Hair Transplantation – Page 112

June 19, 2008

Picking My Scabs a Week After My Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hello. I think this is a very common question that you get asked but i would still go ahead ask this.

I’m 6 days post HT. I have scabs all over my head now and generally when i’m studying, I tend to pick them (i do not get aggressive with them). What In usually do is push them in a circular motion and see if they come off. If they dont then I leave them alone. I saw only one where it bled and had some soft white tissue attached to it. The others were just hard crusty scabs with small hair in them sometimes.

My question is that have I killed all my grafts now? To my understanding as long as they havent bled and no soft tissue came out then they are pretty secured. Also in 6 days they are pretty tightly held up in scalp….is that true? Please help

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Our hair pull study (see Dislodging a Graft After Hair Transplant) shows that if you pull on a scab for up to 10 days after a transplant, you can pull out the grafts. What else can I say? What you are doing is just not good for you, and you’re running real risks here to losing what you must have paid dearly for. There are proper washing techniques that will have the scabbing off within the first few days and are safe on the grafts. Your doctor should’ve discussed these with you.

June 19, 2008

Could a Little Sun Each Day Damage a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I received a hair transplant about 5 months ago on a norwood 3/4 scalp. I have been told that I should begin looking for regrowth between now and the 5 to 8 month mark, so I realize I am just at that point. My question is, given that I use minoxidil and wear a hat for any prolonged sun exposure, could very light sun exposure on a hatless head, like 5 or 10 minutes total a day, have damaged the transplanted follicles? Thanks for the help.

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No, I highly doubt 5 to 10 minutes of sun exposure will damage the transplanted follicles. The UV rays from the sun can however discolor your scalp wounds immediately after a hair transplant. It wouldn’t have much effect on the follicles. I would follow up with your doctor.

June 19, 2008

Oily Scalp and Hair Transplants – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Doctor,
I have an extremely oily scalp,would this problem be an issue when having a hair transplant? Could the oil effect the growth of the grafts ? Is it possible for the oil to dislodge the newly planted grafts or providing problems for the hair techs planting the grafts ?

An oily scalp is not a problem for a hair transplant, and it will not negatively impact growth or push out the grafts (which will be secure in the first day or so).

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June 18, 2008

Medications That Prohibit You From Getting a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

i am on coumadin. is hair transplant possible?

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Coumadin (warfarin) is an anticoagulant, also known as a blood thinner. Blood thinners are on the top of the list of medications which must be addressed in a patient who is about to have a hair transplant. I have done transplants on people who are on such medications, but take many steps in the process to assure safety. Generally, one can cut back on the Coumadin and then step it up on the day of transplants. Your general health is really the issue and the reason you are on these medications may allow you to stop them for a week or so. The answer therefore is an individualized answer depending upon the patient, his/her medical condition causing the use of such a medication, and the general state of the patient’s health.

I take a thorough patient history and review all medications that a patient is taking prior to performing a hair transplant.

June 18, 2008

How Long After a Hair Transplant Can I Fully Appreciate the Results? – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,
Well we have emailed one another before and I thank you for the answers.It has now been almost 5 months since my transplant and I am pleased with the development of the hairline-still a little sparse, however I was assured the hair will get thicker and make a bigger impact than I think it will. I have seen other’s and see the same thing happening the hair gets thicker at the 9th month and since i am5 months I still have a ways to go. Some people claim that it takes a full 14 months to fully appreciate the entire effect. Is that true?

My main question is, do the hairs grow in stages or by the time 6 months rolls around, is that all the hairs that will actually grow in? My hairstylist who had it done told me he had hairs growing from a full year-sprouting at different times.

I will tell you this, my confidence with the result so far and the reaction of people I tell who never met me, tell me if I had not told them they never would have known. I will keep you posted via photography privately. Please let me know what to reasonably expect as far as a time frame.Just a reminder, I had 2500 grafts totaling about 3500 hairs- that is 1450 grafts in hair line the balance on the top. Looking forward to your answers to my questions

Yes, it will take somewhere between 7-14 months after your hair transplant to see the end result. Hair does grow in stages, not all equal. The sleep cycle for hair varies between 3-8 months easily and that is why I tell patients to wait at least 7 months to see 80-90% of the growth.

I just saw a man I performed surgery on 4 months ago and all of his hair never went into telogen, presenting to me with a full head of hair in just 3 months! I wish I could command this speed of growth for the rest of my patients, but I do see it in maybe 5% of patients.

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June 17, 2008

Hair Transplant on Jon and Kate Plus 8 – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just want to send you a quick Thank You for the recent overview of the hair transplant procedure on Jon and Kate Plus Eight. It was very very enlightening, and although I won’t be getting hair transplant surgery in the near future, I’ve always been curious for my future in general. The show really explained the procedure in further depth than what I have seen or heard of before on TV or on the internet.

Thanks again for both the blog and taking part in the show for all of us balding folk!

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TLC The show was indeed very educational. Jon is pretty funny and as he goes through the day with a great attitude, Kate (the Chief Operating Officer of the family) makes sure it works out each and every day. They are really nice people. Thank you for watching!

I’m trying to find a video clip online to post here, but I’m not having any luck. If I can find something from the episode, I’ll update this post.

June 16, 2008

Hair Loss InformationI Want to Sue My Hair Transplant Doctor! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

Hi doctor. I wish I could be writing to you under different circumstances, but I’ve got a major problem that I need some advice on. I had a hair transplant with a doctor here in Canada about 10 months ago and I really, really hate the results. This doctor completely ruined my appearance. I’m considering legal action due to what I feel are unethical practices. A couple thousand dense-packed grafts were placed in the hairline (some of them were placed at the wrong angles), and many 2-hair grafts were also placed there. My hair is dark and coarse, so it just does not look right! I’m considering electrolysis to try to undo this and maybe start over elsewhere. I need help!

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Electrolysis

It is quite hard to remove hair by electrolysis and lasers without creating hypopigmentation (loss of skin color) in the area where the grafts are taken out. Surgically removing the hairline could work, but it would require real expertise in doing this. Hairs transplanted in the wrong direction / angle should be a real concern and some of the solutions can be as difficult to achieve as the actual problem you are trying to solve.

I always tell the patients I see to talk with their doctor. Most doctors care about the results you got and the doctor should be able to address your problem in detail. I always tell patients that the good news and the bad news about a hair transplant is that it is permanent. It is very hard to undo them if they are not done properly. I couldn’t tell you if legal action is the way to go — what I can do is try to help get you back to normal looking. You do have a very real problem, but I would have to see you in-person to determine what can be done to help your particular case. Whatever happens, you must know and set realistic expectations on what can be achieved with any ‘repair’ that you undergo.

June 13, 2008

What’s Up With Hair Transplant Surgeons That Make a Low, Straight Hairline? – Balding Blog

Dr Rassman,

I have always been a fan of yr ‘Master Plan’ approach to dealing with hair transplant surgically. However, recently, through some hair transplant blogs, I managed to find a few patients undergoing ‘dense-packing’ method up front the hairline area and crown.

This very well-known and highly-regarded hair transplant surgeon seems to be a complete opposite of what you are doing. A look at this patient’s photo gallery, one can only be flabbergasted (more than impressed) by the transformation the patients went through. This is especially so in the hairline constructed – usually thick, low and virtually straight. Also, per hair line procedure, grafts from 1500 to up to 3150 grafts are usually used. Leaving only aother 2000-3000 grafts avaialble for future transplant. I am an advocate for careful hair transplant Master Plan, but seeing such amazing hairline done, one can only be moved and inclined to doing it with this surgeon.

Did you think this surgeon would have considered the impact of future hair loss in these patients or it is simply an amazing surgeon at work?

I can probably guess who this surgeon is, though I won’t do that here. If I am correct though, this surgeon basically does 3000 grafts on almost everyone that he sees (even those who are not balding very much). I would assume that he has loaded the very front of the hairline with very dense packing of the hair amongst other existing hairs that have not fallen out.

In my experience, some patients with fine hair just don’t get those densities. I would question if he’s cherry-picking the patients that he wishes to show. You are correct in your analysis, as many of these patients will not have much hair left after he finishes his first one or two sessions. Maybe there is a Master Plan, but it may not be in the interest of his patients.

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June 12, 2008

Hair Loss InformationYou’re Losing Hair – What Do You Do Next?! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Im sure these are some basic questions you’ve answered before, so feel free to direct me to a previous answer. I’m 42, and my hair is starting to both thin and recede, It bothers me quite a bit.

you say very often get examined by a professional. where do i start? is this my regular doctor, or i need to go somewhere else.

What is the difference between rogaine and propecia, and who would be best to recommend what would make the most sense for me?

thanks very much for any help you can provide.

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Doctor You should go to a good dermatologist with an interest in hair loss. Call his/her office to find out if they are the best one to treat you. Alternatively, you can see a hair transplant doctor (they have an obvious interest in hair), but don’t get yourself rushed into surgery. I see quite a number of men with problems like you describe.

There are huge differences between Rogaine (minoxidil) or Propecia (finasteride). For starters, Propecia is an oral prescription medication and Rogaine is a topical over-the-counter medication. They each have their own set of possible side effects and they both are currently the only FDA approved medications for treating hair loss. I usually recommend Propecia for early hair loss, but as it is a prescription medication, your doctor will be able to give you all the proper information about it. I wrote about this briefly before — “The two drugs work differently. Propecia is more predictable than minoxidil, but they could work together. I have seen hair come back with minoxidil, however I have seen more patients show great benefits from Propecia.”

For more, Wikipedia has good info about minoxidil and finasteride.

Please note: the above image is not an endorsement of child doctors.

June 10, 2008

If the FUE Technique Isn’t Predictible 100% of the Time, Why Would You Perform It? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Results from FUE are variable while the strip procedure is predictable nearly 100% of the time-Does this mean the strip method is the better option as its more certain. And if this is true why would you tell people and/or use this method rather than the strip method at NHI.

I test everyone to determine how good their follicular units will come out with follicular unit extraction (FUE). I call this test a FOX Biopsy and I insist on doing this so that I am comfortable that wastage is not a problem. It is hard to match the quality grafts that a strip-method hair transplant can produce. With an FUE procedure, the bottoms of the follicular units can be stripped of their fat and supportive structures; in a strip procedure, the follicular units are all perfect. If you saw two follicular units side-by-side (one from a strip harvest and the other from an FUE), you would see a significant difference. I believe that when this problem occurs, the growth from an FUE with stripped infrastructure should not, in theory, grow as well or as thick as a strip graft. The benefit of the FUE technique, of course, is the lack of the linear scar in the back of the head, allowing for a very closely cropped haircut without noticeable scarring. We perform both techniques at NHI.

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