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Dr. Schweiger Discusses LaserComb for Hair Loss in Women in Wall Street Journal

September 29th, 2009

Dr. Eric S. Schweiger, an Associate at Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration, was interviewed recently for an article in the Wall Street Journal.

The article — Can Lasers Stimulate a Hair-Growth Spurt? — discusses the efficacy of the HairMax LaserComb and low level laser therapy (LLLT) and also touches on Dr. Schweiger’s main area of expertise, the diagnosis and treatment of hair loss in women:

Eric S. Schweiger, a clinical instructor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, says the LaserComb helps grow hair, but adds that effects are often modest, typically take at least six months and aren’t seen in all patients.

The only home laser device cleared for hair growth by the Food and Drug Administration is the LaserComb, which claims to increase hair growth in men. While used by Dr. Schweiger and others for women, the device isn’t FDA cleared for them; a clinical trial is continuing, the company says.

Read more about low level laser therapy (LLLT) and the HairMax LaserComb on the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website. For further reading you can explore the Laser Therapy topic on the Hair Transplant Blog.

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at 2:23 pm

In Hair Transplant Repair, Can Follicular Unit Extraction Be Used To Remove Hair Plugs?

September 11th, 2009

Q: I was wondering if it was possible to use Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) on the old plugs instead of graft excision.

A: Graft excision generally works better than FUE in removing old plugs and mini-grafts. In these grafts, the hair is not aligned due to the scar tissue that forms from the large recipient sites. Because the hair direction is altered from the scar tissue, there is much more damage when the grafts are removed with FUE.

Another benefit of graft excision is that we can remove the underlying scar tissue and improve the appearance of the skin.

Finally, graft excision sites are sutured closed so they heal with an imperceptible scar. FUE sites are left open and the white scars at the hairline can be visible.

Topic: Repairs

Tags: Donor Hair / Follicular Unit / Follicular Unit Extraction / Follicular Unit Extraction Scarring / FUE / Graft Excision / Hair Plug Repair / Hair Plugs / Hair Transplant Repair / Hairline / Minigrafts / Plug Removal / Scar Tissue / Scarring

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at 2:23 pm

After Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant at the Hairline, Will Bumps Go Away?

September 1st, 2009

Q: I have had a hair transplant done in the hairline of 1,000 or so FUE grafts. However, as the hair sheds, under natural light the recipient skin seems bumpy with incisions and holes that are noticeable. Do these tend to go away with time once they have healed?

A: If a follicular unit transplant is performed properly (using either extraction or a strip) there should be no bumps or surface irregularities. When the hair restoration is totally healed, the recipient area should be appear as normal looking skin.

With FUE it is important to sort out the grafts under a microscope, to make sure that all of the grafts placed at the hairline are 1-hair grafts and that the larger grafts are place behind the hairline. They should not be planted without first being sorted under a microscope.

Topic: Follicular Unit Extraction

Tags: Appearance After Hair Transplant / Follicular Unit / Follicular Unit Extraction / Follicular Unit Extraction Scarring / Follicular Unit Transplant / FUE / Grafts / Hair Grafts / Hair Restoration / Hairline / Incision / Recipient Sites / Scalp Healing

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at 2:23 pm

Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) Stimulates Hair Growth in Lab

August 27th, 2009

Aug 21, 2009 – BOCA RATON, FL – A study conducted by Laboratoire Bio-EC — of Paris, France — on the on ex-vivo growth of hair from Low Level Laser Light exposure of hair follicles in culture medium were presented recently at the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons (ISHRS).

Michael Hamblin, PhD from Harvard Medical School/Wellman Center for Photomedicine, compared a dose of laser energy and a reference dose on the growth of hair in a lab culture to show that laser energy stimulated hair growth. Isolated follicles were placed in the Philpott hair culture medium, exposed to low level laser irradiation, and measured for hair length increases. Analysis of hairs grown ex-vivo exposed to the two laser doses, were photographed at regular intervals over ten days.

The conclusion of the study was that the wave length dose studied induced statistically significant increase in hair growth vs. control dose at the conclusion of the study.

The significance of these results is that it documents the ability of laser light to stimulate hair growth in vitro. The results showed that laser energy stimulated proliferation of cells in the hair matrix.

For more information, see the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration section on low level laser therapy.

Topic: Laser Therapy

Tags: Bernstein Medical - Center for Hair Restoration / Ex-vivo Hair Growth / Hair Matrix / International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) / Laboratoire Bio-EC / Laser Therapy / Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) / Michael Hamblin / Philpott Hair Culture Medium / Wellman Labs for Photomedicine at Harvard University

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at 10:29 am

Dr. Bernstein Offers Hair Loss Help on Fox and Friends

July 13th, 2009

Dr. Bernstein was interviewed on the Fox News program “Fox and Friends” over the weekend. He discussed hair loss, hair transplant surgery, propecia hair loss medication, hair plugs, and more.

Watch the full video here:

If you like the video, please give it a 5-star rating!