Category: Uncategorized

Dear sir, Reg. your comment on the diffuse thinning post – I got a Dermapen 2.00 mm done once. Is it possible that it killed my follicles permanently?

It is unlikely that this instrument would kill your hair as its depth is not deep enough to reach the hair root.

I want my eyebrows transplanted. A new plastic surgeon just came to town and is offering eyebrow transplant. Should I trust him?

Eyebrow hair transplants are very difficult to perform. The hair grafts for the eyebrow must to placed flat against the upper bone of the eye socket. Unfortunately getting this done correctly, is not easily accomplished and should not be attempted except for the most experienced surgeons who have created many of these reconstructions with good results. I have seen the eyebrow hairs stick out forward as they were not placed flat or in the correct direction. Plucking them out work, but why should you have to pluck after having it done? Good question!

Restoring eyebrow hair is a rewarding endeavor, as this structure is so important to a person’s appearance, perhaps even more so than scalp hair. The secret to eyebrow transplantation (as in other types of hair restoration) is to closely observe nature. Unlike scalp hair, the eyebrows consist of only one-hair follicular units, so that if the source of hair is the larger follicular units obtained from the permanent zone in the back of the scalp, these units (of 2, 3, and 4-hairs) must be carefully split up into individual follicles under the microscope.

Replicating the unique directional changes of eyebrow hair is also critical to a successful restoration. The hair points upward in its medial aspect (near the nose) and then fans outwards as one moves towards the temples. However, the angles are not quite so simple. As one moves laterally (towards the temples), the hair in the upper half of the brow points to the side and down and the hair in the lower half points to the side and up. The upper and lower hairs interdigitate causing the central part of the eyebrow to slightly rise and form a gentle ridge which gives the eyebrow its unique shape. This interlocking also keeps the eyebrow hair orderly and “neat” in appearance. All of the eyebrow hair emerges from the skin at a very acute angle (almost flat), so the recipient sites must be made with the needle actually lying on the skin surface.

Just as the outer edge of the female hairline is often comprised of finer hair, so are the outer boarders of the eyebrows. In a sense, each eyebrow can be viewed as a cosmetic unit, just as the scalp, with transition zones of fine hair around much of the perimeter. As with the frontal hairline and temples, this fine hair may be replicated by removing or producing controlled, intentional damage to the bulb (cutting off part or all of the bottom) of a normal terminal follicle. The practice of using all fine hair for the eyebrows is incorrect since the eyebrows, like the scalp, require a central area of greater density, and bulk, and this is best accomplished with intact (but in this case individual) hair follicles. In all cases, multiple sessions are needed for a complete eyebrow restoration.

some time ago i’ve noticed my hair becoming thin, i also have a bad habit of smoking cigs which ive been smoking for 2 years. so i figured if i stop smoking my hair might grow back thicker and fuller.well i just recently stopped smoking cigs for about a week.

not enough time has gone by to see if my hair would grow back, but i wanted to see if i could save my hair and whether or not cigs have anything to do with it

I don’t know anything about you other than you’re losing hair and smoked for 2 years. Smoking might contribute indirectly in some way, but I doubt that it is the reason your hair is thinning. In the great majority of cases, it is your genetics that causes hair loss. Of course I recommend that you stop smoking for your overall health, but I wouldn’t expect that quitting smoking would make your hair regrow.

yes, finasteride can regrow hair in the front and mid-scalp, especially in the younger male.

I am a 30 years old male, I found my two temple peaks are different, one is gradually disappearing, i had quite thick temple peak before, but only one side of the temple peak receding/disappearing, is that normal? The disappearing side has actually had some receding in temple as well, but not that obvious, so does that mean one side temple receding will cause its temple peak receding? Cheers

The bad news is that you may be in the process of losing hair in a classic male hair loss pattern.
The good news is that hair loss in the temple peaks will likely even out as it recedes. Temple peak recession does not necessarily follow male pattern balding in the classic sense.
If you’re concerned please see a doctor for an exam and possible ways to correct it with surgery if it bothers you enough.

Hello Doctor,

I know there have been various posts on this topic and please feel free to ignore the question given that you have already provided comments. Also, I wanted to thank you for the blog as it has really allowed my to expand my knowledge of hair loss and related topics which is greatly appreciated.

I had what I though was a thick head of hair on the top of my head and historically my worries over thinning was limited to a receding hair line. Recently I got a short hair cut (borderline buzz-cut) and seemed to notice that in certain house lights I can see some of my scalp. That being said other lighting I cannot see through at all including when I am outdoors. I am not sure if this is a function of how my hair is parting, the use of hair products which I read can ‘clump’ hair together giving a thinner look or whether there are legitimate concerns to be had.

My question(s) relate to the miniaturization process and the speed to which it can occur. I recall from a previous blog that hair will grow at a rate of about ½ inch per month and would it be possible to have ‘normal’ hair on the top-half of a follicle and a miniaturized bottom? Is the process of miniaturization more gradual or can you go from thicker to thin in a matter of a few weeks?

I can sympathize that people are different and will go through the process at different paces but I am looking for some general comments based on your experience. For further information, my hair tends to be quite straight and sticks up when short and could this growth pattern contribute to a thinning look i.e. sits in such a position that gives a thin look? I should note that I am 33, currently taking Propecia but nothing else in the way of medication.

Regards

I am not sure how fast miniaturization occurs. I would think it happens over weeks to months (not days). It is a gradual process. I do not know of any documented studies on how fast miniaturization occurs. Usually we follow patients on a yearly basis (not monthly).

If you would like to conduct your own research, you can buy a handheld video microscope and take pictures of a specific area over a period of time and document the results. We wrote a 3-part tutorial on doing this a few years ago — Mapping Your Own Scalp for Miniaturization.