hair restoration
Natural (Alopecia) Hair-loss Treatments
Board Certified Dermatologist and Hair Restoration Specialist Dr. Edmond Griffin has dedicated the bulk of his career to researching and advancing the field of hair replacement. As is detailed on his website, the causes of hair-loss in men, women, and even children are numerous and include: genetic predisposition, trauma , reaction to a medication, severe illness, stress, and reaction to hormone fluctuation. Alopecia (another name for hair-loss), regardless of its cause, can be stressful for patients.
In an effort to maintain his position at the forefront of hair-loss treatment, Dr. Griffin not only researches traditional surgical hair replacement methods such as follicular unit transplantation, but also less traditional means like botanical therapies. Popular for centuries in many Eastern hemisphere countries, herbal hair-loss applications are showing promise, and growing in popularity among Western hemisphere physicians and patients. In fact, a recently published study in the Journal of Drugs In Dermatology revealed several potential topical, plant-based treatments for Androgenetic Alopecia (Alopecia developed from genetic and environmental factors), Alopecia Areata (Hair-loss resulting from auto immune disorders), and chemotherapy-induced Alopecia.
Procyanidin B-2 (flavonoids found in the skins of young apples) proved a promising treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia patients while garlic and onion were among the study’s hopeful Alopecia Areata treatments. The extensive study also revealed that, with daily topical application, the caffeine and volatile oils in green tea helped regrow the hair of patients whose Alopecia was induced with the start of chemotherapy. While the described treatments showed a good bit of promise, the study’s coordinators were particular to note that each treatments long-term potential could not be adequately measured until larger, well-controlled scientific studies could be completed.
Recently, Dr. Griffin has developed a completely herbal topical treatment for patients with hair-loss. This combination formula, produced by reputable compounding pharmacies, has proven successful in trials of female patients who didn’t have any luck with other prescription treatments.
Dr. Griffin also stresses that these potential treatments are just that, potential, and individuals should first utilize the time-tested Propecia®-based therapies to aid in stabilizing hair-loss and promoting hair re-growth. If you are interested in pursuing a hair-replacement procedure, call Dr. Griffin’s office or visit his website today. You can also stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field of hair restoration by subscribing to his blog.
Oily Hair- It’s a Good Thing: A Revolutionary Addition to the Clean-Up Efforts for the Gulf Shore Oil Spill
Petco, a national chain of 1,000 pet supply and grooming stores, vowed to continue its daily donations of 1 ton of pet hair from its grooming operations to further the oil-spill cleanup efforts along the Gulf coast.
Petco has partnered with “The Matter of Trust”, an eco-focused non-profit group out of San Francisco, in making hair booms to absorb the wayward oil floating towards the Mississippi and Louisiana coastlines. Pet and human hair fibers are naturally oliolific (oil-loving) – thus the need for regular shampooing. The Matter of Trust volunteers create the booms by stuffing recycled nylons with the hair, floating them in the water allowing the oil-loving hair to absorb some of the mess, then rinsing and reusing the boom up to 100 times.
After the booms have reached their absorption capacity, the hair fibers are then digested by worm farms to create compost- an entirely “green” process. While the whole process does have a little bit of the ick factor, this resourceful, productive, and cost-effective cleanup method has EPA officials very interested.
Make sure to keep reading our blogs to stay up-to-date on hair related new stories, and the latest advancements in hair restoration therapy and research. If you have any questions visit The Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research’s website or call (404) 256-4369.
A Griffin Center Series: Myths and Truths about Hair Loss Part III: Do over-the-counter, topical hair loss products really work?
There is a huge market for over –the–counter topical medications that claim to be the miracle solution to hair re-growth. But do these hair restoration products really work? The best answer I can give to this question is that “other products work better.”
The majority of these hair tonics, shampoos, and lotions available in drug stores prove to be ineffective. In fact, the only proven effective topical drug on the market is Rogaine® (5% Minoxidil), which has actually worked in some cases to restore hair. However, these results were almost always seen in patients that are just starting to lose their hair, and work better to slow down hair loss instead of re-growing more hair. There are also other effective topical prescription compounds for hairloss such as Rogaine 5% mixed with Retin-A that may be prescribed by Dr. Griffin. It is important to note, that restoring hair, especially through topical medications, is a very gradual process – taking anywhere from 6 months to a year of daily application.
Non-topical medications, such as Propecia ® and Avodart®, can be a more effective medical solution for hair re-growth. The oral medication Propecia ® contains Finasteride, which is actually FDA approved for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Propecia ® and oral medications like it have shown better results however, in conjunction with topical products, like Rogaine®, that contain Minoxidil (namely the 5% Extra Strength formula). Avodart® is usually only prescribed for patients who have not had favorable results with Finasteride. Additionally, your doctor may choose to increase your Finestride dose from the typical 1mg to 2.5mg (for women who cannot become pregnant and men) if favorable results aren’t obtained in a timely manner.
While over-the-counter options continue to evolve, and may seem like the easy fix, it’s important to note that the best hair restoration results are obtained through a customized treatment plan along with a proper evaluation by a certified professional.
For more information about these medications, or other hair restoration options, contact The Griffin Center.
Is seasonal hair-loss normal? Dr. Griffin Provides the Answers
With warmer weather comes less clothing, and often a desire to have less body hair. But one place we don’t typically want to decrease the amount of hair is on our heads. While direct seasonal influences on normal amounts of hair loss are still being studied, it’s relatively common for individuals to report increased shedding starting in the spring and peaking in the fall.
While scientists have not been able to pin point direct environmental causes that lead to increased hair-loss beginning in the spring, many speculate that exposure to sunlight is directly related. As we know from research findings regarding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the amount of sunlight we’re exposed to during the day can directly affect hormone levels and emotions. Findings from experimental studies suggest that hair-loss might be controlled by limiting amounts of direct sun exposure, thus changing the melatonin secretion rate and its effects on the hormone receptors located in the scalp. Probably a wise decision as over-exposure to Ultraviolet light can have less than favorable dermatological effects.
One thing that is scientifically known is that shedding hair is a completely normal part of the hair growth cycle. The hair growth cycle is composed of three phases: anagan (growth phase), catagen (degradation phase), and telogen (resting phase.) Normally, individuals shed anywhere from 50-150 strands of hair on a daily basis. The rate of seasonal hair loss varies greatly from person to person, but like hair loss during any other part of the year can usually be minimized by maintaining a proper diet, not smoking, avoiding harsh chemical hair treatments, and seeking medical attention for any known hormonal imbalances.
If you have any questions about hair-loss or hair restoration, call our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Edmond Griffin, or visit our website.
Are Hair Loss and Wrinkling directly related?
There are several inevitable things in life, wrinkling is one of them. A natural part of the aging process, wrinkles are lines of varying depth that develop most commonly on the face, backs of hands, and the forearms of most mature adults.
Believe it or not hair loss affects wrinkling and aging in addition to a variety of other factors like exposure to Ultraviolet light and whether or not an individual is a smoker, as well as, genetic factors like skin pigmentation and family history of wrinkling.
It might be strange to think of wrinkling in terms of the amount of hair you have – but there is a definite connection. Just like protective clothing, hair can protect areas of the head and neck from sun damage. Those who often wear longer hair styles or styles with bangs tend to develop fewer wrinkles because these styles shield the wrinkle-susceptible skin on the back of the neck and on the forehead from direct exposure to the damaging Ultraviolet rays from the sun. Once the hair begins to thin, the development of skin cancers and precancers begin to rise in number.
Both skin and hair are elements of the human body’s integumentary system. Designed to protect the internal body systems from trauma, regulate temperature, and receive and send sensations to the nervous system – the integumentary system is the body’s first line of defense from outside damage. It makes sense then that the individual elements of the system would serve to protect each other. Thus, an individual experiencing hair loss will probably start to notice wrinkling sooner as the sensitive skin covering their head, face, and neck (normally shielded by hair) is more exposed. He/she should also become more vigilant about the early development of skin cancers.
Even though it provides some protection, it is important to note that hair cannot and should not serve as your only line of defense from sun; thus you should always practice safe sun exposure.
If you are concerned about your hair loss, you may consider hair restoration therapy to slow, prevent, and in some cases, even reverse the symptoms of the conditions. If you have questions about hair-loss or hair restoration, visit our website or call our office (404)256-4369 to set up a consultation.
Dr. Edmond Griffin featured on CNN as Women’s Hair Loss Expert
If you are familiar with CNN, you are familiar with their “Health Minute” segment, a 60-second long televised segment highlighting an important health issue of the day. This week’s segment was titled, “Treating Women’s Hair Loss.” When looking for a renowned hair loss specialist to provide information on the topic, CNN turned to Dr. Griffin, founder of The Griffin Center for Hair Loss and Restoration and Dermatology Associates of Atlanta.
The segment featured a patient of Dr. Griffin’s, Judy Butler, a real estate broker that was troubled by her excessive hair loss. Concerned about her appearance and frustrated with her progressive hair thinning, Butler even considered scalp prosthesis before she decided to consult with Dr. Griffin.
“What might be very acceptable to men – not acceptable to women,” said Dr. Griffin, when reflecting on Judy’s situation. “Even a slight amount of loss is not acceptable.”
Dr. Griffin says that many women experience hair loss before menopause, but when that hair loss becomes excessive; it is considered a medical condition, known as alopecia. While the root cause of women’s hair loss is often genetic, it can be caused by many factors including a thyroid problem, anemia, reaction to medications, or an autoimmune problem that often requires blood tests or biopsies to diagnose. According to Dr. Griffin, for each cause of hair loss, there is a different treatment approach that can include everything from oral medications, topical creams, and surgery involving follicular grafting techniques.
For Judy, the recommended treatment was oral medications and topical creams; and she is thankfully experiencing hair growth. However, as the CNN video states, each patient has to be individual diagnosed in order to recommend a treatment plan. If you are a woman experiencing hair loss, contact The Griffin Center to schedule a consultation with Dr. Griffin and discover the best treatment option for you.
Click here to view CNN Health Minute:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/01/06/hm.women.and.hair.loss.cnn
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Dr. Griffin offers Eyebrow Hair Transplants
Eyebrow shape is one of the most important contributing factors to the overall aesthetics of the face. People with an excess of unruly eyebrow hair, can attest to the pains of plucking and overall eyebrow maintenance. On the other hand, people with insufficient eyebrows often complain that there is “nothing to work with” and are displeased with the artificial look of penciled in or tattooed eyebrows as a substitute.
Hair loss of the eyebrows can be caused by several factors including hair loss from chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer, alopecia areata, congenital inability to grow eyebrows, genetic tendency for thin eyebrows, facial burn injuries, or trauma. However, the most common cause of permanent eyebrow hair loss is damage to the hair follicles from repeated plucking.
For patients who wish to have fuller eyebrows or who need their eyebrows reconstructed after permanent hair loss, Dr. Griffin offers eyebrow hair transplantation. Using the most up-to-date follicular grafting techniques, a patient’s own hair is surgically inserted into each follicle strand by strand, yielding the most natural results possible.
The technique for eyebrow transplantation is different from hair restoration on the head, because unlike hair on the head, the follicles on the eyebrows contain only a single strand of hair. Eyebrows also have a very distinct growth pattern, sharply angled out and flat against the face; so the surgeon must use a special, very fine needle to control the direction of the hair and make the results natural.
Hair for eyebrow transplantation is taken from other parts of the body, usually the head, which obviously grow naturally longer than eyebrow hair. Thus, eyebrow transplantation patients must trim their eyebrows more often to maintain a natural look.
Because the eyebrows are prominent on the face, it is important that only an experienced and board certified hair restoration specialist performs this procedure. Unlike other practices that split the work between surgical assistants and other physicians, at the Griffin Center for Hair Restoration and Research, Dr. Griffin implants every single hair, personally, for the best results possible.
Visit our website or call our office (404)256-4369 to set up a consultation.
Griffin Center News Trend: Chest Hair is Making a Comeback!
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted the popular reemergence of a trend for deeper cut shirts in men – revealing chest hair. While revealing the chest and chest hair was recently a fashion faux pas, unbuttoned shirts and deeper cut V-necks have made a comeback on New York runways and with mainstream American fashion.
The WSJ Article quotes a New York-based men’s style consultant, Tyler Thoreson who said, “The low-cut look is better if you have a little chest hair.”
Some say that the rising popularity of “man cleavage” also affectionately coined “heavage” is a throwback to legendary pop icons such as Marlon Brando (Streetcar Named Desire), Sean Connery as James Bond, and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
Luckily for men experiencing pattern baldness on their head, hair loss is not typical to occur anywhere else on the body, including the chest.
If you have any questions about hair care or hair loss, visit our website or call The Griffin Center to set up a consultation.
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