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September 13th, 2011

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 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.

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 anesthesia needed to numb the area, improved hair growth rates, and a better overall FUE hair transplant experience.

August 31st, 2011

Q: Can I tell before I start to bald if I will be a candidate for a hair transplant? — T.E., New York, NY

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.

August 28th, 2011

Q: There is a famous hair transplant out there, Vice President, Joe Biden. How come it looks so unnatural? — W.S., Los Angeles, CA

A: With Joe Biden’s hair transplant a number of errors were made. Some were unavoidable due to the older technology and some were just poor planning. He had a hair transplant consisting mainly of large plugs because that was the way hair transplants were performed many years ago. But many of those plugs have now been fixed.

The persistent (but avoidable) problem is that Vice President Biden has a low, broad hairline. But when you see a low broad hairline one expects to see the rest of head to be covered with hair. But he didn’t have enough donor hair to accomplish this. With better planning, the hairline would have been more receded at the temples, producing a more natural, balanced look.

August 24th, 2011

Q: Can I use Toppik if I had a hair transplant?

A: Yes, but I would wait at least 5 to 7 days after the hair restoration procedure before applying Toppik, Couvre, Derm Match or other cosmetic camouflage products to the transplanted area. For the first 9 days after hair transplants, the cosmetic should be washed out very gently so as not to dislodge the grafts. At 10 days following the hair restoration, the grafts are permanently in place, so you may shampoo as vigorously as you would normally do when showering.

August 19th, 2011

Q: Have there been any lab studies proving that Saw Palmetto works to prevent hair loss?

A: There have been no verifiable clinical studies that show saw palmetto can stop hair loss or cause hair to re-grow. There have been some preliminary tests showing that saw palmetto may be able to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, but its usefulness for androgenetic hair loss has not been documented in controlled studies.

August 17th, 2011

Q: What is the main difference between NeoGraft and the ARTASâ„¢ robotic system? — H.T., Staten Island, NY

A: The Neograft device is basically a powered FUE tool. It is still done by hand and therefore risks operator induced errors and damage to hair follicles. The ARTAS System, made by Restoration Robotics, uses electronic image-based tracking capabilities to map the individual follicular units. It does so to determine the optimal approach for automated graft harvesting. The robotic harvesting device produces consistently high quality grafts and low dissection rates.

August 15th, 2011

Q: What is Saw Palmetto? — R.P., White Plains, NY

A: Saw Palmetto is a dwarf palm plant native to North America. The active ingredients can be found in the plant’s brown-black berries. It is proposed that it blocks the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). There is little scientific evidence that Saw Palmetto is actually effective for hair loss.

Read about the treatment of hair loss in men

August 12th, 2011

In this video clip, Dr. Bernstein discusses the importance of selecting a hair transplant doctor who views people as patients with a treatable condition, rather than as customer who is a hair transplant candidate.

August 11th, 2011

Q: Although I was prescribed Propecia, I have not yet started to take it. I would like to take it now, but my wife wants me to wait until after we have our second baby so as to avoid having the drug in my system when we conceive. She’s concerned that if it’s so harmful to pregnant women, that having it in my sperm is an issue. — L.V., Bellmore, New York

A: There is no evidence that if you take the medication it will affect the fetus. However, your wife should not ingest the drug or handle broken pills during pregnancy.



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