Q: I am interested in trying home laser therapy for my androgenic alopecia? Which handheld laser device do you recommend?

A: There are several handheld lasers currently marketed as a home use treatments for androgenic alopecia. To my knowledge there has never been a clinical study comparing different laser devices. Most of the devices use diodes to emit a narrow band red light. This wavelength of light is actually similar to those that are used in hair removal lasers, except they are at a much lower intensity. The theory is that high intensity laser damage hair follicles causing hair loss, but low level laser energy can have a bio-stimulation effect and actually induce hair growth.

If you would like to try laser therapy for hair loss, I suggest using a “HairMax” brand laser comb. This is the only device that is FDA approved. They sell a few different “strengths” of lasers for different costs. They have not shown any clinical evidence supporting one laser comb versus another. The more expensive ones have more diode lights so it would be reasonable to conclude that they are “stronger” and require less frequent use. I have patients who have used the “mid tier” laser comb, the Premium Lux 9 successfully, so that is the one I recommend to other patients.

Read more about Laser Therapy.

Answer courtesy of Dr. Eric Schweiger, an associate at Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration whose focus is the diagnosis and treatment of female hair loss.

 

Robotics in FUE hair transplant surgery is a topic that is attracting increasing attention in the world of hair restoration. As we have discussed in the Hair Transplant Blog, the ARTAS robotic system for hair restoration is the newest technology in this ever-evolving field.

Before & 9 Months After FUE with ARTAS Robotic System
Click image for larger version

This new system, developed by Restoration Robotics, Inc., is more than just a new tool for performing Follicular Unit Extraction. Rather, it is a complex system that uses the latest in mechanical and software technology to automate FUE surgery. The robot not only allows doctors to perform this typically labor and skill intensive procedure, but it provides a variety of benefits to their patients. Among these benefits are increased accuracy in follicular unit graft harvesting, reduced harvesting time, and increased graft survival.

An article in the September/October 2011 issue of the journal Aesthetic Trends & Technologies adds detail to our knowledge of the benefits of the ARTAS System. The article, titled, “How Technology is Changing the Hair Restoration Industry,” first gives a basic overview of the system and why it was developed. It then goes on to describe how a specially-designed device, called a skin tensioner, along with an image-guided system, tracks each follicular unit on the patient’s scalp and allows for the precise control of graft extraction.

From the article:

The technology determines the location, angle, and direction of each individual hair follicle; and via complex algorithms and computer programming, it is able to determine almost instantaneously the proper approach to harvest each follicular unit. The image-guided robotic arm begins harvesting the hair follicles in random patterns, according to the harvest spacing set by the physician. These random patterns make the procedure virtually undetectable after the wounds have healed.

The accuracy and performance of the image-guided robotic system is notable and contributes significantly to the improved outcome of the FUE procedure. As Miguel Canales, M.D., Medical Director for Restoration Robotics, says in the article, the transection rate, or rate at which follicular units are damaged in the extraction process, is consistently less with robotic controlled FUE compared to that performed manually.

This kind of consistency yields a benefit not only to seasoned hair restoration surgeons, but to physicians of all skill levels. James Harris, M.D., a hair restoration physician based in Colorado, says that a novice physician, who might only be able extract 50-70 grafts in one hour using the traditional manual technique, extract 600-700 an hour. For a procedure of 1,500 grafts, the physical demand on both the physician and the patient is substantially reduced with the ARTAS System versus the standard manual graft excision techniques in FUE surgery.

Before & 7 Days After FUE with ARTAS Robotic System
Click image for larger version

The developers of the ARTAS System were also conscientious of the safety of the FUE patient. An array of sensors monitors patient movement and causes the system to respond to the force of the punch used in graft excision or to any instances where the system’s casing touches the patient. If the force exerted is too strong, or if the casing touches the patient, the system automatically backs away from the patient, allowing the physician to make sure that all is well before the surgery proceeds. According to the article, there were no safety-related “adverse events” in trials with over 350 patients.

From the efficiency of the ARTAS System in extracting follicular unit grafts, to the quality of the grafts, to patient safety, the benefits are many for the physician. The patient will receive a high quality hair transplant with a less intensive time commitment, less local anesthesia needed to numb the area, improved hair growth rates, and a better overall FUE hair transplant experience.

Download and read the article here (pdf).

 

Q: Can I tell before I start to bald if I will be a candidate for a hair transplant.

A: Usually not. The main reason one is either a candidate or not is the stability (permanency) of the hair in the back and sides of ones scalp – the donor area. Since the top of the scalp usually thins first, if the top has not started to thin, the donor area will always appear to be OK. It is only when you have significant thinning on the front or top of your scalp can we actually begin to assess the stability of the donor area with any degree of accuracy.

Read more about how a hair transplant physician evaluates a candidate for hair transplant.