Less Than 3% Transection Rate from FUE, What About the Artas® Robot and Other Doctors?

I’ve checked out Dr x’s website, and he claims that he can perform an FUE surgery with a transection rate of under 3 percent. I’ve read your article on FUE which was written near the end of 2007. In that article you mentions that “the transection rate by our NHI surgeons are still well within the 10% range for FUE and we make no pretenses that it is better than that routinely.” With Dr x’s experience and latest tools, has he overcome a major flaw within the FUE procedure?

Also Dr x is marketing a new device which he created to improve the FUE procedure.

Some doctors have big egos. Some claim to have a better mousetrap. I can not and will not comment on another doctor’s claims. There are now robots doing FUE with good success and low transection rates that are evaluated by independent third parties and trusted researchers. There are no independent judges or observer who can verify claims. You are stuck to doing your own research and then trusting that the doctor you selected was honest with you.

The transection rate with FUE depends upon the skills and experience of the doctor, the instruments used and in many cases, the tissue make-up of the patient’s collagen. where the doctor (or robot) has no control. In the later case, it is individual PATIENT dependent.

I would guess that normal transection rates still vary in the hands of good, experienced and honest surgeons, number less than 10 percent transection rates. The transection rate is not the critical element in an FUE procedure, rather it is the experience of the team in managing the grafts. Even with the Artas® robot, other than the coring of the grafts, the rest of the process is manual, so manual quality control processes determines the success or failure of graft growth. I have recently seen a patient who had FUE with the Artas® robot, and the procedure largely failed. Even if the transection rate was very low, the detail in the manual management of the grafts may have been an issue. Did you know, for example, that if a graft is left open to the hair for as little as 10 seconds, it will die. That death, will not be seen until 8 months after the transplant surgery is finished.

I’ve seen Dr. Pak’s FUE surgery and his transection rate is not infrequently less than 3%, however, on the rare patient who has ’tissue’ differences in their collagen, the transection rate may go up to as high as 10%. We could ignore this singular result and report transection rate of under 3%, but that would not be honest. Our efficiency with FUE using our own internally developed tool is higher than most doctors in the world. It is not unusual for us to extract FUE grafts at the rate of 1,000-1,500 grafts/hour. We run an ‘open shop’ (open door policy) here which means that we hold open house events every month where our patients, happy or unhappy, can come to meet with people like you. Few doctors are that open with their patient population.

I realize for marketing purposes and advertising to the public these numbers and stats would seem important, but I would rather that your ask to meet some of his patients and get the doctor’s results from the patient’s own mouth as well as see the results with your own eyes.

Less Propecia, Less Side Effects?

Dr. Rassman,

Thanks so much for this valuable site.

I am considering Propecia. It is the possible sides, not the $$$, that has me hesitating. I have done the research on Clinical Studies, Dr. Frankel’s article, your posts, etc. The data seems to indicate, and you’ve agreed that .5 mg is roughly 80% as effective for hair growth/retainment as a full 1mg. My question is, are the side effects proportionally decreased? Is there any data out there?

B/c of the efficacy of the .5mg dose, and because the decreased DHT/Serum levels appear to stay in the same range for almost 72 hours, my plan is .5mg Merck Propecia every other day, in order to decrease any chance at both short and long term side effects. Does this sound logical to you?

I really do not see your logic. I mostly see your fear… fear that the drug can give you side effects. Is it worth the risk (for you)? Maybe you should question taking it altogether. There is a phenomenon known as the placebo effect… and it goes both ways. If you are preoccupied that a drug will give you a side effect, then you will likely see that side effect because that is what you believe will happen. If you don’t try it you will never know if you will have a side effect.

I don’t know if there is statistical data available that shows decreased side effects with decreased dosing, but I’ve seen that to be the case if a patient has experienced side effects from the full dose. If you have genetic androgenic alopecia and Propecia is recommended by your physician, then I would start with the recommended dose. If you end up with a side effect then you can just as easily not take it and the side effects would be gone.


2010-04-02 11:00:52Less Propecia, Less Side Effects?

Lenin at 25 (Photo)

The Russians like everyone man in the world have genetic balding in their family line. His stress associated with the Russian Revolution certainly must have accelerated his hair loss


2020-05-04 12:56:51Lenin at 25 (Photo)

Length of Time on Finasteride Determines the Risk of Post Finasteride Syndrome

This is an important article because it explains why I probably have never seen a case of post-finasteride syndrome in the thousands of patients who were prescribed the drug by me over the past 2 decades. When someone complains of ED, I either reduce the dose until the symptoms go away, or discontinue the drug. According to this article, it takes years on the drug to get PFS. Since I am responsive to recommending withdrawal of the drug, the incidence in my practice is non-existent. The article itself has limitations in its methodology and as a definitive statement about the existence of post-finasteride syndrome or a disclosure of the risks, so it must be taken with a grain of salt.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28289563/

 


2019-02-14 10:32:12Length of Time on Finasteride Determines the Risk of Post Finasteride Syndrome

Is leg hair for a hairline transplant a good idea?

Leg hair is not a great idea as only 50% is in the growth phase at any time, so it doubles the cost. Also, leg hair does not grow long and typically falls out in 5-6 months. It then goes to sleep phase and wakes up to grow for another 5-6 months before falling out again.


2019-02-14 06:35:29Is leg hair for a hairline transplant a good idea?

Leg hair as donor hair for a transplant

I just never heard of it. Could you fill a bald Norwood 7 head with leg hair like this picture I found on Google? Arms are similar. I assume minoxidil would help it grow longer and thicker

Leg hair has a short anagen cycle and a long or equal telogen cycle. That means that if you transplant 100 hairs from your leg to your scalp, only 50% will be growing at any one time. Leg hair’s thickness is usually under 25 microns, which means that each leg hair will not contribute much to your hair volume on your scalp. Too many doctors with today’s technology now can do this type of hair transplant, but it may be more in the doctor’s financial interest than your need for grafts.
[If you have any questions, you can reach me at williamrassman33@gmail.com]

Left Side of Scalp Is Different From My Right Side

Dr Rassman,

I am a 26 y/o asian male who started experience significant hairloss in the last couple years. My right temple is receeding and there is slight thinning on the top of the crown. I started taking propecia about 3 months ago. It has been effective in the crown area but not for my frontal hairloss. The odd part is that I do not lose any hair at my left temple (or the left side of my head in general) but I am experiencing significant hairloss in my right temple. I would also like to mention that i have straight hair on the left side of my head, while the right side of my head is more wavy hair. I also notice some dandruff and bulbs in between my hairs on the right side of my head. My hair loss is causing me much emotional distress and i am almost afraid to even touch the right side of my head b/c i am afraid of losing more hair. It depresses me just looking in the mirror b/c my hairline is nothing close to straight. it appears as if i have my hair combed over when in actuality it is standing straight up. I know you mentioned that you recommend being on propecia for 8 months prior to getting a hair transplant. I really would like to get a hair transplant to fix my hairline. If i stay on propecia for 8 months, will I experience any shock loss? I am concerned b/c although there is noticable recession of the right temple, it is not drastic. I appreciate your help, and I do not know what I would do without your blog!

You should be evaluated by an honest and competent doctor. Depending upon the hair loss and what it looks like, a good doctor can usually predict what will happen to you and build a Master Plan around that. Transplants may be in your future, but there is no substitute for a good doctor/patient relationship. Since we seem to be bonding, you can send me photos (good ones) and I will give you an opinion (which will not be posted here without your permission, so do not worry about that).

Timing is everything. Yes, you might be able to get a hair transplant provided that you are on Propecia. There is often a difference between the two sides, one side being more advanced than the other. If you let nature takes its course, the retarded side will catch up, but the key here is to not let it catch up. Stop it with Propecia and eventually (timing is everything) fix both sides of the frontal hairline.


2006-08-21 08:27:04Left Side of Scalp Is Different From My Right Side

Left and Right handedness relates to finasteride side effects (article)

Apparently left handed dominant people have improved sexual function on fin rather than decreased sexual sides. I’ve been on fin for a short period of time now with the only side effect being a slight ball ache. I know this is a pretty tiny study but interesting to me nonetheless. What do you guys think? Article: https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2012.11580.x#ss7-title

This is a new one for me. I read the article and although the studies were relatively small, it is suggestive of the handedness issue. Thanks for the information


2020-04-19 08:55:38Left and Right handedness relates to finasteride side effects (article)