Los Angeles hair transplant surgeon - Multiplication of Hair by Dividing Hair Stem Cells. Is it possible

Q:

Hello this is a hot topic on hairsite.com, and I see from your website that you commented on it. According to Beverly Hills hair restoration patient, one rule of thumb if something works and is a consistent viable technique past patients that had the procedure would be coming on and talking about and be willing to show their results even in person.

It was like that when FUE was first introduced to the internet the community did not think it was a viable solution to hair loss says Los Angeles hair transplant surgeon! Well I know some difference since I had the procedure done in 2003 that was after going to seminars interviewing past patients and seeing them live in person. And look how many clinics offer it today so my question to you is why has this not happened with Dr. Ghos new technique being talked about in 2010?

I know back in 2003 he did not have anything viable even know there was much talk then. Just reporting my experiences and wanting your opinion since it is posted on your website.

http://ushairrestoration.com/follicular-stemcell-transplantation.php

Thanks,

A:

Over the last decade, hair stem cell research has improved and our understanding of the growth, cycling and death of hair follicles has definitely increased more noticeably in the last few years.  There are several centers in the world that actively pursue hair stem cell research for different purposes including producing new hair follicles, nervous system cells and so on. The fact is that despite of all the improvements we have had in last few years, we still do not have a perfect model for hair multiplication through culturing hair stem cells in vitro.

The previously leading institute for hair stem cell research was Intercytex, but they ended their efforts last year due to some difficulties which were not quite disclosed to public. We have been and still are involved in several clinical and laboratory studies in regards to hair stem cells and hair multiplications through the splitting of hair follicles.

In one study that we performed in Beverly Hills hair transplant, we divided the hair follicles vertically by micro-dissection techniques and implanted the two halves into normal skin.  We have not noticed significant growth out of any of these pieces.  Several other studies were done with the focus on splitting hair follicles horizontally, which is easier to perform with mixed result.  We at US Hair Restoration are collaborating in hair stem cell research with the Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles with emphasis on culturing one of the two different types of follicular stem cells.  The goal is to use the newly produced stem cells to grow new hair in vitro or in vivo.  According to Los Angeles hair transplant surgeon, the speed of growing and multiplication of follicular stem cells has been extremely slow which has been one of the problems we faced while using hair stem cell culture as one alternative method for medical hair restoration.

Dr. Gho’s presentation claimed that with monitoring and improving the techniques of the preservation’s medium, instruments and handling of the grafts, we might be able to improve the viability of the transplanted hair follicles. While this concept is interesting, in order to prove the validity of this claim we will need more evidence based documentation. They came up with a special method that claimed to preserve the hair follicles without affecting the characteristics of the hairs in the donor area, and thus presumed it was possible to get more viable hair from the limited permanent hair follicles of each person. They called this technique “Hair Stem cell Transplantation®” and announced that it may represent the very first patient friendly method to multiply hair follicles while still preserving the donor area.

I would like to believe claims of this kind, because I more than anyone understand the challenge of treating patients who do not have the adequate number of donor hairs for their ideal hair restoration.  However, I would rather wait to see more significant scientific proofs to claims of this kind before I consider them as viable options for the treatment of patterned hair loss.

Hair transplant surgery - Steps to Successful Hair Transplant Surgery

In recent years, there has been a growing popularity in the hair transplant. This is a procedure performed by highly trained doctors, and can dramatically change the appearance of thinning or balding areas on the scalp. The procedure can have great success and the patient’s hair can look as natural as it would if it were never performed. Most cannot even tell that the person had the transplant surgery done.

There are steps that need to be taken before the patient can go through hair transplant surgery. The candidate must have a consultation with the doctor so the physician can assess if the patient meets the requirements for this type of surgical procedure. The doctor will need to check past medical history, current medications, and any past procedures that have been done, if any, to the scalp. If the candidate is approved for the procedure, they will have to have blood work done prior to the day of the surgery.

The actual procedure could take 5-6 hours. During the surgery, the patient is put under a local anesthesia, and once the patient is prepped and ready, the doctor will take a small strip of the patient’s scalp where there are healthy hair follicles and remove it. The removed strip is then sent so the hair follicles can be prepared. Once that is complete, the healthy follicles are then transplanted back onto the scalp, to an area where the hair is thinning or balding. This then completes the hair restoration procedure.

The transplanted hair takes about 5 days to successfully attach to the scalp. The patient will be given mediation to apply to the affected areas and will have to be careful with the scalp until it has healed. Essentially, the patient must take the necessary caution to make sure the hair heals and remains transplanted. The entire healing process should take about 7-10 days.

Hair restoration is a big decision that should not be entered into without proper research. A patient is strongly advised to visit their local hair transplant center and review all of the information and make sure they have chosen the right doctor for the job. The center will be able to go over the steps of the procedure, what to expect after, and the costs associated with the surgery. Scheduling a consultation is the first step and will help the patient find the right physician for them.