A review of research on the efficacy of Viviscal, published in the September 2015 issue of the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, suggests that the oral supplement may increase hair volume as well as the thickness of healthy, terminal hairs. The article presented more than two decades of research on the hair regrowth product and also included a discussion with a roundtable of dermatology and plastic surgery experts. Both the research review and roundtable discussion point to the benefits of Viviscal, however the article’s conclusions can be questioned due to the appearance of a conflict of interest between the researchers and Lifes2good, Inc., the company that produces Viviscal. Additional independent research needs to determine if Viviscal is a viable and effective hair loss treatment.
Q: I have read several articles on the internet which suggest that resistance training can accelerate male pattern baldness. Is there any truth in this? — B.F., Altherton, CA
A: Anything that raises androgen levels in your body can potentially accelerate hair loss. That said, I suggest to exercise as you normally would. As long as you don’t take drugs to enhance your workout, the effects should be minimal.
Dr. Bernstein was interviewed for an article in NYCityWoman.com that ran the gamut of available treatments for hair loss in women. Read for some select quotes on a wide range of topics related to hair loss in women and treatments for female patients with androgenetic alopecia (common genetic hair loss).
Q: How are specifications for recipient sites inputted into the ARTAS® robot? — A.F., Queens, NY
A: At the outset of the procedure, the physician sits at a computer terminal that is connected to the ARTAS Robot and enters the specifications directly into the robot’s software. Variables programmed in this manner include: the number of recipient sites, density of sites, angle that the hair will extrude from the skin, depth of recipient sites, and the minimum distance away from existing hair follicles that a site can be created.
Q: Will Robotic FUE reduce the cost per graft for FUE hair transplants? — F.K., Ditmars Boulevard, NY
A: Robotic FUE may cost slightly more per graft than a typical manual FUE procedure due to the greater expense of this new technology. At Bernstein Medical, we use the ARTAS Robotic System for all Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedures.
Q: How does the ARTAS System avoid damaging hair follicles in the balding area during recipient site creation? — R.K., Brooklyn, NY
A: The ARTAS robot’s optical guidance system enables it to accurately create recipient sites in areas of thinning hair without damaging existing hair follicles. During the recipient site creation process, the robot uses its advanced image-guided optical system to scan the surface of the skin, locate existing hair follicles in the recipient area, and then create recipient sites at a specified distance from these existing hairs.
The ARTAS robot carries out this process rapidly, accurately, and consistently according to the physician’s programmed specifications. Thanks to the microscopic precision of the image-guided technology, the robotic hair transplant system can avoid injury to follicles that can result when Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is performed using manual techniques.
Dr. Angela Christiano and her team of researchers at Columbia University studying the autoimmune disease Alopecia areata, have shed new light on how to move hair follicles from their resting (telogen) stage into the anagen phase where they can produce normal hairs. Their study, published in the October issue of Science Advances, introduces the possibility of a new topical medication for hair growth. The finding has implications in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (common hair loss) as well as Alopecia areata, which causes a non-scarring form of localized hair loss.
An article in the September/October 2015 issue of Hair Transplant Forum International highlighted results of a 6-month study of platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment in a 23-year-old male diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (common male pattern baldness). The study showed a significant increase in hair density and decrease in miniaturized follicles, as well as an apparent darkening of hair pigmentation.
Synopsis: Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation in “Surgery of the Skin: Procedural Dermatology,” is Dr. Bernstein’s third update of the chapter in the core surgical textbook for dermatologic training programs. The chapter covers a range of topics including: the basics of hair transplantation, detailed descriptions of both follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE), the importance of patient evaluation in advance of surgery, and aesthetic considerations in hair transplant design. Robotic FUE is included in the chapter for the first time as a hair transplant technique.
Research published in the online edition of the journal STEM CELLS: Translational Medicine has found that Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy (PRP) may boost hair regrowth in people with androgenetic alopecia (common hair loss). Previous studies have shown that PRP has the potential to reverse hair loss, but these were limited by a short duration of study. This is the first published research showing the long-term efficacy of PRP therapy for hair loss.
