In order to protect our patients, doctors and staff, we have installed a UV purification system to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19.
This advanced technology uses the energy from a specially designed, high-intensity UV-C lamp to reduce microorganisms in the entire office as they cycle through the HVAC system.
The UV lamp mounted inside the air duct neutralizes a microorganism’s DNA and stops it from replicating. The UV system sterilizes or kills most contaminants as they pass by the lamp. It is especially effective in destroying viruses.
Here are additional benefits of our air filtration system:
Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration is pleased to announce that we have, once again, been certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
The three-year accreditation is granted to medical centers that demonstrate high standards in delivering patient care, expert record keeping, the most rigorous safety protocols, as well as a commitment to developing new ways to provide optimum service to our patients.
The certificate states that the accreditation is in recognition of our:
Commitment to high quality of care and substantial compliance with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care standards for office-based surgical practices.
Accreditation remains an important aspect in the continued growth and success of our state-of-the-art hair restoration practice. This designation from the AAAHC signifies that Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration has met the rigorous standards of a nationally recognized third party.
Dr. Bernstein is quoted extensively in an article on robotic hair transplantation in the online magazine American Health & Beauty.
ARTAS Robotic FUE Imaging System Click for larger version
In “ARTAS: A Faster and More Accurate Hair Transplant Using Robotics?” Dr. Bernstein explains the benefits of robotic FUE over traditional FUE hair transplant procedures. He describes how the new robotic device overcomes some important limitations of FUE when performed manually. To better understand the role of the new instrument, Dr. Bernstein simplifies the FUE procedure into four basic steps and discusses where the image-guided robotic system fits into this process.
Dr. Bernstein explains how the new technology enables the robotic device to preserve follicular units and minimize damage to grafts though its image-guided system.
“ARTAS allows us to do the FUE procedure with much less damage to the graft which means much healthier grafts. Grafted follicles extracted by ARTAS are not cut, which has been a problem with FUE, but the grafted follicular units are actually chunkier with more protective tissue around them, resulting in a better graft survival with the robotic FUE vs. doing FUE manually,” says Dr. Bernstein.
Follicular Unit Grafts Removed by ARTAS Robotic System Click for larger version
In addition to extracting grafts that have a higher chance of surviving the extraction and transplantation process, the article discusses the increased speed and accuracy of the automated procedure, as well as the safety mechanisms built into the robotic unit.
Always with an eye towards the future of hair transplantation, Dr. Bernstein predicts what he sees as an inevitable rise in the use of robotics in the field:
“I imagine that within a relatively short time, everybody will be offering the robot-assisted device when considering FUE procedures, because it’s just a better way of doing it: more accurate, quicker extraction and healthier grafts.”
The ARTAS System, developed by the California-based Restoration Robotics, Inc., will be available for FUE hair transplant procedures at Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration in November 2011.
A: Allergan, the company that makes Latisse, conducted safety and efficacy testing of three formulations of the drug for men with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). Latisse is a drug that is approved by the FDA to help eyelash growth at a concentration of 0.03 %. The drug is applied daily to the upper eyelid.
Allergan studied the results of three formulations of Latisse (Bimatoprost .03% Opthalmic Solution) comparing them to results of a control option and also an over-the-counter minoxidil 5% solution. The drugs were applied directly to the scalp, and the progression of hair loss was measured.
This study began in June 2011 and the results were published in April 2014. The results of the study did not indicate that Latisse would be a viable alternative to use on the scalp to prevent hair loss.
It should also be noted that the cost of bimatoprost, the active ingredient in Latisse is significantly more expensive than minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine. This means that even if the two treatments were equally effective, it would be cost-prohibitive to treat baldness with Latisse.
Latisee (Bimatoprost .03% Opthalmic Solution) has not been FDA approved for the treatment of scalp hair loss.
For more information, view the results and details of the study on ClinicalTrials.gov .
Q: What are the major obstacles for scientists to cloning hair?
A: The main problem is that the cultured cells may lose their phenotype with multiple passages, i.e. lose their ability to differentiate into hair follicles after they have been multiplied.
Another problem of hair cloning is that the orientation of hair direction must be controlled. With mouse experiments, the hairs grow at all different directions. Scientists need to find a way to align the hair so that it grows in the right direction. Hair, of course, must also be of a quality that is cosmetically acceptable and matches the patient existing hair. And the hair should grow in follicular units. Individual hairs will not give the fullness or natural look of follicular units.
Another problem is the issue of safety. Are we sure that cultured cells may not turn into something else – such as malignancy cells with uncontrolled growth?
Finally, FDA approval would be required and this takes time. It is true that you do not need FDA approval for using your own hair, such as a hair transplant; however, when you take cells from the body and manipulate it in the lab, this requires FDA approval.
Q: My query is prompted by your answer to another query “Is Avodart Safe?” My son, who is in his mid-20s, has been taking Dutasteride for hair loss for about two years now. He had tried Finasteride earlier but without much benefit. Medical supervision regarding Dutasteride is not available in Australia as the drug has not been released here yet. — N.V., Melbourne, Australia
I am concerned by your remarks that there is no biologic model to show the long-term safety of Dutasteride (as opposed to Finasteride). Would you suggest that he goes back to taking Finasteride? We would be grateful for your advice.
A: It is a tough call as I have never met or examined your son, so I can only offer an opinion based on limited information. If you feel your son will be emotionally or socially debilitated by the hair loss, then I think that it may be worth the risk (if there is any) of taking the medication; otherwise, I would use Finasteride.
Please keep in mind that you don’t need to make the final decision now. You may want to defer the decision until he is 28 or so, at time when he is more mature. It is a tough call. Please let me know what you decide.
Q: My friend is taking Avodart, he bought it over the internet. Is it safe to take? — T.G., Denver, Colorado
A:Avodart (dutasteride 0.5mg) was approved by the FDA for the treatment of prostate enlargement in men in 2002. Avodart has not been approved for the treatment of androgenetic hair loss, although physicians can use an approved medication in ways other than for which it was specifically approved. That said, the use of dutasteride certainly requires a doctor’s supervision.
Like finasteride (the active ingredient in Proscar and Propecia), dutasteride blocks the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that converts testosterone to DHT (DHT is a key hormone that causes hair loss). However, unlike finasteride, which only inhibits the Type I form of the enzyme, dutasteride inhibits both the Type I and Type II forms. This combined effect lowers circulating DHT more with dutasteride than with finasteride, but also increases the incidence of its side effects.
The Type II form of the enzyme (blocked by finasteride) is found predominantly in the hair follicle. The Type I form of the enzyme has been found in the scalp and sebaceous glands, and many other parts of the body, but its exact role in hair growth has not been determined. It is felt that dutasteride’s ability to dramatically lower serum levels of DHT is what makes it a more potent medication in hair loss.
When considering the safety of dutasteride, one should consider the following:
It acts on other parts of the body besides the hair follicle.
Unlike finasteride, where families that had a deficiency of the Type II 5-alpha reductase enzyme were followed for years without any adverse effects, there is no natural biologic model to show the safety of dutasteride.
Dutasteride has been approved for prostate enlargement in an older male population. It is not approved for hair loss and, in fact, the clinical trials for hair loss were discontinued, so there is no safety data for its use in younger patients. There is a greater incidence of sexual side effects with dutasteride compared to finasteride.
The 1/2 life of dutasteride is 5 weeks compared to 6-8 hours for finasteride. Serum concentrations of dutasteride are detectable up to 4-6 months after discontinuation of treatment.
Q: I have early thinning on the top of my scalp and I was told to use Propecia, but I heard that is was only for men. What do you think? — T.G., Staten Island, NY
A: Women can’t take Propecia during the child-bearing years because, if ingested, it can cause birth defects in male offspring.
In post-menopausal women, where we see the greatest frequency of hair loss, it doesn’t seem to be effective.
In pre-menopausal women who do not plan to become pregnant or who already have children, we are still cautious about using the medication, since there effectiveness has not been proven and its long-term safety in this population has not been tested.
Q: Will I be unconscious during the hair transplant procedure and do you use general anesthesia? – C.L., Boston, Massachusetts
A: All of the surgical hair restoration procedures at Bernstein Medical are performed under local anesthesia. The fact that general anesthesia is not needed is what makes hair transplant procedures – even though they are long – very safe.
Patients are given a sedative to help them relax, but they are not put to sleep. Most patients watch TV, see movies or just chat during the procedure.
UV air purification system
