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The hair growth cycle is ongoing, and on an average day, 90% of your hair is in the resting phase while the other 10% is either growing or shedding. Balding occurs when the hair sheds, and no hair re-grows to replace it. Hair is made of keratin, the same material that makes up your nails and the outer layer of your skin. Hair is really a dead structure while the follicular bulb is the growing center.  Because the actual strand of hair is not alive, hot curlers, chemical processing, hard plastic combs can cause damage and lead to split ends and fracturing of the shafts.

The hair growth cycle begins with the anagen or growth phase. During this phase cells in the root of the hair divide to add to the hair shaft. Depending on your genetics, the growth phase can last anywhere from 2 to 6 years. As the anagen phase comes to an end, an unknown signal tells the hair to enter the next stage. The hair grows about a fourth of an inch each month, and though it is technically dead, a healthy hair care regimen can keep it looking beautiful while it’s in the anagen phase.

The catagen stage follows the anagen phase and is made up of a 2-3 week transitional period in which the hair is no longer growing. During this stage, a club hair is formed. A club hair occurs when the section of the hair follicle attaches to the hair shaft, cutting the follicle off from its blood supply and the cells that produce new hair. This club hair leads to the next stage of the hair growth and shedding cycle.

The final stage of the hair growth and shedding cycle is the telogen or resting phase. During this two to four month phase, the hair begins to shed at normal levels, and the anagen phase begins again producing new hair.

The average person sheds around 100 telogen-stage hairs a day between brushing the hair, showering, and other activities. High-stress and trauma like high fevers, nutritional deficiencies, pneumonia, and accidents can cause hair to shed in higher than normal amounts. Patterned baldness (androgenetic alopecia) occurs when hair production slows and beings to produce weak, shorter hairs, eventually ceasing to grow completely in some areas.

Men and women often lose hair for different reasons and should be properly diagnosed before beginning any hair restoration treatment. Depending on the cause of your hair loss, there are both surgical and non-surgical treatment options including hair restoration surgery and medications like Propecia®, Rogaine®, and Proscar®.

For more information on hair loss causes and hair restoration, contact the Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter for more hair regrowth news and updates.

Each person goes through the hair growth and shedding cycle. In the anagen phase also known as the growth phase of the hair follicle, new hair cells are produced. The catagen phase is where the hair is no longer growing but the follicle is shrinking. The final stage, the telogen phase, occurs when the hair is in a resting state, no longer growing, but on the verge of shedding. The hair stays in this resting state for about three months when it begins to shed, and the anagen phase begins gradually. Therefore, the average patient loses about 100 hairs per day. At the end of the telogen phase, the hair cycle of growth begins again, and if you could watch the follicular opening you would see a new hair emerge in a couple of weeks.

Though each individual’s hair growth and shedding cycle schedules will vary slightly, the researchers found that the women studied had the highest percentage of hair in the telogen stage at the end of summer. This means that after a period of time, these women will have some hair loss since the resting phase is always followed by a shedding. During this time, the patient may feel that his or her hair is thinning with the natural loss of hair that is occurring. The same sort of hair-loss phasing happens, though with a lower percentage of hair, in the spring as well. Researchers speculate that this extra amount of lost hair may be brought about by evolution, since the body seems to hold on to hair during the warmer months to protect the scalp from the summer sun.

For those people who experience hair loss with no growth to follow it, The Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research offers both non-surgical and surgical treatment and prevention options for women’s hair loss. Most commonly this hair loss is the result of female patterned hair loss, and the minuturization of hairs which eventually do not return.  This process can be slowed and even in some cases reversed with treatment.

Contact us for more information on hair loss or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Edmond Griffin, hair restoration specialist. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook for daily news and updates.

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.

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.

Q.) What is follicular unit hair transplantation?

A.) A follicular unit hair transplantation procedure involves harvesting a donor site, or strip of skin, taken from the back of the scalp. Once the donor site is harvested, Dr. Griffin and his well equipped team dissect the individual follicular units and transplant the harvested hairs into tiny, custom-sized incisions to cover balding regions. This technique produces a very natural-looking result, as the hair grows in its original groups (follicular grafts) in recipient areas.

Q.) Will my hair continue to fall out after hair restoration surgery?

A.) The answer to this question is dependent upon the type of hair loss you’re experiencing. We typically recommend that patients with genetic patterned balding who are candidates for hair restoration remain on a hair loss prevention program even after their surgery. Androgenetic alopecia occurs in a pattern, which is why it’s referred to as patterned baldness. During hair restoration surgery, hair is harvested from donor regions where patterned hair loss does not occur. Although the hair is transplanted to an area where hair loss has occurred, the genetic makeup of the donor hair does not change, so the newly transplanted hairs will not fall out. However, the hair left in the balding regions that’s not newly transplanted may continue to fall out if a patient does not address prevention.

Q.) What kind of results can I anticipate from my hair restoration surgery?

A.) As stated in the last question, although visible improvement will occur, it’s important to continue preventative measures even after your hair restoration surgery and maintain realistic expectations. Be mindful that the hairline may not be as low as it once was and hair may not be as thick.

Q.) Will my hair transplant surgery result in a full head of hair?

A.) While sufficient coverage of balding regions is attainable, adolescent thickness may never be fully restored. We do recommend a hair loss prevention program to preserve areas that were not treated with surgery.

A.)Although genetic predisposition is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women, there are numerous other factors to consider such as medical conditions, hormonal imbalances, medications, excessive weight loss, chemotherapy, radiation, and traumatic injuries (including burns to the scalp) that can also cause hair loss.

Q.) How is the cause of my hair loss determined?

A.) As highlighted in our previous women’s hair loss series, a dermatologist can help you identify the cause of your hair loss. The single most important thing when determining hair loss is the doctor’s experience. First, he or she will start by asking a round of questions to better understand your condition. Then he/she  can order or perform tests which may include hair pull test, hair shed/pull collection, scalp biopsy, and blood tests.

Q.) Isn’t male patterned baldness the same thing as female patterned baldness?

A.) Both male and female patterned baldness(androgenetic alopecia) are caused by a predisposition to the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the hair follicles due to an inherited gene. However, the pattern in female pattern baldness is different than that of male pattern baldness, meaning though the causes of these types of hair loss are similar, the rate and areas in which patients of opposite genders notice hair loss are still very different. The most important difference between these two types of hair loss is that men frequently progress to total baldness and women rarely do.

Q.) Do certain hairstyles cause hair loss?

A.) Tight hairstyles such as extensions, braiding and tight ponytails that place excessive tension on the scalp can cause a hair loss condition known astraction alopecia. Certain people are more susceptible to this type of hair loss. For instance, some people have sensitive hair follicles that are more easily traumatized than others.

Q.) What’s the difference in alopecia areata, alopecia universalis and alopecia totalis?

A.) These hair loss conditions are all autoimmune disorders:  the main difference is the extent of hair loss.  Alopecia areata is characterized by smooth, circular patches of lost hair. Alopecia totalis is alopecia that results in total hair loss on the scalp, and alopecia universalis is alopecia that results in hair loss of the entire body, including eyelashes and eyebrows.

If you have a hair loss concern, schedule a consultation today so that we can help you determine its cause and the proper method of treatment. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook if you haven’t already.

A dermatologist from Beverly Hills, Dr. Simon Ourian, administered BOTOX® injections to help relieve his mother’s chemotherapy-related migraines, and was surprised to find her hair returned around the injection sites. Since then, more research has been conducted on the topic including a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons discussing BOTOX® use in the treatment of male pattern baldness.

The study consisted of fifty male subjects, ranging from 19 to 57 years of age, who were observed over a 60 week period. Each subject received two treatment cycles of 150 injections during the 60 week period. Researchers utilized various methods of determining hair loss rates, like measuring hair count within a fixed 2 cm area and collecting loose hairs from a pillow with a lint roller. None of the subjects experienced adverse effects. The results suggested that BOTOX® appears to reduce hair loss and stimulate hair growth in some men suffering from androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness).

Aside from the study’s results, I’ve found through use with my patients that injecting BOTOX® around donor regions during hair transplant procedures helps hair re-grow around the incision scars. Not only does it help hair grow around scars, I’ve noticed BOTOX® also lessens the redness and thickness of scars. It may not effectively treat all types of hair loss, as hair loss causes are different for different people, but it will be interesting to see if more studies confirm using BOTOX® to treat male patterned baldness.

Men, women and children all experience hair loss for different reasons, but my staff at the Griffin Center and I are here to help. If you are experiencing hair loss and are looking for a hair loss prevention or treatment method, contact us to schedule an appointment today. First, I will determine what’s causing your hair loss, and then, I can devise a treatment plan specific to your condition. For more information, visit my website and keep reading my blog. Also, find me on Facebook and let me know what you’d like to read.

While there is little, advisable, treatment to prevent chemo-related hair loss, The Mayo Clinic cites the potential of  topical, daily application of Minoxidil (Rogaine®) to aid in the re-growth of hair after patients have completed their full round(s) of treatment.  For most chemotherapy-related hair-loss patients (both male and female), hair does not begin to re-grow until several weeks after their final dose of chemo.  Most, but not all, cancer drugs result in hair regrowth after treatment.  Ask your oncologist if the drug he plans to use has been associated with permanent hair loss.  If chemo is being administered intravenously, an inflated blood pressure cuff placed on the forehead and around the back of the head as low as possible has been suggested to reduce the loss of hair in patients.  The blood pressure cuff raises the patient’s systolic pressure to help prevent circulation of the drugs into the scalp.

Minoxidil (Rogaine®) is usually recommended for non-cancer patients who have just begun to lose their hair because of the product’s ability to maintain existing strands.  Because chemotherapy destroys cells completely, including those that determine hair’s color and texture, it is not unusual for the first hair that appears after cancer treatment to be a different texture or color than it was before treatment.  Also, because hair growth is a cyclical process that can take months to occur, topical hair-growth product users should know that treatment will require regular, daily application to become effective.
In addition to Minoxidil, Finasteride (Proscar ®/Propecia ®) is another very popular topical product for genetically linked baldness in men.  As you may have read in his blog though, Dr. Edmond Griffin has developed a topical, botanical alopecia treatment made with melatonin that shows great promise for hair-loss in women.

While Minoxidil (Rogaine®) hair restoration treatment is promising for future use in cancer survivors, because of the lack of substantiated scientific research, it’s important to note that Minoxidil (Rogaine®) non-surgical hair-loss treatment has not yet been proven for this specific problem.  This point reiterates the importance of working with board certified physicians aware of the most recent innovations in maintaining your health after cancer treatment and recovery.

To learn more about the other hair-loss treatment options available through The Griffin Center of Hair Restoration and Research visit their website, read their blog, or contact their offices.