Latest Developments In Hair Transplantation

Your Hair Could Betray You: Identification By Hair

A technique quicker that DNA testing has been developed by an MSc student Lily Huang used to identify human hair. Hair is a stable tool for identification since it cannot contaminate or deteriorate easily like blood. The procedure for testing takes only 85 seconds. It involves grinding the hair, burning it and analyzing the vapor produced. The initial tests have exhibited 100% success rates.

Use Of Laser For Hair Growth

Use of low level laser therapy helps rejuvenate dying hair follicles. Laser technology energizes weakened hair follicles by initiating protein synthesis and mobilizes calcium ions within the hair follicle, improves Adenosine TriPhosphate production in the cell, as well as enhancing blood circulation hence better nutrition of the follicles.

Some of the available instruments used at home to regenerate hair growth are Laser Combs (Hair Max),Laser Brush (Sunetics),iGrow (Apira Science) and Laser helmet LH80 PRO (Theradome). Use of laser is advantageous because it is drug free and not invasive.

Cell Based Hair Follicle Regeneration

This new development involves growing hair follicle cells in the lab; then placing back those cells into the scalp. Results show that 60% of the participants had more hair after one year.

Multiplication Of Epithelial Stem Cells

Hair loss could be a resolvable problem in ten years, says Dr. Xu. Penn medicine and new Jersey Institute of Technology, is working on a method to multiply epithelial stem cells. This process involves adding 3 genes to the dermal fibroblasts, and converting them to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The iPSC cells have the capability of differentiating into any cell in the body; in this case epithelial cells.

These produces cells were then tested on mice by mixing them with dermal papillae cells from mice and grafting the cells on the mice skin. The cells produced human epidermis and hair follicles. The challenge now lays in maintenance and amplification of human dermal papillae cells.

Robotic Hair Transplant

Robotic hair transplant aims to reduce the human error of damaging the follicles, by its precision capabilities. Robots are used in separating hair follicles from the surrounding tissue and also selecting the best grafts to transplant.

The robot uses a 3D optical technology and image processing systems to select and extract the follicular units from the scalp. There’s also a tensioner that stretches the skin to hold it firm in place so that the robot can scan the area, to visualize the follicular units; aligns the blade to the angle of the follicles and makes an incision around the follicle. The rest of the procedure is done manually. 

Latisse

The process involves re-growing hair follicles using Latisse; a drug used to re-grow eyelashes. The drawback is the inability of the medication to penetrate the scalp.

PRP

PRP is platelet rich plasma therapy. Vampire PRP involves the use of blood extracted from the patient. The blood is processed in a centrifuge to produce PRP which is a powerful growth factor. PRP is then injected into different parts of the scalp under local anesthesia, resulting to faster hair growth.

Combination Therapy

Combination of different solutions may yield a better outcome. Hair re-growth medicine e.g Latisse can be combined with a drug that blocks the hormones responsible for hair loss. Such kind of drug is the drug for treating asthma and allergies.

Mechanotherapy: Scalp Exercise Improves Hair Growth

Paul Hagerty explains that scalp exercise can improve hair growth. It works by quickening blood flow in the scalp skin, it strengthens the walls of the vessels that nourish the hair follicles and increases the elasticity of the scalp; stopping the shrinking of the hair follicles.

Sapphire FUE

Sapphire FUE Hair Transplant is one of the modern trending hair transplant technique performed at our Clinic. It is hair transplantation performed using special devices manufactured from the gemstone sapphire/ sapphire mineral via FUE technique, resulting in a better and perfectly natural looking finish.

During Sapphire FUE technique, hair follicles are taken with the FUE technique, before being placed in the bald area, micro channels are opened into the scalp of the recipient and the follicles are implanted in these minuscule channels.

Modified FUE

Dr. Civas’ constant education and the experiences have made him develop a modified FUE technique which he uses on his hair replacement patients. In the FUE technique, hair follicles are obtained from the donor area one by one by making tiny incisions around the hair follicles and extracting those using special punches. Modified FUE technique is strongly recommended for our patients.