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Bernstein Boosts Buzz On Balding Brady

November 30th, 2010

Tom Brady Hair Transplant New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a multimillion dollar contract, a supermodel wife, and not one, not two, but three Super Bowl rings.

He also has androgenetic alopecia, otherwise known as genetically inherited male pattern baldness, and future prospects of being a balding celebrity. Or does he?

An article in the New York Daily News reports that Mr. Brady has consulted with a hair transplant physician about his hair loss. The Daily News interviewed both Dr. Bernstein and a patient at Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration for the article. Here is a snippet:

“Look at me – I look awesome now,” said Bob, buttressing his claims with before-and-after pictures that show a full head of hair where once it grew only in patches.

Dr. Robert Bernstein restored Bob’s hair. The doc’s customers swear only their hairdressers know for sure they had it done.

Asked how Brady might fare, Bernstein said that judging by recent photos, it appears “he has good growth” and enough [donor] hair for a successful transplant.

When asked about why his results stand up to close scrutiny, Dr. Bernstein said:

“Hair grows in natural groupings of one to four hairs [...] By following the way hair grows in nature, we can produce natural results.”

Read more about Hair Loss Genetics or some additional articles in Hair Loss Genetics News.

Read the full article at the Daily News.

Photo c/o: NY Daily News/Townson/AP

Rating: 1 Star

Topic: Bernstein Medical News

Tags: Androgenetic Alopecia, Celebrity Hair Loss, Celebrity Hair Transplant, Dr. Robert M. Bernstein, Hair Loss, Hair Restoration, Hair Transplant, Hair Transplant Physician, Male Pattern Baldness, New York Daily News, Tom Brady Hair Transplant

Posted on November 30th, 2010 at 11:30 am

Will Propecia Cause Or Inhibit Chest Hair Growth?

June 9th, 2010

Q: I am currently 28. I have been taking Propecia for 6 years and recently began to grow sparse chest hair for the first time in my life. Is the Propecia causing these effects?

A: DHT causes male pattern baldness and stimulates the growth of body hair. The use of Finasteride, a DHT blocker, will permit scalp hair to grown and inhibit the growth of body hair, not stimulate it.

However, the effects on body hair are quite small, so your natural tendency to grow chest hair over time is probably not being blocked by the treatment.

Rating: 1 Star

Topic: Drugs (Medications)

Tags: Body Hair, Chest Hair, DHT, Hair Growth, Male Pattern Baldness, Propecia (Finasteride)

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. on June 9th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

Dr. Christiano at Columbia University Identifies APCDD1, A Newly Discovered Gene Associated With Hair Loss

April 14th, 2010

Dr. Angela Christiano of Columbia University in New York and a team of scientific researchers have identified a new gene involved in hair growth. Their discovery may affect the direction of future research for hair loss and the diagnosis and ultimate prevention of male pattern baldness.

The condition which leads to thinning hair is called hereditary hypotrichosis simplex. Through the study of families in Pakistan and Italy who suffer from this condition, the team was able to identify a mutation of the APCDD1 gene located in chromosome 18. This chromosome has been linked to other causes of hair loss.

According to Dr. Christiano, “The identification of this gene underlying hereditary hypotrichosis simplex has afforded us an opportunity to gain insight into the process of hair follicle miniaturization, which is most commonly observed in male pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia.”

The mutation of the APCDD1 gene inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway. Although this recently discovered gene does not explain the complex process of male pattern baldness, the importance of this discovery lies in the Wnt signaling that the gene directs, has now been shown to control hair growth in humans, as well as in mice.

Reference: Nature 464, 1043-1047 (15 April 2010) | doi:10.1038/nature08875;

Rating: 1 Star

Topic: Genetics of Hair Loss

Tags: Androgenetic Alopecia, APCDD1 gene, Causes of Hair Loss, Chromosome 18, Columbia University, Dr. Angela Christiano, Genetic Hair Loss, Hair Follicle, Hair Growth, Hair Loss Genetics News, Hereditary Hypotrichosis Simplex, Male Pattern Baldness, Male Pattern Hair Loss, Miniaturization, Thinning Hair, Wnt Activator Proteins, Wnt Signaling Pathway

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. on April 14th, 2010 at 1:00 pm

Is Genetic Test for Hair Loss Worthwhile?

October 14th, 2009

Q: Is it worth getting the genetic test for balding?

A: You’re referring to Hair DX (hairdx.com), which costs about $150 and came to market in January of 2008 as the first test for androgenetic alopecia, aka male pattern baldness.

The test screens for variations in the androgen receptor gene on the X chromosome, the gene that is associated with male pattern hair loss. The purpose of the test is to identify persons at increased risk of developing hair loss before it is clinically apparent – so that medical intervention can be started early, when it is most effective.

It is important to realize that, at this point, there is just an association with this gene and hair loss; the cause and effect has not been proven and the association is not anywhere near 100%. A danger is that patients may overreact to the relatively incomplete information that the test provides. It is best to have the test performed under a doctor’s supervision, so that it can be put in the context of other information that the physician gleans through a careful history, physical and a densitometry hair evaluation. As of this posting, genetic testing for hair loss is not permitted in New York State.

Rating: 1 Star

Topic: Genetics of Hair Loss

Tags: Androgen Receptor, Androgenetic Alopecia, Densitometry, Genetic Test for Hair Loss, Hair DX Genetic Test, Hair Loss, Male Pattern Baldness, Male Pattern Hair Loss, New York, X Chromosome

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. on October 14th, 2009 at 2:14 pm

Is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) a Viable Hair Restoration Treatment?

October 5th, 2009

Q: There has been a lot of talk circulating on the internet regarding the use of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for the treatment of hair loss. Would you be able to comment on whether or not you think this will turn out to be a viable treatment for male pattern baldness (MPB)?

A: It is a bit too early to tell. My sense is that it will not have any practical long-term benefits for the treatment of hair loss (MPB), since it doesn’t get to the cause of androgenetic hair loss, i.e. DHT. Treatments such as copper-peptide, saw-palmetto, laser therapy, have all been promoted for male pattern hair loss, but have not really turned out to have any significant long-term benefits. Further studies need to be done on PRP to get a better sense of its value in combating hair loss.

On the other hand, PRP can have a significant impact on wound healing and it is possible that it may be useful in promoting healing after a hair transplant in both the donor and recipient areas of the scalp.

For further reading, see the page on Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).

Rating: 1 Star