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THE FUTURE OF HAIR RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY

In recent years, hair transplant treatments have undergone a significant transformation. If you’re considering hair restoration therapy, chances are you’re looking for a natural-looking hairline with suitable density. Thanks to advancements in technology, multiple new techniques yield incredibly realistic outcomes.

Opting to undergo hair restoration is an important and personal decision, and finding a reputable clinic to undertake your hair transplant procedure can be challenging. With MAXIM Hair Restoration, which specializes in various hair transplant treatments and hair-related services, you can rest assured you’re in good hands. Hair Transplant Surgeons and clinicians use both surgical and nonsurgical hair restoration techniques, such as Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), SMP, FUT, or FUE hair transplants, and frequently combine several approaches to get the best possible outcomes.  Let’s go through each of these advanced hair transplant techniques in further detail.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

During this hair restoration surgery, one hair graft, or Follicular Unit, is taken and implanted at a time. WAW FUE, Ellis FUE, the Cole FUE System, the SAFE FUE System, and the ATERA are examples of modern technology used in the FUE technique. At MAXIM’s clinic, a hair transplant expert performs FUE hair surgery [1] under a local anesthetic. Hair transplant technicians aid the specialist. You can listen to music during your hair restoration operation, talk to the crew, or talk on your mobile phone. You can even take a siesta. 

Follicular unit extraction or excision (FUE) is one of the most advanced hair transplant techniques and has several benefits. It’s less invasive than other kinds of hair transplants and there are no noticeable linear scars or sutures, so it delivers a natural appearance and allows a hair transplant doctor or clinician to transplant up to 4,000 grafts at once. After the procedure is finished, you can return to work quickly—there isn’t much follow-up treatment.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

FUT is a hair restoration [2] technique that allows MAXIM hair transplant doctors to undertake long hair transplants. It is also known as The Strip hair transplant method. FUT entails removing a strip of hair and tissue (skin) from the rear side of your head, commonly known as the donor site. Individual hair transplants are detached from this strip of hair and implanted into balding and thinning areas of the head. 

Each graft, also known as micrografts, comprises one to three hair follicles, and the operation is commonly known as micro-follicular hair transplantation.  At one time, each graft comprised five to 10 hair follicles and each graft was called a plug. They resembled doll hair and were easily identifiable as transplanted hair to the naked eye. With micrografting, this is no longer an issue.

The FUT method is well-known, well-proven, and regarded as an established performer, especially for those who are seeking longer sessions of up to 4,000 grafts at once and a thicker, fuller outcome. This surgical hair restoration is a realistic, durable, and cost-effective option.

3D Scalp Micropigmentation

3D Scalp Micropigmentation or the SMP process is a non-surgical approach that injects pigment into the scalp using microneedles and a stroke technique to mimic small hair follicles and the appearance of natural hair. There is no bleeding since a topical anesthetic is administered.

Hybrid Procedure

Under this technique, your hair transplant doctor will create a personalized treatment plan for you. For the desired outcome, hybrid hair replacement treatments are made in conjunction with or within a short time span of each other. This may require more sessions than other types of treatment. The best hair loss therapy is a mix of surgical hair transplants and nonsurgical therapies. To help you feel comfortable during the process, topical and local anesthetics will most likely be used throughout the surgeries.

The results of a hybrid procedure are often better because of the mix of hair restoration treatments they use. In this type of treatment, it’s possible to enhance your hair’s density and texture. You’ll also be treated by a team of hair transplant physicians and hair restoration specialists, as well as other medical technicians. Compared to one-size-fits-all treatments, the hybrid technique represents a distinct approach at MAXIM.

Facial Hair Transplant

Depending on the patient’s needs, area to be covered, skin texture, donor site, and medical history, facial hair transplant surgeons use different procedures for eyebrow, face, mustache, and beard hair transplants. MAXIM’s hair transplant specialist may recommend FUE or FUT hair transplants or nonsurgical options such as SMP or micro-pigmentation. They may also recommend a mix of surgical and non-surgical hair restoration procedures. This will be assessed by our team of experts during your hair restoration consultation appointment. 

Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT)

CIT is a minimally invasive process that increases collagen synthesis in the scalp, resulting in rejuvenated hair follicles and improved hair health. A doctor performs this procedure using a topical anesthetic, which can be paired with a hair transplant. There is minimum preparation for this procedure, and it’s followed by applying a healing serum.

PDO-MAX

PDO-MAX is a hybrid nonsurgical scalp rejuvenation technology developed by MAXIM that combines three separate procedures: Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), Microneedling (CIT), and PDO threading. In this procedure, growth factors are isolated in high concentrations. Then blood is taken and processed via an elaborate, cutting-edge centrifuge that employs dual-spin technology. Afterward, the scalp is numbed with a ring block before the regenerating serum is injected across it. Threads are then inserted into the location undergoing treatment. The threads are triggered and then removed. Afterward, the residual regenerating serum is administered topically. 

Other emerging and future include A.I. diagnostics and robotic hair restoration although its limited by session size (no. of grafts). Futuristic technologies follicular multiplication, cloning, autologous therapy and others although many of these are still in their research stage. 

The current and future prospects for hair transplant treatments are possibly brighter than ever. To overcome the trauma and anxiety associated with hair loss, you can reach out to MAXIM Hair Restoration, where seasoned hair transplant surgeons and hair restoration technicians can help you make informed decisions and provide you with safe and effective hair transplant treatments. If you’re interested in learning more about your treatment options, get in touch with MAXIM’s reputed and friendly staff for a free consultation.


Footnotes

1. Dua, Aman & Dua, Kapil. (2010). Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956961/

2. Yetman, Daniel. (2020). What You Need to Know About Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). https://www.healthline.com/health/fut-hair-transplant

WTF IS IN MY HAIR? THE REAL IMPACT OF DHT

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a genetic predisposition to hair loss that occurs after puberty. Essentially, your hair is damaged by your body’s reaction to androgen over-sensitivity.  The body’s reactions are inappropriate and lead to various malfunctions and, ultimately, the death of your beloved hair. While most people with male pattern baldness are familiar with the abbreviation DHT, very few are aware of how it actually impacts your hair and what options can help slow or even reverse hair loss. DHT stands for dihydrotestosterone, which is an androgen and metabolite of the male sex hormone testosterone. This may be confusing if you consider that over 30% of women experience hair loss secondary to androgenetic alopecia, but unfortunately, AGA does not discriminate. Now, let’s take a closer look at WTF DHT is doing to your hair and a common misguided treatment approach for hair loss.

WTF is DHT?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the most potent of the androgens. It’s considered a pure androgen due to its inability to aromatize. That means that, unlike testosterone and other androgens, it does not convert into estrogen. DHT is an important sex hormone that plays an essential role in the sexual development of male genitalia. Even into adulthood, DHT plays a major role in prostate function, body hair, facial hair, and, unfortunately…male and female pattern baldness. If you are a woman reading this, even though DHT can impact your hair too, it doesn’t play a significant role in your overall body function and development. In addition to DHT being unable to aromatize, it also has a long half-life, it is slow to dissolve, and aggressively adheres to androgen receptor sites. Unfortunately for those with the genetic pattern of hair loss, this means it will progressively damage your hair faster than your body can disassociate with the hormone.

So WTF is DHT Doing to Your Follicles?

As unfortunate as pattern loss is, the process by which DHT destroys your crowning glory is fascinating. It’s also extremely intricate and most health care providers do not properly educate patients as to what is occurring inside of their scalp, opting instead to take one-track approaches to treatment. Of course, a complex problem usually requires a complex solution, and one medication or compound is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

DHT is most abundantly found in peripheral locations, such as the scalp, where it adheres to androgen receptor sites on the hair follicle and begins altering the functionality of the organs’ key components. Most importantly, it begins breaking down the dermal papilla, which is essentially the brain of your hair follicle. The dermal papilla induces hair growth and regulates hair cycles. It’s also responsible for the regeneration of the follicle and proper hair pigmentation, and it’s a significant reservoir of multipotent MSCs. Now, it’s important to understand that hair loss is a progressive issue, and the simplest explanation for why it’s progressive is due to the slow disposal of DHT once it adheres to an androgen receptor. When your hair follicle’s receptor sites are saturated, it doesn’t simply “cap” out. Instead, every time it goes through the growth cycle and begins to develop again, it tries to adapt to the androgenic needs of its environment, creating more receptor sites to uptake even more DHT. Most believe that DHT simply adheres to the hair and begins to destroy it, but the truth is that DHT does significant damage both indirectly and directly, affecting the environment and various functional mechanics of the hair organ.

Due to the genetic sensitivity to DHT, your body reads the DHT as something that doesn’t belong in the hair follicle, and it responds by triggering inflammation in an effort to dispose of it. Ultimately, this leads to chronic inflammation. Inflammation serves as a response with one of two primary functions. Function 1 focuses on migrating healing growth factors to the damaged tissue. Function 2 is an immunological response to foreign bodies that don’t belong, in which it will try to devour and remove anything it sees that is out of place. In the case of AGA, the entire environment is attacked by this inflammation, slowly causing hair loss.

Next, the inflammation and DHT both have a negative impact on the dermal papilla’s ability to properly signal growth cycles and regenerative body mechanics. This means that the growth cycle of the hair begins to shorten, and the resting phase begins to elongate. These quicker overall shifts through the cycles expose the follicles to damage because DHT is adhering to receptor sites more frequently over a shorter period of time. Eventually, the hair will stop growing altogether and the organ will begin to atrophy and die. 

Now, you’re probably thinking that it couldn’t possibly get any more intricately destructive than that, right? Well, it does. The broken signaling leads to imbalanced calcification regulators and when you throw in the chronic inflammation, it begins to cause an increase in fibrosis. Fibrosis is the formation of connective tissue in light of an injury that normally aids in healing (think of scarring). In this case, it does quite the opposite. The fibrosis and over calcification begin to harden the tissue of the scalp and crowd the environment, restricting blood flow to the scalp. If you have ever seen an older man’s bald scalp, you might have wondered why it’s leathery and ultra-thick. This is the precise reason why.

Think of it this way, in the iron ages of castle sieges, one of the most widely adopted strategies for success was to cut off the trade routes to prevent the defending soldiers from getting food and water. This is essentially what’s happening in your scalp, except it’s worse because your blood also carries oxygen to your tissue. In other words, decreased blood flow means fewer nutrients and less oxygen, which means more cellular death and a quicker decline in scalp health. To summarize this analogy, you will increasingly mourn the death of your beloved soldiers.

Well, WTF Do You Do To Treat It?

First, we start with the cause: DHT! This is ironically the most simple part of the complex process of treatment, although it’s often ignored by dermatologists, who tend to favor steroidal treatments that focus on inflammation instead. In men, you can use alpha5-reductase-inhibitors such as fin######## to block roughly 70% of DHT metabolization by inhibiting the enzyme that causes testosterone to DHT conversion. This is typically prescribed for hair loss as 1mg orally per day. In some men, if caught early enough, this can be sufficient to stop hair loss. In others, it can even reverse the miniaturization of follicles and cause the hair to grow back healthily. Since you are here reading this article, it’s probably safe to assume that you have read the flaccid and impotent horror stories of fin########. While there is validity to these stories, it is a rare occurrence in men, but we still don’t recommend taking that risk. After all, what’s the point in hair if you lose your sexual function? 

Joking aside, MAXIM formulated a topical solution with 0.01% fin########, 6% minoxidil, caffeine, biotin, and hair & skin growth peptides to combat hair loss. When you take the pill, the dosage is significantly higher than spot treatments because it passes through your liver and bloodstream twice, systemically blocking DHT conversion and a small dose would not effectively reach peripheral organs such as the hair. This is why rare sexual side effects can occur in some men, because it will systemically decrease serum DHT. However, with the topical solution, instead of 1mg pills, the compound contains just 0.01% fin########, which translates to 0.1 milligrams/ml. Yes, it’s only a fractional 10th of the drug that the oral contains per dose. You would use it twice a day, which equates to 0.2mg per day, as opposed to 1mg. Because of this, and the directional focus of the topical using liposomal technology to deliver the medication to the hair follicle, there is a dramatically lower risk of seeing a systemic decrease in serum DHT and subsequently, a significant decrease in side effects. 

Fun side note: this topical also shows to be 2% more effective at blocking the DHT conversion. Hopefully, you aren’t like I once was, too bogged down learning about patient care and medicine to notice that you lost most of your hair (which I have since restored, for the record). If you are, you will have to live with the realization that a transplant may be necessary to restore the lost hair, and fin######## alone cannot regrow what has since died and left the building. If you are somewhat early, but still have some cascading damage caused by putting off your hair loss for too long, you will need to treat the chronic remnants of DHT, such as inflammation, which can also worsen due to the fibrosis and calcification. I know…it comes full circle and keeps getting better, right? The good news is that it’s okay. Many people are still in a good stage to restore their hair without any transplant whatsoever. Others may need a small FUE and non-surgical treatments.

So let’s recap, we have identified 5 core components to DHT induced hair loss:

  1. Chronic inflammation
  2. Decreased blood flow
  3. Over calcification
  4. Over fibrosis
  5. Broken cell signaling

Let’s address the treatments accordingly:

  1. Chronic inflammation: If you have gone to a dermatologist, they are likely to try or mention the possibility of using steroidal creams or injections to treat your hair loss. Unfortunately, this is mostly due to a very basic understanding of what’s occurring beneath the surface. The reality is that many people are likely to see a noticeable result in a relatively short period of time. However, there is a caveat in which this treatment is rife with detrimental consequences. 

This is a classic case of treating a symptom, not the cause. By using steroids, you are only temporarily suspending symptoms and damage that are secondary to the cause (inflammation caused by DHT) and tertiary (damage actively caused by inflammation) instead of the root cause. Now you might wonder if you can just continue using steroids to prevent the inflammatory response, and the answer is both yes and no. You can, but it will slowly degrade your scalp, and eventually, this will induce hair death as well. 

The answer for how to treat the inflammation is simple: stay well hydrated, make sure you eat in a way that aids in the prevention of negative inflammation, and most importantly – TREAT THE CAUSE!

       2-5.) 

Decreased blood flow, over calcification, over fibrosis, and broken cell signaling: Please note that treatments for #2 also treat symptoms #3,  #4, & #5, which are caused by #1 and #5. It’s important to understand that these “symptoms” may also become a permanent issue if not treated as if they were an independent issue. Tissue perfusion is the essence of life within our bodies. Blood carries nutrients, oxygen, water, and just about every important healing factor through your body. There are several ways to improve blood flow to the scalp. The simplest method is to use a topical such as minoxidil, which effectively induces vasodilation. However, this has limitations because you will still have to deal with the inflammation, calcification, and fibrosis constricting blood flow. To really treat the decreased blood flow, I repeat, we have to treat the cause. 

The fibrosis and calcification cannot be treated through medications alone, as they will remain present even if you treat the DHT. However, it can be accomplished through collagen induction therapies where we cause calculated microtrauma to the scalp, extracting natural growth factors and healing molecules from the body for reinjection, placing dissolvable foreign bodies into the scalp, and/or extracting healing mechanics through micrografting of hair follicles. These therapies are akin to biohacking, tricking your body into producing and migrating growth factors and healing molecules to acutely heal the intentionally damaged areas. This also aids in better tissue perfusion because, you guessed it, it uses the blood vessels to transport the healing mechanisms. 

In order for your body to utilize the faltering vessels the body will recognize that it must first repair them. In other words, all of these measures induce angiogenesis and activate fibroblasts, which produce collagen and initiate positive tissue degradation, effectively breaking down fibrotic tissue in addition to the calcifications. 

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from old vessels. Now, this doesn’t mean that it simply rebuilds the old road with some patchwork and replacement concrete. It also forms brand new bifurcations, like a multi-directional fork in the road, allowing for various paths of less resistance to allow for improved tissue perfusion.

I know that I said there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and you might have gathered that by reading subsection #2 where several treatments are mentioned. The reason for this is that many of the delivery methods and treatment options require one of the conjunctive treatments to function optimally. Subsequently, all of these areas of contention are treated during these combinative processes. 

Micrografting and mechanical dissection of the dermal papilla is the only treatment mentioned above that directly impacts the cell signaling functions. This procedure works by extracting hair follicles from your donor area, which are not responsive to DHT and typically remain in good health. After extraction, the dermal papillae from the follicles are mechanically dissected, forcing them to release hair follicle-specific growth factors while emptying its healing reservoirs into saline solution, which is reintroduced to the damaged tissue in your area of hair loss. This can aid in the dermal papilla’s ability to restore signaling.

If you’re tired of wondering WTF your hair has gone, or WTF has happened to your hair, MAXIM is here to help. At MAXIM, we offer complimentary consultations with a focus on education first. We will sit with you to discuss your goals, analyze and explain the stage of progression you are at, and provide the most appropriate clinical pathway to reach your desired goals. Please call us or chat with us online to schedule your consultation with our team of hair restoration experts.

Authored by Joseph Hart, BSN, RN

HAIR TRANSPLANTS FOR CURLY HAIR

Do you think a hair transplant is an option for someone with curly hair? The answer is a loud yes! It is feasible for people with curly hair. This hair transplant surgery used to be extremely difficult for this group, which primarily includes people of African American origin, Middle Easterners, a few Hispanics, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and other ethnic communities. The experiences were not very enthusiastic — transection rates were high and transplant survival rates were minimal. Patient satisfaction used to take the brunt. 

However, hair transplant surgeries now can manage all hair contours and textures for both men and women. Although the treatment is more complicated and detailed than the straight hair category, the look of a denser, thicker head full of hair is very much possible for curly-haired people.

The Significance of Hair Structure in a Hair Transplant

The hair structure is secondary in a hair transplant. All hair follicles that are healthy and alive can be transplanted. It makes little difference whether the hair is straight or curly.

Having said that, curly hair is so much more challenging to manage during hair transplant surgery because there is a greater possibility of hair shaft dissection (inadvertent cutting or damaging of the hair bulb) during the procedure. Nevertheless, a seasoned hair transplant surgery staff that utilizes the technology effectively and has types of equipment designed for curly hair can significantly decrease the transection rate and generate a much better outcome to adequately take care of the bald spot and strengthen one’s self-esteem.

Benefits of Curly Hair Transplant Surgery

Curly hair has a high density of hair per follicular unit, making it simple to cover bald spots with fewer follicular units than straight hair. This implies that, in comparison to those with straight hair, you will require fewer procedures to rebuild your hairline. Therefore, curly hair makes the surgeon’s job much easier because it takes less time.

Curly hair transplants also produce more hair than straight hair transplants. This is due to the curls creating the appearance of voluminous hair in the balding area.

Problems Associated With Curly Hair Transplants

Due to the nature of hair follicles, curly hair transplants are intricate procedures that necessitate high accuracy and diligence. Because curly hair spirals from the edge to the root, extracting and implanting it necessitates extreme caution. This also raises the chances of hair not adjusting to its new surroundings, resulting in an apparent unnatural appearance if the operation is not performed correctly.

Furthermore, African American hair is curly with a distinct root. Compared to Asian or Caucasian hair, this presents a unique post-harvest challenge. Because the roots of African American hair are prone to damage because of the curl, special attention and care to specifics must be given when extracting donor hair from the nape of the neck or the sides to ensure the hair bulbs are not compromised or transected. A hair transplant surgeon with vast experience with African American hair, an excellent eye for precision, and a knowledge of creating hairlines with horizontal, sleek edges are required for the operation.

Best Hair Transplant for Curly Hair Type

As mentioned above, curly and wavy hair requires a great deal of competence on the surgeon’s behalf. When transplanting curly hair, the doctor must ensure that the individual grafts are transplanted at the perfect angle, so the curls afterward lie correctly. When looking at natural curls, you will notice that not each hair is especially wavy, but an entire lot of hair has the same wavy look.

Another difficulty is transplanting very curly hair. Such hair follicles grow a little curved underneath the scalp. Hair transplant using follicular unit extraction (FUE) can be complicated. This is especially true if the hair transplant surgeon or clinician is new to the procedure.

Therefore, it is a widespread belief that follicular unit transplantation (FUT) [1] is the best method for transplanting curly hair. Follicular unit transplantation is a surgical technique in which your surgeon takes out a small strip of hair follicles. The hair follicles are then prepared for transplant in the balding area. You might be surprised to learn that this treatment option gives you fuller hair for life.

It is quite apparent that it is not possible to collect a single hair follicle with curly hair — hence the surgeon gathers the strip of skin with follicles during this follicular unit transplantation, which is why FUT is such a well-accepted procedure for curly hair transplant. 

Post Operation Recovery

The donor region might be sore for almost a week after the surgery, or patients may encounter numbness in the donor site. Throughout this time, you should also expect some inflammation and swelling. Patients should begin gently rinsing the recipient site two days after treatment — this is crucial for preventing the formation of scabs. Scabs that form and stick to the scalp and hair may result in the loss of freshly transplanted hair follicles. 

Also, doctors may prescribe post-operative medications to help relieve your pain. In general, it is best to rest and avoid intense exercise and other hard manual work for a minimum of a week or 10 days.

The majority of patients can get back to jobs and resume normal activities in a few days after their hair transplant operation. Ensure that you follow any aftercare directions given by the doctor.

Is There a Change in the Structure of the Hair After a Hair Transplant?

The structure of the hair does not modify after hair transplantation. The donor site’s hair will almost have the same structure always as the recipient balding site’s hair.

If the individual follicular units are grafted using the FUE [2] technique, the patient’s hairs usually grow several few months after hair transplant. You will not be able to distinguish between your transplanted hair and your natural hair. That is one benefit of choosing a more challenging FUE technique for curly hair. 

If you want to know more about how curly hair transplant works, don’t hesitate to contact us at MAXIM. Our qualified and caring team of experts will be happy to go over the process with you and address questions that you may have. Set up your free consultation with us today — we look forward to hearing from you!


Footnotes:

1. Yetman, Daniel. (June 30, 2020). What You Need to Know About Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). https://www.healthline.com/health/fut-hair-transplant

2. Dua, Aman & Kapil. (2010 May-Aug). Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956961/

WHAT IS A HYBRID HAIR TRANSPLANT?

If you can’t find a hair loss treatment that offers everything you want, you might be a candidate for a hybrid hair procedure. These procedures combine different treatment methods to give patients a personalized solution that blends various benefits. In this helpful guide, we discuss some common hybrid hair procedures and explain how they work.

Combining FUE With FUT

You might’ve heard of follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT). They’re two of the most popular methods of hair restoration. You can combine these methods to maximize your results in one sitting. Both these methods can be time-consuming, but a hybrid treatment allows your surgeon to meet your intended result with minimal return visits. Here’s how it works.

Follicular unit transplantation, also known as the strip method, is a hair restoration surgery that’s been popular for years. They call it the strip method because the doctor takes a strip of hair from the back of your head, extracts hair grafts from it, and places those grafts in your balding areas. Basically, we take your hair and spread the wealth. This method used to be known as “plugs”, but with advanced technology, FUT procedures give patients a much thicker, more natural look than traditional “plugs”.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is similar to FUT, except the surgeon removes each follicular unit individually, creating several single- to multi-hair grafts and then implants it in the affected area of your scalp. Let’s say you’re redoing your lawn for spring. If you pulled up a sheet of sod from your backyard and moved it to your front yard to line the walkway, that’s like FUT. If you plucked blades of glass individually and arranged them carefully to fill in gaps in the front yard, that’s more like FUE. Here are some benefits of blending these two methods into one hybrid hair procedure:

FUE & FUT Hair Transplant Comparison
FUT (left) combined with FUE (right)
  • FUT leaves a linear scar on the back of your head, but FUE doesn’t. Combining them can limit scarring.
  • You can maximize the number of grafts transplanted in one appointment. If you have a lot of area to cover, combining these treatments can give you a fuller, thicker head of hair without too many visits.
  • With FUE, your doctor has more control over where they place each graft. FUT and FUE together can give you a more precise result than FUT can alone.

Combining FUE With Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT)

Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) is a type of non-surgical hair loss therapy where a doctor induces collagen production using microneedles and serums on the scalp. This can stimulate hair growth by triggering your body’s natural healing mechanisms to break down calcification and fibrosis. This improves tissue oxygenation and nutrient flow, allowing your hair follicles to grow naturally. 

You might be wondering how effective CIT is. While it might seem like magic, it’s actually based on scientific evidence. It also dramatically improves blood flow to the hair follicles, slowing down hair loss. CIT can be especially helpful if you have a condition like androgenetic alopecia that causes hair loss. You’d typically receive treatment every four to six weeks until you have gone through treatment three to four times. Then, you can come back a few times a year for maintenance.

You can use FUE in combination with CIT to supplement the hair growth with transferred hair grafts. We’re happy to help you restore your hair’s growth with FUE or FUT, but we know there’s nothing like the real thing. If you want to help your hair follicles re-grow naturally before committing to a full restoration treatment, you may be a candidate for a hybrid treatment using hair growth factors and CIT.

Combining FUE With SMP

Scalp micro-pigmentation (SMP) is a treatment where micro deposits of 3D ink are deposited into your scalp in thinning areas, making your scalp look fuller and darker. Expert technicians apply pigment in the strength, shade, and shape needed to create the appearance of thicker hair. This technique can be ideal for supplementing FUE, especially if your hair is thinning but not fully balding.

Using SMP in conjunction with FUE is a great solution for patients who want the best possible results without undergoing several procedures. FUE helps cover the balding with new hair placement, but if you don’t have enough hair in the donor area to thicken up your hair as much as you’d like, SMP can help create the illusion. If you plan to pursue a hybrid procedure using both FUE and SMP, you’ll probably want to get FUE procedure done first. That way, our staff can take a look at your results once they’re fully healed and make a plan to fill in the spots that need it. 

SMP is also a great way to hide scarring on the scalp. While the scars from FUE are nearly invisible, some people may be over harvested by less experienced clinicians, creating a moth-eaten appearance. Linear scars are left behind by FUT as well and depending on your hairstyle, may or may not be visible. Others may naturally have spacious donor areas. In any case, SMP is a great solution to blend these unsightly issues. 

Combining Microneedling & Other Non-Surgical Options

If your hair follicles aren’t growing, they might just need a little encouragement. You might consider pairing microneedling with various growth factors and alternative procedures that target different issues within the dermal papilla and scalp. Microneedling is a non-surgical treatment where your doctor stamps a motorized device over your scalp, inserting a series of tiny needles into different layers of the tissue. While it might sound counteractive, creating these micro wound channels actually aids in healing hair follicles and encouraging hair growth. It also improves topical absorbency, making various growth factors and medications significantly more effective. 

If needles make you a little nervous, don’t worry. Microneedling for the scalp includes local anesthesia, so you won’t feel the treatment. Plus, the needles can be as small as one millimeter wide, and the treatment usually is done in less than an hour.

You may also combine FUE with microneedling so you don’t need to transplant as many hair grafts, allowing you to save more donor hair for the future. 

Microneedling can cause complications in some patients, so be sure to tell your doctor about any other conditions you might have before deciding on the treatment. Your hair is one-of-a-kind, so maybe your hair loss treatment should be too. Hybrid hair procedures are adaptable and functional, so you can meet your goals while sticking to your budget and timeline. You shouldn’t have to deal with hair loss alone, either. Our expert team at MAXIM Hair Restoration can work with you to create a customized hair plan that meets your needs. To get started, schedule a free consultation today with one of our specialists today.

9 Hair Transplant Myths Debunked in 2022

Have you considered getting a hair transplant, only to talk yourself out of it? Are you worried that you’ll end up with hair from some unknown stranger growing from your head? Do you think you’re too old to be a candidate? At MAXIM Hair Restoration, we hear all the concerns of our patients, and there are some doozies out there. Let’s put some of those scary hair restoration myths to bed and ease your fears, whether founded in reality or not. Today, we debunk the most common hair restoration myths. 

Hair Restoration Results Look Unnatural

Hair Transplant Myths Debunked

Thanks to enhanced and advanced technologies and techniques, hair transplants look as close to natural as possible. Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) transplants deliver some of the best results since it’s a minimally invasive procedure that takes follicular units from one area to the thinning and balding areas affected by hair loss. The procedure only requires small incisions and leaves barely noticeable micro scars. Another option is to undergo the follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedure which involves taking a strip of hair from the back of the scalp and transplanting it to the balding areas. 

Ultimately, though, the success of hair restoration or hair transplant depends upon the knowledge and experience of the physician, clinician, and team performing the procedure. Since it’s such a highly specialized process, it’s important to work with a surgeon and Techs who know how to harvest, extract and place each hair graft and customize it based upon your hairline. At MAXIM Hair Restoration, you should know that we take immense care when it comes to performing each procedure with precision and integrity. Once your new hair grows in, it should blend seamlessly into your existing hair. Take a look through our gallery for before and after pictures to see the results. 

Only Men Can Undergo Hair Restoration

Although it’s true that men typically experience hair loss more often than women, it doesn’t mean that women cannot undergo hair transplants or restoration procedures. This myth has caused women to accept their hair loss simply because they fear there’s no alternative. The reality is that these procedures work for both men and women. It’s important to note that women tend to lose their hair in different patterns compared to men and possess a thinner donor area. MAXIM also offers non-surgical hair restoration options for both men and women including PDO Threads, Collagen Induced Therapy (CIT) as well as laser hair therapy, products, vitamins, supplements, and topical compounds including shampoos and conditioners. 

Older Patients Cannot Undergo Hair Restoration

Technically, anyone over the age of 18 can get a hair transplant, but it’s best suited for those who are between 25 to 65 years of age. Those under the age of 25 should probably wait longer as well since hair-loss patterns are unpredictable and can continue after the transplant. It’s best to wait until hair loss stabilizes, generally after the age of 25. 

Also, even though it’s recommended for ages up to 65, that number doesn’t mean that people who are older cannot undergo the procedure. The reason for the recommendation is that those who are older than 65 might have health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease or maybe on medications, especially since a hair transplant is still a surgical procedure. Another factor is that older people may not have as many hair grafts in the donor area as those who are younger do. 

It’s a Painful Procedure

Hair transplant procedures are performed in an office setting and under local anesthesia. That means you won’t experience excruciating pain during the actual operation. However, once the effects of anesthesia wear off, you might experience mild pain and be prescribed pain-relieving medications to mitigate the discomfort. Expect to take these medications for up to three days. You should also be able to resume your daily activities within three days.  

You Should Expect Immediate Results

As much as you want to see instantaneous results from your hair restoration or transplant, you won’t have them. Hair growth doesn’t happen overnight. You should also note that some of your hair might fall out during what’s known as the “sleeping” or “shock phase.” Don’t worry because soon enough the well-anchored roots will gradually grow hair and give you natural results. 

According to WebMD, most people should see 60% of new growth after six to nine months, but you should expect significant results in about eight to nine months. The new hair should take a little over one year to thicken. 

Hair Transplants or Restorations Cause Brain Damage

Since hair transplant and restoration procedures are performed on the top layer of the scalp, the brain isn’t affected whatsoever. The incisions never go below that top layer of the skin, so there is no contact with the brain.

Surgeons Use Someone Else’s Hair

Unlike other types of transplants in which there is a donor and a recipient, a hair transplant only involves hair from your own body. That’s because if you ended up with hair follicles from someone else, your body would reject the foreign hair follicles and/or cause infection as has occurred with biofiber implants that are made from artificial fiber.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the transplanted hair follicles won’t come from other areas of your body. Body hair might uncommonly be used to augment the scalp hair, but this is rare especially since body hair doesn’t match the same coarseness found in head hair. That belief is bolstered by information provided by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery that states 92.5% of hair from FUE transplants performed in 2019 came from the scalp. 

Laser Hair Therapy Is the Most Effective

If you’re thinking about how popular laser hair treatments were in the early 2000s, this statement might be true. However, over the years, technology has evolved and laser hair therapy is used as an ancillary treatment to hair transplants since laser treatments can strengthen hair follicles but rarely grow them. Studies found that lasers can damage surrounding tissues. 

Hair Restoration Is Unaffordable

When it comes to the cost of hair restoration or transplants, you might be concerned about the cost. The price largely depends on the amount of hair you will be moving. At MAXIM Hair Restoration, we can work with you to make the procedure more affordable by offering several financing options. We accept credit cards, wire transfers, certified checks, and cash that we can apply toward payment. Also, depending on the location you use, you might be able to take advantage of various financing plans that allow you to pay for the procedure over time at zero interest (if you qualify). 

Conclusion

Well, there you have it! Hopefully, this helped ease your mind when it comes to the myths of hair restoration. In our modern era full of amazing technology and scientific achievement, it’s always interesting to see these outdated and inaccurate assumptions about hair restoration procedures. Now that we put those to rest, we hope you’ll give MAXIM Hair Restoration a shot, and schedule a consultation with our team. If you have any further questions or are ready to make the jump with hair restoration or transplant procedures, reach out to Maxim Hair Restoration. We offer a quick online assessment, or you can reach out to our trusted staff to schedule a consultation.

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