From: Subject: Hair transplants have evolved over past half-century - Hair transplants have evolved over past half-century - DermatologyTimes Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 16:08:50 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C81CA1.7DEDFBC0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C81CA1.7DEDFBC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatologytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?ts=110107070824&id=465494 Hair transplants have evolved over past = half-century - Hair transplants have evolved over past half-century - = DermatologyTimes
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Hair transplants have = evolved over=20 past half-century
Hair transplants have evolved over = past=20 half-century
Oct=20 1, 2007
By: Jane=20 Schwanke
Special=20 = Report
Pages | 1=20 | 2<= /TD>

3D"KeyKeypoints:=20

  • Physicians and patients have a variety of = choices to=20 help restore a natural-hair look for both men and = women.
  • Consultation with a physician is extremely = important, to=20 ensure that the patient's goals are realistic
  • Medical therapies, hair transplants, or a = combination=20 are generally satisfying and in many cases, life=20 changing


Dr.=20 McAndrews
Beverly Hills, Calif. = =97 It's=20 been nearly 50 years since Dr. Norman Orentreich = performed the=20 first hair transplant procedure in New York. Today, = physicians=20 and patients have a variety of choices to help restore = a=20 natural-hair look for both men and women. Making the = right=20 choice or a combination of choices can result in the = very best=20 long-term outcome, one expert says.

It all begins = with an=20 educated and realistic patient, says to Paul J. = McAndrews,=20 M.D., a dermatologist in private practice in Beverly = Hills and=20 Pasadena, Calif., and a clinical professor at USC/LAC = Medical=20 Center. Dr. McAndrews specializes in hair restoration, = including hair transplants and the medical treatment = of hair=20 loss.

"A properly = trained doctor=20 with foresight can create a hair transplant that looks = completely natural today and 20 years from now," Dr. = McAndrews=20 tells Dermatology Times.

"My worry is not=20 naturalness of the hair transplant =97 it's 'Can I = keep up with=20 the patient's goal as he or she ages?'" Dr. McAndrews = says.=20

The patient=20 consult



Before performing a hair = transplant,=20 Dr. McAndrews spends up to an hour and a half in = consultation=20 making sure the patient is knowledgeable about the = transplant=20 and completely aware of the implications of future = hair loss.=20

"Our genes = dictate how bad=20 our hair loss is going to be," Dr. McAndrews says. =

Looking at = earlier=20 generations and their baldness patterns will indicate = that=20 individual's future loss, and help the patient = understand his=20 or her realistic possibilities and options. =

"The consultation = is=20 enormously important =97 it's where they make the = informed=20 decision," Dr. McAndrews says.

Patients also = need to=20 understand the progressive nature of androgenetic = alopecia.=20

"This knowledge = will help=20 them understand the importance of not only creating a = hairline=20 that looks good today, but also in the future as their = hair=20 loss progresses," Dr. McAndrews says.

The best = candidates for=20 hair transplantation are not found in ethnic groups, = nor are=20 they the ones with good hair density, good caliber of = hair or=20 curly hair.

"A good hair = transplant=20 candidate is realistic about what can be = accomplished," Dr.=20 McAndrews says. "There are many patients with poor = hair=20 characteristics that are excellent hair transplant = candidates=20 because their goals are realistic."

Medical=20 therapies

If the patient's = goal is to=20 keep what hair they have, then starting the patient on = medical=20 therapies is the first step.

"The No. 1 = treatment in=20 this case is Propecia (finasteride, Merck). Rogaine=20 (McNeil-PPC) is another option. The combination of the = two is=20 what I try to get all my patients to do," Dr. = McAndrews says.=20

"These therapies = have a=20 good chance of meeting this patient's goal and there = may be no=20 need for a hair transplant," Dr. McAndrews says. =

On the other = extreme, a=20 patient who has only a rim of hair left may want a = full head=20 of hair. "In that situation, the patient's goals are = not going=20 to be met by the medical or surgical therapies, and = treatment=20 should not be started unless the patient adjusts his = goals.=20 The only thing that will accomplish this patient's = goal is a=20 hair piece," Dr. McAndrews says.

"A hair = transplant is a=20 very valuable tool in accomplishing the goal of a = patient who=20 wants a significant increase in density in an area = that is=20 bald or thinning.


Pages | 1=20 | 2<= /TD>
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About = the=20 Author
=
Jane=20 Schwanke
Staff=20 Corresondent
About Jane Schwanke
See=20 more articles by Jane = Schwanke
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