Q: How long will Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) treatments for hair loss last?
A: The studies submitted to the FDA looked at the effects of low level lasers over a 6-month period. There is no published data for use beyond this time period.
Therefore, the long-term effectiveness of these lasers in treating hair loss is not currently known.
Q: I have had thinning eyebrows since my early twenties (I am now 32) and they have gotten to the point that I can’t make them look good with mascara anymore. I am considering an eyebrow hair transplant, how is it different from other hair transplants? — C.C., Williamsburg, N.Y.
A: Eyebrow hair restoration procedures are similar to hair transplants to the scalp in that the hair, once transplanted, is permanent. They differ both in the techniques used to perform them and in the results.
Q: I have read that in the evaluation of a patient for hair restoration surgery some doctors use a densitometer to measure miniaturization – the decrease in size of hair diameters. I read that miniaturization is a sign of genetic hair loss, but when there is miniaturization of greater than 20% in the donor area, a person may not be a good candidate for hair transplants. Is this correct and does 20% miniaturization mean that 20% of the population of terminal hairs have become fine vellus-like hairs or that there is a 20% decrease in the actual diameter of each of the terminal hairs? — B.A., New Albany, Ohio
A: Miniaturization is the decrease in hair shaft length and diameter that results from the action of DHT on healthy, full thickness terminal hairs. The hairs eventually become so small that they resemble the fine, vellus hair normally present in small numbers on the scalp and body. Miniaturized hairs have little cosmetic value. Eventually miniaturized hairs will totally disappear. Twenty percent miniaturization refers to the observation, under densitometry, that 20% of the hairs in an area show some degree of decreased diameter.
Q: I had my second hair restoration procedure nearly 5 months back. New hair in the front part of the head is growing well, but the crown is growing slow. Is this common? Also does the new hair grow more slowly after second hair transplant procedure? — B.V., Richmond, U.K.
A: Yes, it is typical for hair in the crown to grow more slowly than the front and top of the scalp and the second procedure generally grows more slowly than the first.
Q: I had several prior hair transplants that left me with a pluggy look, I was hoping to re-utilize the removed hair and re-implant it, perhaps in the front as a new, more recessed hairline. It is possible? A: The hair from the excised grafts is always re-implanted. The grafts that are removed are dissected […]
Q: I had an old hair transplant and I’m hoping to remove these plugs and of course am concerned how much additional scarring would result. I’m wondering if removal of the total hair plugs (which are perhaps 2 or 3 mm in diameter) by coring them out would result in a lot of additional scarring. […]
Q: I’m male, early thirties and in the early stages of hair loss, too early for hair transplants. I am experiencing extreme shedding. I took Avodart for 6 weeks, but because of the shedding I stopped. Now, it still continues as strong as ever. I’ve been losing about 200 hairs every day in the shower. 3 months ago I had so much more hair, what is going on? I heard that shedding can happen, but not like this. Could this have caused telogen effluvium, or something else? — M.M., Boston, Massachussetts
A: Since Avodart (dutasteride) is a more potent medication than Propecia (finasteride), the shedding (telogen effluvium) may be more dramatic. If you have made a decision to use Avodart, then you need to tolerate this short-term effect. It should subside within the first 6 months on the drug.
Q: I stopped using Rogaine for my hair transplant, when can I start using it again? And would it be any different with the new Rogaine foam. — J.N., London, United Kingdom
A: I would wait at least 7 days to use Rogaine (minoxidil) in either liquid or foam.
The foam has less alcohol and can be irritating when applied to open wounds, but should be fine one week post-op.
Q: I heard that Rogaine only works on the crown and not on the front or top of the scalp. Is this true? — D.D., New Haven, Connecticut
A: Rogaine (Minoxidil) has the potential to work where ever there is miniaturized hair, either the front, top or crown (however, it will not work in areas that are completely devoid of hair).
Q: I had a hair transplant 4 days ago and am feeling itchy in the area where I have my grafts. When can I start massaging the area? — N.D., Warwick, R.I.
A: You can massage at 10 days post-op, as the grafts are firmly in place by this time, but I would not scratch the area for several weeks more, if at all.
Itching can be lessened by applying hydrocortisone 1% ointment to the area twice a day and by taking Benadryl 25mg every 4 to 6 hours (may cause drowsiness). Both medications can be obtained over-the-counter without a prescription.
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