

I recently read an article and a guy was losing his hair after an illness, and he asked if his insurance would cover him to get a hair transplant. I don’t think insurance covered him, but my case is different. I’ve been to all types of doctors and I have a incurable disease called scalp psoriasis, and its giving me a very very very dry and itchy scalp. I’m sure my scalp is damaged from all the itching and it is very nasty under my hair so I most likely will be bald one day. Is there any way insurance would cover me to
get a hair transplant to cover my incurable scalp disease? Thanks, Jason
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Psoriasis can cause thick scaly plaques in the scalp, however it does not cause hair loss. Typically itching the scalp does not cause hair loss, unless you are very, very aggressive. Read more

Due To a Recent Illness I’ve Experienced Hair Loss, Is a Hair Transplant Right For Me?

Due to a recent illness, my hair has thinned dramatically, particularly in the front/crown. I am considering my alternatives and wish to know the approximate costs of a hair transplant. Does insurance ever cover the costs because of hair loss from an illness?
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Illnesses can cause a form of hair loss called a Telogen Effluvium. This is when the hair follicle’s cycle synchronizes and you experience excessive shedding (similar to how a cat or dog sheds). The fortunate thing about Telogen Effluvium is this is temporary and that hair will come back. Sometimes a Telogen Effluvium uncovers a progressive form of hair loss, androgenetic alopecia, which was slowly getting worse over the last few years. Insurances will not cover either form of hair loss. Read more

I Bleed and Bruise Easily, Will This Affect The Outcome Of A Hair Transplant?

I scar, bleed, bruise and keloid easily… will this affect the outcome of a hair transplant? Would I be better off going with FUE or the strip procedure, or does it even matter? Thanks.
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If you bleed or bruise easily then you may potentially have more temporary bruising following the hair transplant, but it will not affect the ultimate outcome of the hair transplant.  If you scar badly or keloid this ultimately could cause a problem in the donor area, however this will not affect the ultimate survival of the grafts in the recipient area.   However the scalp is typically an area that heals amazingly well when it comes to scarring compared to other parts of the body.  I have done several hair transplants on patients whose donor scar healed excellent even thought they have bad scars or keloids on other parts of the body.

Would I be better off going with FUE or the strip procedure, or does it even matter?

This answer to this question is complex.  Read more

Currently Using Rogaine For Women With No Results - Can I Use Rogaine For Men?

I am a 43 year old female with androgenetic alopecia since puberty. I have been using Rogaine for women since but notice now it is not working that good. Please tell me if I can use Rogaine for men instead. And if not why? I am desperate and I am willing to give Rogaine For Men a try for a few months to see if it makes a difference.

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Unfortunately androgenetic alopecia is a disease of aging that gets worse as you get older.  Tooth decay is also a disease of aging that gets worse with aging.   Rogaine is similar to toothpaste; neither is perfect.  Tooth paste slows tooth decay and just because you get a cavity does mean the toothpaste is not working anymore.  If you were not using toothpaste, your tooth decay would be much worse. This is similar to Rogaine, if you were not using it your hair loss would be much worse and if you stop using Rogaine you will go back to your genetic predisposition (much worse).  I do think the 5% Rogaine (i.e. - Rogaine for men) is more effective in women and therefore I do have my female patients using it.  I just tell my female patients the side effect profile is similar to the 2% Rogaine, but slightly higher.

Sincerely,

Paul J. McAndrews, M.D.
Clinical Professor, USC School of Medicine
Diplomate, American Board of Dermatology
Senior Medical Advisor, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons

Finding The Right Hair Transplant Surgeon

I am seriously considering having a hair transplant, but I am very afraid after reading some of the horror stories on the internet. I almost had a hair transplant with Dr. Dominic Brandy but recently found so much bad information about him. When you go in for a consultation everything seems so legitimate, that is why I am so nervous about the process.

I really want to go for it since my hair loss makes me so self conscious but I want to be sure I choose a qualified surgeon. I am happy that I have found this organization and I’m hoping you can tell me what I should be looking for when choosing my hair transplant surgeon. I am afraid of making a mistake.
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I feel the perfect start in looking for a qualified surgeon is through the IAHRS.
This is also what I would look for in a surgeon when considering a hair transplant, or any surgery for that matter.
1. Look for a physician who has been formally trained in a residency or fellowship in the procedure you are interested in. Read more

Eyelash Hair Transplant - What Does It Entail?

Can you tell me what eyelash transplantation entails and if it is possible to have it performed on a budget?

The mechanics of the eyelash transplant is similar to a normal transplant, which entails-
1) Removing the donor tissue (usually the back of the scalp),
2) dissecting the hairs into single hair micrografts under the microscope,
3) making the incisions in the eyelash plate, &
4) Inserting the grafts. The making of the incisions and planting of the grafts are more difficult and a patient should be wearing eye shields to protect the eye.

The down side to eyelash transplants is
Read more

Difference Between FUT (Strip Method) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)

What’s the difference between the Strip method and FUE (follicular unit extraction) for getting the donor hair?

First and most importantly, I make sure my patients understand the greatest limit to any hair transplantation is that there is a fixed and limited amount of good genetic hair that we can transfer to the balding areas.

With that in mind, I explain that no matter how experienced the surgeon, when I remove the donor area with either method, I am removing it blindly (i.e. – I can not see under the skin until after the donor tissue is removed). The problem is that I can not see if the follicles have been damaged or transected until after it’s been removed. So it’s best to have as little tissue as possible exposed to any device removing the tissue.

With the strip method, we minimize the amount of donor area being exposed to the risk of damaging hair follicles while obtaining the donor hair. With F.U.E., the patient no longer runs the risk of having a linear scar on the back of their scalp, but there is a significant increase in the amount of surface area being blindly dissected and with that a significant increase in potential damage to the hair follicles.

While I use both methods to obtain donor hair, I make sure the patient understands the risks and implications of both and I help the patient make an educated decision.

Paul J. McAndrews, MD
Senior Medical Advisor, IAHRS