Check Out Dermatology Associates of Atlanta’s February Specials
Dermatology Associates of Atlanta has a bunch of great specials in store this February! Join us February 8th for our Cosmetic Day to receive savings on facial fillers like Juvéderm® and Restylane®, Botox® or Dysport®, cosmetic laser treatments, and featured skincare products!
Our Skin Medics™ Medical Spa is offering $75 off their Illuminize Peel, and you can also save $50 on Botox® with the purchase of the discounted peel. You can also receive 20% off all Jane Iredale® cosmetics! Through the month of February we’ll also be offering patients 10% off laser hair removal, and our patients can receive one microdermabrasion session for 50% off with the purchase of two microdermabrasion treatments in Atlanta Center for Veins.
Our manufacturers are also running specials—$50 off Dysport® and up to $360 off Restylane® and Perlane® fillers. Make certain to click the flyers below for more details! You can also stay up to date on the latest news and specials by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Hair Restoration Results at the Griffin Center described as “Seamless” and “Invisible”
For individuals suffering from patterned baldness, hair restoration surgery is a big decision. We encourage patients to thoroughly research hair replacement options after the cause of hair loss has been diagnosed by a hair loss specialist like Dr. Edmond Griffin. One part of the research process is looking at and comparing hair loss surgeons’ hair transplant before and after photos and patient testimonials. Patients who have undergone the procedure you’re researching have honest, real-life perspectives on hair restoration. Check out our video patient testimonial below.
Q: How would you describe your overall experience as compared to the other hair replacement surgeries?
A: You know, I went to one of those infomercial places, and that was my only regret. I would have spent less money and one less procedure if I had just started out here. The overall experience was that really even people that I work with didn’t seem to recognize that I had had anything done. So it was sort of seamless and invisible except for myself and my wife.
Conference Introduces Robotic Hair Transplant Surgery
The Griffin Center’s team of Atlanta hair restoration professionals is devoted to providing the most effective hair restoration techniques and hair transplant technology. For that reason, Drs. Edmond Griffin and Ashley Curtis recently traveled to Denver, Colorado to learn about the ARTAS™ system for hair restoration designed by Restoration Robotics, Inc. The ARTAS™ system uses the guidance of computer-assisted imaging to improve hair transplant surgery.
During hair transplant surgery, Dr. Griffin manually takes hair grafts from donor regions. Then he and his team separate the follicular unit grafts containing one to four hairs, and Dr. Griffin places the hairs into tiny incisions in the balding regions. Although this is a timely process, he believes it is worth the hair restoration results they produce.
Dr. Griffin has heard about plenty of machines that are supposed to aid hair transplant surgeons, but until recently he had not seen a technology that really impressed him. Although Dr. Griffin and his team are still researching the ARTAS™ system, they’re impressed by the consistency of its robotic hair transplant results . Used under the direction of a physician, this technology expedites the process of manual follicular unit extraction (FUE) by identifying and even harvesting follicular units. A hair transplant surgeon later implants the follicles into the patient’s bald region(s) as they would during a traditional hair restoration procedure.
Although the Griffin Center does not yet perform ARTAS™ treatments, their research thus far shows promise for facilitating hair transplant surgery without compromising surgical results.
This development on hair restoration technology will give the patient looking into FUEs another option for hair transplantation: follicular unit extractions produced by the Neograft system (which is mechanized with suction), those performed by a doctor using mechanized instruments, and now FUEs produced through the robotic technique. Which technique produces the best, most natural-looking results depends on the accuracy of the surgeon/technician team. This will vary from office to office as the FUE method becomes more popular and adopted by more surgeons. While the current theme in hair restoration seems to be more tedious, more costly and slower, compared to the less expensive, more accurate, more consistent technique offered by the possibility of hair restoration robotics, the overall results will most likely depend on the nuances of the operator as opposed to the robot.
Keep reading our blog and stay tuned to our Facebook to learn more about this hair transplanttechnology and others at the Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research.
If you are experiencing hair loss, contact us today to schedule a consultation so we can help you determine what’s causing your hair loss and direct you in finding an appropriate hair loss treatment.
Dermatology Associates of Atlanta Featured in Atlanta Parent’s January Issue
Did you see Dermatology Associates of Atlanta in this month’s Atlanta Parent Magazine? Check it out to learn about all the services they offer! Make sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest in dermatology and hair restoration news.
Join Dermatology Associates of Atlanta January 11th for the First Cosmetic Day of the Year!
Join Dermatology Associates of Atlanta on Wednesday January 11th, 2012 for the first Cosmetic Day of the year. Save on facial fillers, cosmetic injectables, cosmetic laser treatments, and Skin Medics™ Medical Spa products. Contact us at (404)382-9270 to schedule your appointment.
How Do Scientists Use Hair in Crime Scene Investigations?
We’ve all watched television programs like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “Law and Order.” Shows like these simplify the investigative process that investigators conduct in trying to solve the mysteries behind crimes. If you’ve paid close attention, you may have noticed investigators collecting and examining hair as evidence in crime cases. How is the hair used to solve the crime? The study of the hair follicles found at the scene goes beyond the hair color.
Three layers of the hair shaft are used in determining how a crime was committed and who the criminal may be. The medulla, the innermost core of the hair, can be used to determine the race or ethnicity of the potential perpetrator.
The cortex is the layer over the medulla and is used to compare one hair to another. Microscopic air bubbles and pigment granules help scientists distinguish between the hair types. The outermost layer, the cuticle, can be used to determine the species (if the hair belongs to an animal) through analysis of the patterns of scales that cover the cortex.
In terms of investigation, the root of the hair can be one of the most useful pieces of evidence. By the root (or lack thereof), scientists can tell if the hair was shed naturally, pulled out, or cut off. The root is where investigators can find DNA to help precipitate their analysis. If a hair is pulled out during the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle a root bulb will appear with follicular tissue. This tissue has nuclear DNA which helps create a DNA profile unique to the hair’s owner.
During the catagen stage, the root of the hair pulls away from the shaft, and the hair is easily pulled from the head. The root bulb is less round and more elongated in this phase. In the final stage, the telogen phase, the hair sheds naturally and has a club-shaped root bulb. These two phases do not produce a follicular tag, which means nuclear DNA cannot be harvested from hairs in the catagen and telogen phases. However, mitochondrial DNA may be found in just the hair and can help to narrow down subjects, though it cannot distinguish between siblings.
Hair is also useful in chemical tests since it is often the only evidence still remaining after other bodily evidence has disappeared. Scientists can determine the presence of chemicals, poisons, heat treatments, and more. The important thing to note about the use of hair in investigations is that it is only one piece of an investigative puzzle. Hair cannot be used as evidence on its own. However, it can be very useful along with other pieces of evidence. Who knew your hair held so much information?
For more information on healthy hair, hair loss, or hair restoration, contact our office in Atlanta, GA. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter with the latest in news, hair facts, and more!
Bertino, Anthony J., and Patricia Nolan. Bertino. Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009.
Check out Dermatology Associates Atlanta in Atlanta Parent Magazine’s December issue
Did you see Dermatology Associates of Atlanta’s ad in Atlanta Parent this month? If not, see the skin care services offered below and be sure to join us on Wednesday January 11th for Cosmetic Day for skin care savings. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact our office at 404-256-4457.
Could Latisse be the Answer to Hair Thinning?
Latisse® is a popular treatment that is FDA approved to help users grow longer, darker, and thicker eyelashes. The treatment started off as a medicine for glaucoma when researchers noticed that their participants were also growing longer, more luxurious eyelashes during the testing process.
One doctor in Florida is now taking Latisse® from eyelash enhancer to hair restoration treatment. When one of his patients demonstrated an allergic reaction to the typical hair restoration medication Rogaine®, he suggested she use Latisse® to regrow thinning hair instead. Using a drop or two a day of Latisse® on the affected area along with a new daily vitamin regimen, the patient saw a reduction in the thinning of her hair in about four months.
However, there are definite disadvantages to using Latisse® for hair restoration including the high cost for an unproven treatment. While this one patient has benefited from the treatment, most scarring alopecias and those caused by immune problems most likely will not be improved.
Latisse® is not FDA approved for hair restoration on the scalp which means it hasn’t been tested in that area and any risks or potential long-term side effects haven’t been fully investigated. FDA approval for a new use of an already approved drug may take many years and cost millions. By the time it gets back to the patient, the price will surely be increased. For years this drug has been used in the eyes with a high degree of safety and no long term problems noted. On the skin some patients note a darkening and slight irritation when it is used on the upper eyelids.
When Latisse® is used to increase eyelash thickness and length, full results are often not seen until 16 weeks. It would not really stop the progression of hair loss for androgenetic alopecia patients, but possibly just lengthen and thicken the hairs like it does for the eyelids. Similarly, when used for eyelashes, results will gradually disappear if the treatment is stopped. The same can be assumed for the unapproved use of Latisse® as a hair restoration treatment. Once daily application is discontinued, the hair should eventually recede again leaving the user with the same thinning hair situation he or she started with.
Along the same lines, in order to maintain eyelashes grown by Latisse®, users must maintain a constant supply. While those using Latisse® for its FDA approved use for eyelashes may only need one bottle a month, those using it for hair restoration will need a much larger quantity given the size of the treatment area (3 or more of the 2-ounce bottles). With each prescription bottle of Latisse® costing an average of $100 to $150 a bottle, patients could easily spend upwards of $450 a month for as long as they want their hair restoration results to last. It seems like a high cost considering Latisse® does not promise to stop the progression of patterned baldness.
Currently FDA approved, topical and oral treatments like Rogaine®, Propecia®, and Proscar® are available to help slow and even stop hair loss; growing some hair back is also a possibility with some of these products. These products stop the progression of loss in over 80% of all patients who take/use them daily. If Latisse® does work, it would be applied in addition to the preventers of progression like Propecia®. Follicular unit hair transplant is a surgical procedure that produces permanent hair restoration results from hair loss as a result of hormones, trauma, androgenetic alopecia, and more. It’s important to remember that while off-label uses of products like Latisse® and Botox® do have potential, they also have potential for unexplored side effects until further studied.
For more information on the current list of FDA approved non-surgical and surgical hair restoration options, contact our office. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter with the latest news and update in hair restoration and research.
Using Hair as a Wellness Barometer
The way we treat our bodies is often evident in how we feel and act. For example, if you eat junk food and then try to run a half marathon the next day, chances are your body will not react positively. You’ll feel sluggish, tired, and probably perform poorly. While some symptoms of mistreatment are obvious to us, like the stomachache and sore muscles after your junk food run, others are less obvious, but just as important to note.
Because you hair relies on a steady supply of nutrients and blood from your body, it is a fairly accurate barometer in determining your overall health. All the factors of wellness (like a balanced diet, adequate exercise, and a healthy lifestyle) contribute to producing a strong body as well as healthy hair.
A properly balanced diet helps all patients maintain healthy hair. Protein and iron consumption are imperative to the production of hair. Recently converted vegetarians, those on fad diets, as well as many post-bariatric surgery patients may have a hard time getting an adequate amount of protein, resulting in minor and temporary hair loss or breakage. As soon as the right amount of protein is added back into the diet, though, the hair loss typically ceases and hair regrows. Free radicals in polluted environments can also attack cells including those that help produce healthy-looking hair. Smoking produces similar results.
Those with patterned baldness (androgenetic alopecia) are genetically predisposed to hair loss, though, and will not benefit from diet and exercise regimen changes. To adequately treat your hair loss, it is important to receive a diagnosis from an expert in hair loss and hair replacement.
Circulatory problems can also cause hair loss. When the body lacks adequate circulation, it focuses on supplying blood to the organs within your torso, and extremities like your arms and legs suffer first in poor circulation. Because hair in the anagen (growth) stage is supplied with nutrients through blood flow, the body’s circulation priorities often miss supplying that necessary blood to the scalp resulting in hair loss.
If something is off balance in your body, your hair will show it. In fact, your hair can track the use of certain medications or drugs within the last 30 to 90 days. While not all hair loss is caused by external factors like diet and health conditions, the hair is a fairly accurate barometer of overall health in adults who do not have patterned baldness.
Whether your hair loss is caused by patterned baldness or an external factor, it is important to have the cause properly diagnosed before beginning treatment. Dr. Edmond Griffin is a board certified dermatologist and a recognized expert in the specialty of hair loss and hair replacement surgery.
For more information on hair loss and restoration, contact the Griffin Center for a consultation. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter with the latest updates and hair restoration news.
Have you seen the Griffin Center featured in the December Men’s Book?
The Griffin Center for Hair Restoration and Research was recently featured in Men’s Book Atlanta magazine’s December issue to answer your frequently asked questions about men’s hair loss misconceptions and causes, as well as hair restoration surgery options. Make sure to get your copy today and check it out!
To keep up with the latest in hair loss and restoration news and updates, follow the Griffin Center on Facebook and Twitter!
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