Welcome to Dubai Hair Clinic

If you are suffering from male pattern baldness, wouldn’t you want to know everything and anything you can do about it. Unfortunately, detailed information is not easily available, and if it is available, most of it is geared towards directing you towards a certain form of treatment the author wishes you to undergo

17. Are there any other surgical procedures for hair restorations than hair transplant?

One thing you have to understand is, that once the hair start to grow, it does feel good. Imagine! You have been looking at the bald crown area and the receding hairline in the mirror for years, and wishing that was not the case. Now all of a sudden you see hair growing in these areas, as by pure magic. The hair you can touch and feel with your own fingers, and they look so natural. That aspect is quite thrilling for most of the patients who have undergone hair transplantation.

We will address all the above questions as we go along, may be you are anxious to know how the procedure is done? We will do just that, but before we do that let me explain to you, how we classify the extent of hair loss. This system was developed by Dr. Norwood, and is known as “ Norwood’s classification.”

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WHY SOME PEOPLE LOSE HAIR?

In majority of cases the hair loss is due to inheritance. In other words, the hair follicles are programmed to stop functioning at a certain age, and this programming is passed on to newer generations through mother or father. Though it is normal to lose some hair every day, when it becomes excessive, baldness ensues. An otherwise healthy male loses at an average approximately 70 to 85 hair per day (Range of approximately 50 to 160 hair), but we don’t even notice that, because the hair follicle grows a new hair after going through a resting phase.

Genetic programming causes the hair follicles to respond to a harmone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. The blood supply to the follicle is reduced and the hair becomes short and thin first, and then stops to grow altogether.

Although there are other causes of baldness, like certain drugs, illnesses, infections, and autoimmune disorders, inheritance is by far the most common cause, and amenable to surgical procedures. Burns and other trauma can cause hair loss as well, and may be improved by surgical means.

Both men and women can have hair loss, though the nature is different. In men there are certain patterns of hair loss as classified by Dr. Norwood. Women in general have overall lack of density rather than a well defined pattern, That is why it is difficult to treat women who have a generalized thinning, rather than a well defined area of hair loss. If women also have well defined areas of hair loss, that can be corrected with hair transplants as well.

NORWOOD'S CLASSIFICATION OF HAIR LOSS
		Receding Hairline
		Generalized frontal thinning
		Frontal area & crown balding
		Top of Scalp & crown balding
		Extensive hair loss with limited, yet viable donor area
		Severe hair loss, only rim of hair remains

This diagram is just to classify the extent of hair loss, each patient is different, and progression of hair loss is unpredictable. In other words it may slow down or stop altogether at any of the stages depicted in the picture. A consultation with a plastic surgeon will clarify the planning and strategy for an optimum outcome.

Hair loss is the most common cosmetic problem in the male population. It is natural that one will try simpler and cheaper alternatives first. No wonder billions of dollars are spent every year on ineffective treatments, including sprays, lotions, shampoos, and a myriad of other methods. Eventually the reality sets in and other more effective modalities are sought.

In general these are quick, but relatively cumbersome options. The main drawbacks are the ongoing maintenance, inability to play active sports, swim and discomfort in hot weather. They are suitable in certain categories of patients where either the donor site has insufficient hair, or they are reluctant to have hair transplantation. There are many patients who choose to have a there own natural hair, in such cases a transition can be accomplished gradually.

Rogaine is a topical solution, which is applied directly to the scalp twice a day. It is approved by the FDA, for use in both men and women for hair growth. The chance of success in growing new hair is limited, however it is effective in slowing down the hair loss process, and some surgeons incorporate Rogaine along with hair transplantation to expedite the growth of transplanted hair. Previously available only with a prescription in the USA, is now available over the counter.

This oral, pill is approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss. In contrast to Rogaine however it is available by prescription only, and is designed for men. The hair loss is halted, particularly in the vertex or crown region of the scalp, as the medication immediately blocks the production of DHT, the hormone responsible for hair loss. It may take many months for the effect to be visible, and the hair loss starts again when the treatment is discontinued. Propecia is an effective treatment for men in the younger age group, when the hair loss might have just begun, and propecia may delay the surgical intervention for a number of years. There are some minor side effects, including lowering of blood pressure and some cases of impotence.

A combination of hair transplantation and Propecia can be effective in delaying future hair loss. Various studies have shown the effectiveness of Propecia in terms of density, strength and thickness of the hair.

HAIR TRANSPLANTATION

Imagine if you have been looking at your balding head in the mirror for a number of years, and all of a sudden the hair start to grow as by magic, your own natural hair, requiring regular haircuts, shampoo etc. and no maintenance whatsoever. Wouldn’t you be thrilled?

That is exactly what happens. Satisfaction rate is high with hair transplantation, and the procedure is performed as a day procedure under local anesthesia. The hair grafts or follicles are harvested from the back of the head, dissected into micro and mini grafts and transplanted in the frontal and crown regions. The donor site is closed with sutures and usually leaves an invisible, and a hidden scar under the existing hair. Groups of follicles clumped together form what is called the “follicular units”, and give better density to the transplanted hair.

The design of the new hairline, placement and angle of the grafts, choice of micro and mini grafts, and the follicular units determines the final outcome from a mediocre to an excellent hair transplant result. The training, experience, and artistic inclination of the surgeons play an important role in the final outcome.

Hair transplantation is by far the most successful procedure today. It has satisfied, and brought happiness to millions of men of all ages throughout the world. The success rate in women depends upon proper selection of patients, as the needs and patterns are different compared to men.

In selected cases, one of the options is to surgically remove the hairless, crown area. The hair bearing scalp, stretches and covers the defect. Thus in one, or two procedures a significant area can be covered. Scalp reduction can be combined with scalp extension, where an extender is used to pull the scalp in the midline. The extender is inserted at the time of first reduction and removed with the second scalp reduction.

The procedure is effective and expeditious, but the resulting scar is a drawback, which may not be visible when the hair is dry, but with wet hair, it is obvious. It is a good procedure for Norwood class 6 patients, who are looking for a fuller head.