A Closer Look At Eyebrow Hair Transplants

Hair transplant surgery is an extremely labor intensive and meticulous form
of cosmetic surgery. A bad hair transplant is visible from a mile away, and
unfortunately there are still many less than optimal results being produced
on a daily basis by under-trained and/or unskilled hair transplant practitioners.

One hair restoration procedure that can be especially challenging is eyebrow transplantation. Various medical conditions can result in eyebrow loss, but probably the most common cause is self-induced. Women who pluck their eyebrows run the significant risk of permanently damaging the hair follicles that are repeatedly plucked, thus causing permanent brow loss. Other causes of eyebrow loss include chemotherapy, trauma from accidents and burn injuries.

Eyebrows are very important to a person’s appearance since they essentially frame, and give symmetry to the face. Loss of eyebrow hair can have a profound effect on a person’s self confidence and general well being. While eyebrow reconstruction technology had been reported as far back as the early nineteenth century, it has taken the evolution of conventional hair transplant surgery to take eyebrow reconstruction to the level the we see today. Read more

Can Hair Loss From Anabolic Steriods Be Reversed?

Can hair loss from anabolic steroids be reversed? When I was in college I experimented with a couple of cycles of anabolic steroids. As a baseball player most of us used them to compete. Luckily I came to my senses in my senior year and stopped cold turkey. I noticed during that time that my hair began to thin. It continued to thin several months after I stopped using and then the shedding just topped. It’s now four years later and while my hair has not gotten worse, the hair I lost never grew back.

Is it possible to reverse hair loss caused by anabolic steroids or is this just one of the adverse side effects of steroids use that I will have to live with?
- - - - - - - -

Anabolic steroids can accelerate hair loss in men or women genetically predisposed to androgenic alopecia.  Certain medications could possibly reverse your hair loss, but it is not likely.  These medications include Propecia and Minoxidil.  At some point your hair loss may begin to progress again.  Medications can help prevent or slow down the future thinning or loss of hair.  You could try a course of medications for 6 to 12 months to see how you respond.  If there is no improvement after one year, you are not likely to see any future benefit in terms of increased hair though progression of hair loss might be limited by
future use of medications.  If you still desire to restore your hair at that point, you might want to consider an evaluation for you suitability for hair transplant surgery.

John Cole, MD
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

Hair Loss Since 14 Years Old - Am I Taking The Right Course of Hair Loss Treatments?

Since I was around 14-15  years old I have experienced hair loss, I’m now 17 and still losing hair. I have attempted minor treatments through a clinic, which determined I had male pattern baldness. When I was younger (15-16), the clinic suggested a hair loss treatment, I believe it contained minoxidil, and involved rubbing it on the scalp. After a year and little change except for irritation on the scalp, I quit.  The clinic suggested a Propecia pill when I was 18, and then a hair transplant at 21. After the scalp treatment I feel I have been tricked and should not trust them. Please help answer the questions, is this the right course of treatment or is there a better alternative, and is it possible to lose hair at such a young age from male pattern baldness? - George
- - - - - - -

Thank you for your question. Male pattern hair loss is a condition in which a pattern of hair is inherited, in which the hair is sensitive to DHT. Once puberty starts, testosterone production increases and it is metabolized into this DHT. Read more

Hair Loss Advertising Online

Why credible and trusted websites may be displaying ads for bad products and services.

By now, people are becoming increasingly aware that there are many untrustworthy websites on the Internet, like the ones that will try to sell you snake oil remedies for hair loss. Scams and spam are rampant online but there are sites out there that you can trust.

Or can you?

Often, a trustworthy website will show ads for products or websites that are not trustworthy at all. This means that when conducting research and buying products on the Internet, hair loss sufferers need to be vigilant about every link they click.

How it happens

Many websites use advertising programs to generate revenue. The advertising programs are provided to website publishers by advertising affiliate networks. These networks perform two significant duties. First, they sell ad campaigns to companies, websites, and independent professionals who want to market their businesses online. Second, they provide affiliate advertising to website publishers.

When website publishers sign up with affiliate networks, they enter topics or keywords that are relevant to the content on their own sites. The affiliate networks then provide a bit of code that is inserted into the publisher’s website. This code is automated to generate the ads that you see on many sites.

No control over ad displays

The problem with this model is that the publishers have little control over which ads appear on their sites other than to specify rather broad categories and topics. A credible website that focuses on hair loss will naturally enter “hair loss” as an advertising keyword. However, the ads that appear may very likely link to gimmicky websites that are pitching products or services that are either dangerous or simply do not work.

Be wary

The best way to protect yourself is to understand that whenever you click on a link, you may be exiting the site you’re visiting and heading into new territory. This should be obvious as the second site will probably look a lot different from the first. For each new site you visit, be wary of the site’s credibility. Always practice safe, smart web surfing and always look for the American Hair Loss Association certification seal before you even consider buying any product or service to treat your hair loss.

Spencer Kobren
Founder, American Hair Loss Association
Founder and Director of Consumer/Patient Affairs, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS.ORG)

My Transplanted Hair Is Falling Out, Is This Typical After a Few Years?

I had a hair transplant about five years ago with a doctor who I thought was a reputable hair transplant surgeon. It now seems that some of my transplanted hair is falling out. Is this typical after a few years? I was told that the transplanted hair would last a lifetime.
- - - - - - - - -

In my opinion the biggest challenge facing hair restoration surgeons today is that there is a “mismatch” between the larger recipient scalp, and the smaller, limited donor scalp. We can always use more follicles in our transplant procedures to cover larger zones in the recipient scalp. However, the nature of the donor scalp only allows us to remove a certain amount in a single transplant session and still obtain a cosmetically acceptable closure. Individual factors such as scalp laxity, (i.e. looseness), density of follicles per unit area in the permanent zone, hair caliber and hair curl all contribute to the perceived “density” that a patient obtains with their procedure. Some of the patients will require greater than one transplant procedure to obtain there expected goals for “density and coverage”.

Generally speaking the “permanent zone” where follicles are harvested to transplant are expected to grow hair for the life of the patient. Read more

17 Years Old and Losing My Hair - Looking For Answers

I am a 17-year old boy and have been losing my hair for a year now. I am losing quite a lot of hair on top but that’s not the thing, the thing is that I am losing some hair on the sides and the back of my head and it’s really scary. There is no doubt that I have male pattern baldness but I am wondering if one becomes a 5 in the Norwood class, can that person lose density on the sides and the back or does this just happen in more severe cases like Norwood 7 and beyond?
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

When experiencing hair loss at the age of 16, the usual reaction is exactly what this person expressed: “it’s really scary.” There is often a family history of male pattern baldness, and the person will often envisage himself looking like his bald dad or uncle or grandfather in a few years time.

The most important first step is to consult a physician who is knowledgeable about hair loss. Although the most likely cause is male pattern baldness, there are several medical reasons for hair loss, such as scalp dermatological conditions as well as systemic illnesses such as an underactive thyroid gland or a low blood level of iron. Read more

Ability To Cover a Progressively Balding Scalp After a Hair Transplant

I understand that my male pattern balding will continue to progress throughout the crown area on my scalp, leaving the typical horseshoe effect that I’m sure I will inherit from both of my grandfathers. I will be having a hair transplant in about 8 months to restore my receding hair in the front. It recedes about two inches from where my original hairline was once located, and also in that very flattering spot right in the very back.

I am 26 years old and will be 27 before my surgery, have very light blond and extremely curly hair. I will be having follicular unit hair transplants by a reputable company (HC). My question: If I continue to bald in the crown area over my lifetime, can I have additional surgeries to assure that the crown area is covered by hairs not affected by DHT by having this done?

Also, I have read about donor areas and the amount of one’s own hair available to use as transplantable hairs. Say I will eventually develop a horseshoe pattern without surgery and Propecia, does one have enough donate-able hair to cover the whole crown area, and thus keep undetectable natural looking hair transplants? 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?
- - - - - - - - - -

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

Forehead Lift Caused Hair Loss - What Are My Options?

I am a 52 year old female. A little over 1 month ago I had a forehead lift which left me with a bald spot around the front forehead incision line. The area is approx. the size of a quarter which is mostly in front of the incision line but extends slightly behind as well. The surgeon states she is unsure why this area lost hair. She says she has not had this happen with any other patients. I also have lost hair volume throughout my head. Is this a normal hair loss issue after a forehead lift and do I have any options that might help regrow the hair.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hair loss is a potential complication of surgical brow lifting and forehead lifting. Fortunately, this problem is uncommon for most patients who undergo surgical rejuvenation of the brow and forehead regions. There are several factors that can influence ones predisposition to losing hair following surgery and two primary patterns in which hair can be lost.

Technical issues related to the performance of the surgery can contribute to postoperative hair loss. Factors which compromise blood flow to the hair-bearing scalp set the stage for unexpected hair loss. Inadvertent disruption of the scalp’s blood supply, aggressive surgical cautery at the wound edge and excessive tension along the incision line are three of the most common causes of post-surgical hair loss. 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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - –

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

Next Page »