dr edmond griffin
Join Us for Skin Medics Medical Spa’s Spooktacular Cosmetic Day
You’re invited to what’s sure to be one of the most exciting Halloween events around! Dermatology Associates of Atlanta‘s Skin Medics Medical Spa is hosting a Spooktacular Cosmetic Day on Monday, October 31, 2011.
Our specials on facial fillers, dermal injectables, spa products, and cosmetic laser treatments are sure to be a scream! You must take advantage of these offers on Monday, October 31 or schedule your treatment on that day to receive the special prices, so make sure to mark your calendar!
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on more specials and events like our Cosmetic Day Spooktacular!
Why Do More Men Have Hair Transplant Surgery Than Women? What Impedes Women With Hair Loss from Having a Hair Transplant, if Anything?
If you keep up with my blog, you know women’s hair loss is a very complex topic, and women’s hair transplant surgery is no less complex. However, hair transplantation for women is more than possible. In fact, I have performed hundreds of hair restoration surgeries on women. When I began transplant surgery in the 70s only 2% of my patients were women; this number has increased fivefold.
To answer your first question—While there are many causes for hair loss in men besides genetics, a majority of men facing hair loss have male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Just as with women’s hair loss, men can also lose hair because of hormones, stress, and certain medications, among other causes. Men with pattern baldness are usually optimal candidates for hair restoration surgery because they have an adequate donor region for harvesting follicular grafts. Women’s expectations are generally much higher than men’s. Men approach hair transplant surgery wanting more hair, while women usually want a return to full thickness. Thinning hair is not acceptable for them, and oftentimes more than one session may be necessary.
Another reason you hear about more men undergoing hair restoration surgery is that there is a stronger social stigma tied to women discussing hair loss conditions. Remember the attention placed on Lady Gaga when she discussed using Rogaine® in interviews? While the pop superstar took advantage of topic treatments, it is becoming more acceptable for women to seek medical hair loss treatments beyond Rogaine®.
Also, women’s hair restoration surgery is more complex than men’s, and doctors are even sometimes reluctant to perform surgery on women because of the frequency of temporary hair loss amongst female patients. When female patients consider hair transplant surgery, the surgeon must diagnose the reason for loss making sure that it is not just a temporary loss where the hair will regrow with other medical treatments. For example, if hair loss is caused by scarring related to trauma or surgery, the transplanted hair may not grow in its new home.
I have been researching hair loss and hair restoration for 35 years. Therefore, after a thorough consultation which may include a scalp biopsy to confirm diagnosis, I am usually able to pinpoint the cause of a patient’s hair loss and suggest a suitable treatment plan, which may include surgery, hair loss prevention medication, or other therapies to regrow hair.
Now, for the second question—There are multiple variables that could prevent both men and women from having hair transplant surgery. In addition to an inadequate donor region or a larger than normal recipient area, hair loss caused by high fevers, trauma, or hormone fluctuation, such as women who lose hair during pregnancy, is often temporary. Likewise, men and women who lose their hair because of certain medications, especially after chemotherapy, can experience temporary hair loss. Usually once medications are discontinued the hair loss stops and hair recovers. Patients with temporary hair loss are not candidates for hair transplant surgery. However, these patients often need to seek the care of a hair restoration specialist to determine the cause of hair loss.
I have performed hundreds of hair restorations on women, and they have been equally as successful and grow as well as my male hair transplant procedures, as you can see in my women’s hair restoration before and after gallery. The “pattern” of female pattern hair loss is different from male pattern hair loss. Women, luckily, do not go totally bald like men. Men bald from the front backwards and lose hair in the temporal regions (around and above the ears) whereas only 12% of women lose hair near the ears. Women are most likely to begin balding near the front of the head and on the crown, leaving a rim of good hair around the head. Because men and women bald differently, I use specialized techniques to separate the donor and treatment regions during female hair transplant surgery to accommodate the distinct challenges presented by this procedure.
If you are a women experiencing hair loss and considering hair restoration, you need to first determine the cause of your hair loss. Schedule a consultation to learn more and to find out if you might be a candidate for surgery. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook.
Have You Seen The Griffin Center in the September/October Issue of The Men’s Book?
The September/October issue of The Men’s Book Atlanta featured an ad for the Griffin Center! Contact us for more information on hair loss therapies and treatments or to schedule your consultation.
Women’s Hair Loss Treatment Options
If you’ve tuned into Dr. Griffin’s blog series on women’s hair loss that discussed who to turn to for hair loss problems, how to determine the cause of hair loss, and how to determine the type of hair loss, you probably have an idea of how troubling and frustrating women’s hair loss can be. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and even treat hair loss including non-surgical medical options as well as hair transplant surgery.
Below are some before and after photos of a woman who received hair restoration surgery from Dr. Edmond Griffin. With a total of 2042 follicular unit grafts and 3910 new follicles, this patient displayed a full head of hair when she returned for her post-op photos two years following her surgery.
Before hair restoration surgery is an option, it’s important to determine the cause of hair loss. If you are experiencing hair loss and are searching for an answer, schedule a consultation with Dr. Griffin today.
Lady Gaga Demonstrates Prevalence of Women’s Hair Loss
Did you know that the American Hair Loss Council states that one out of every four women will encounter some degree of hair loss during their lifetime? According to a spring People Magazine article, Lady Gaga is one of them. In her May interview, Gaga cites repeated chemical dye application as the primary reason she is losing her famously dramatic hair.
If you’ve read our blog series on female hair loss treatment and female hair loss prevention, you know that the causes of hair loss are numerous. Just as skin conditions like rosacea and acne can flare with environmental and emotional triggers, so can hair loss. While identifying the cause of your hair loss is an important part of determining an appropriate treatment, it’s also important to realize that there are two types of treatment for most hair loss: restorative and preventative.
More recent reports regarding the pop diva’s hair loss condition speculate that she has begun using Rogaine® (minoxidil) to prevent further loss. While the exact cause of hair loss cannot be diagnosed without a proper hair restoration consultation, it would seem that stress related hair loss might be the culprit of Gaga’s condition. Besides topical minoxidil treatment, oral Propecia may also prove an effective treatment for female hair loss patients who do not plan to become pregnant as exposure to the drug, even handling it, has been linked to increased birth defects. › Continue reading
Frequently Asked Questions about Women’s Hair Loss
Q.) I’ve heard of male patterned baldness. Is pattern baldness a hair loss condition that women can develop as well?
A.) Caused by genetic predisposition to the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the hair follicle, male patterned baldness (MPB) is the most common type of hair loss for men, and yes, women can have hereditary hair loss as well. However, the pattern in female pattern baldness (FPB) differs from MPB due to the fact that the areas of hair loss and rate at which hair is lost differ. The most significant difference between MPB and FPB is that women rarely progress to total baldness whereas men do frequently. Under the microscope, a biopsy of an MPB sample is indistinguishable from FPB.
Q.) What causes a woman’s hair to fall out?
A.) There are numerous possible causes of women’s hair loss as you can read in our previous blog series on women’s hair loss. By far the most common cause of hair loss in women is female patterned baldness. Other causes of hair loss in women include hormonal changes (e.g. menopause, birth control, and thyroid conditions), childbirth, surgery, chemotherapy, stress, ongoing illness, anemia, rapid weight loss, and certain medications.
Q.) How is the type of women’s hair loss determined?
A.) The first step in determining the cause of hair loss is finding the right doctor. With experience treating conditions of the skin, hair, and nails, a dermatologist is a good place to start. Dedicating his life to researching hair loss and hair restoration, Dr. Edmond Griffin can usually determine the cause of hair loss after a thorough consultation with examination of the scalp. Dermatology Associates of Atlanta’s Dr. Ashley R. Curtis specializes in women’s hair loss specifically, and works with Dr. Griffin to effectively diagnosis and treat female hair loss patients. Many clues become obvious to their experienced eyes. Occasionally, additional tests like a skin biopsy may be needed to make an accurate diagnosis. Part 2 of our women’s hair loss series highlights the components of tests that determine hair loss.
Q.) Can women undergo hair restoration surgery?
A.) As long as there is an adequate donor region from which follicular grafts can be harvested, women can benefit from hair restoration surgery. Women experiencing androgenetic alopecia or hair loss caused by scars from accidents, burns or cosmetic procedures often make good candidates for hair transplant surgery as long as they have an ample donor region.
Q.) Is there any way to prevent women’s hair loss?
A.) Yes, although there are many hair loss medications on the market that promise to prevent further loss and regrow hair, oral Propecia® (finasteride) and topical Rogaine® (minoxidil) are the two main proven hair loss prevention medications. Women who are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant should not take or even handle oral Propecia®, but may use topical custom prescriptions. In Dr. Griffin’s experience, 80-90% of those patients who combine both topical and oral medications see a halt in hair loss with 25% showing substantial hair regrowth. Your hair loss specialist my also suggest certain shampoos, vitamins, or the use of anti-androgens such as Flutamide, Spironalactone, estrogens or birth control pills to prevent further loss.
If you are interested in hair restoration options or are looking for your hair loss cause, take a look at our website or schedule a consultation today. Be sure to find the Griffin Center on Facebook.
Hair Transplant Surgery: Frequently Asked Questions and Special Summer Savings Program
Dr. Edmond Griffin of the Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research is extending a special offer for hair restoration patients. Right now you can save $500 on a small or greater size hair transplant surgery performed before August 31st, 2011. Below are a few of our most frequently asked questions about hair restoration surgery. Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions or to schedule you consultation.
Q.) How do I know if I’m a good candidate for hair transplant surgery?
A.) Most men and women who have androgenetic alopecia, better known as male or female patterned baldness, are appropriate candidates for hair restoration surgery. A patient whose hair loss condition is a result of scarring caused by an accident or surgery may also be suitable candidates for hair restoration. The main requirement of hair loss candidates is having an adequate donor region from which Dr. Griffin can harvest hair grafts to restore balding areas. › Continue reading
Answers to Your Hair Care Questions: Can My Hair Have Sun Damage?
Here in Atlanta the often triple degree temperatures of June, July and August can be oppressive to say the least. More than temperature discomfort, these conditions can also be very harmful to your skin and hair. Here at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta we talk a lot about sun damage and the prevention of skin cancer, but what a lot of patients don’t understand is that your hair is also susceptible to photo damage.
Think about your wooden outdoor furniture: if left unprotected out in the elements, it dries, cracks, and becomes grey, splintery, and worn looking. Like wood, your hair is a protein-based material susceptible to damage of wind, water and sun. It’s especially important for patients with thinning hair or bald areas to be mindful of sun protection as the skin on the scalp is especially susceptible to sun burn. If you anticipate being outdoors this summer, consider wearing a hat or cap (this protects you face and eyes from the sun too) or misting a spray sunscreen product over your hair.
To learn more about the hair research and hair restoration options at DAA’s Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research continue to read our blog and visit our website.
Answers to Common Questions about Hair Loss Prevention
Q.) Is it possible to prevent hair loss?
A.) Yes, in fact, the most important step in slowing the progression of hair loss is prevention. One of the most frustrating aspects of hair loss is that there are so many treatments that promise to prevent and regrow lost hair, but a majority of these products have never been really carefully studied, much less proven. The two main, proven hair loss medications are oral Propecia® (finasteride) and topical Rogaine® (minoxidil). Finasteride can now be prescribed in a topical solution with the hopes of avoiding any side effects of the oral medication. While hair regrowth is possible with the products, results are highly variable. Most patients use the products to prevent further androgenetic hair loss. It is important that all patients receiving hair transplantations are on a preventative program. In our experience the combination of both of the above medications results in the halting of hair loss between 80-90% of all patients.
Q.) If I discontinue my hair loss prevention medication, will it make my hair begin to fall out more rapidly or will all that I have gained be lost in a short time?
A.) No, but your hair loss will start occurring at the same rate it was before you began your medication. This is a common misconception about hair loss prevention medication. We have had many patients postpone their preventative programs and their hair begins to fall out at the same rate as before. When they begin prevention again, they do not have to start back at square one.
Q.) When should I start a hair loss prevention routine?
A.) Every hair loss case is unique, so without a proper consultation this is a difficult question to answer. › Continue reading
Atlanta Magazine Features DAA’s Dr. Griffin, Dr. Karempelis, & Dr. Curtis!
Find DAA’s Dr. Edmond Griffin, Dr. Scott Karempelis, and Dr. Ashley Curtis featured in Atlanta Magazine’s physician profiles. Pick up a copy!
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