The Next Generation Hair Replacement

Hair transplantation has gone a long way. Here are tips to decide if you are in need of hair restoration. Get expert advice.

The Next Generation Hair Replacement

The History Behind Hair Restoration

Ever since 1952 when hair transplantation surgery was first pioneered, the options for hair growth have gone through a major evolution. Shifting from unnatural looking transplants to sophisticated new drugs, treatments have improved in hair transplant surgery and cloning individual hair cells. As David Orentreich, MD, a professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of medicine in New York City who specialized in the field of hair restoration suggests that the future looks brighter than ever. Orentreich’s father Norman was the first to pioneer in hair transplantation surgery.

According to Orentreich hair transplant surgery was introduced in 1984, when it was majorly large grafts being state-of-the-art and currently it has given way to smaller grafts. This is one breakthrough in hair transplant surgery.

Estimates from the U.S food and drug administration report 40 million men and 20 million women experience hair loss. As of 2003, 31,737 people, 88% of the men underwent hair transplants, up by 9% from 2002 depending upon the statistics from the American society of plastic surgeons.

He says that this type of hair transplantation is similar to the evolution of cardiac surgery where initially it was coronary bypass surgery whereas later on it was done by hundreds of doctors. Thus the operation evolved and advanced pretty soon.

Surgeons such as Orentreich perform hair transplant obtaining skin grafts with hair follicles from places on the scalp that are still growing hair,(typically the back or side of the head) transplanting them into the balding areas where it continues to grow. As of now, surgeons use smaller grafts containing anywhere from one to five hair follicles per graft helping the scalp a more natural appearance in contrast to larger grafts with 15-20 hair follicles looking artificial with the appearance of a row of hair known as hair plugs.

“Smaller and micro grafts also called follicular grafts that look better, heal faster and involve much less discomfort is gaining popularity,” according to Orentreich. He specifies that going from large grafts of hair to small grafts in the case of hair transplantation was the watershed making the procedure so much natural and because of this, more people do better transplants today. 

The Evolution Continues

“Continuing the evolution into smaller and smaller grafts in hair transplantation the next step will be to add a cell-based transplant where the injection of hair seeds into balding area helps grow the hair into a brand new follicle,” predicts Ken Washenik, MD, PhD., medical director of Bosley, a hair restoration practice. 

In short, this is cloning

“it would be able to augment within five years and adding this to the follicle based transplant, “says Washenik also a researcher at the New York university school of medicine in New York city.

As Orentreich opines, cloning is going to be possible certainly in other areas . In case of hair, there is going to be a time when it can even be cloned.

In case getting cloning to work it would be giving us the best ability to restore hair,” says the New York City dermatologist Bruce Katz, MD, director of Juva skin and laser center. It is sure to deliver the best results physically and cosmetically according to Katz. 

The Magic Bullet?

To treat baldness, a magic elixir that may not be far off if we extrapolate from existing drugs like Propecia and keep going according to Orentreich. With further work, medication will come along that will be so good and safe that we will be doing fewer transplants he adds.

Developed to treat an enlarged prostate, Finasteride (Propecia) was later found to be effective in hair loss in men. Prescribed under the names Propecia or Proscar, it sure to impart good results. 

The drug, as Orentreich says is sure to help the men get their hair back making it effective especially when administered just at the time you notice the hair starting to thin.

By lowering the level of a hormone called DHT, Propecia works in the hair follicle, a male hormone linked to hair loss. Another drug similar to Propecia, Avodart was designed to treat enlargement o prostate blocking DHT helping treat hair loss.

There may be fabulous drugs blocking DHT and preventing hair loss that comes sooner or later with a large number of men growing their hair back predicts Orentreich. 

May The Force Be With You?

Concluding on the treatments for baldness, light or laser therapy plays a role in hair restoration of the future, says David Michaels, managing director and developer of Hairmax Lasercomb, a comb emitting light energy to help stimulate the hair to grow. Currently, in the process of submitting further data to the FDA for approval, Michaels hopes to get clearance within a year. 

What's Your Reaction?

like
0
dislike
0
love
0
funny
0
angry
0
sad
0
wow
0