Hair Foundation Blog

Dr. William M. Parsley, M.D, FAAD, a member of the Hair Foundation’s Board of Trustees, recently discussed tattooing over keloid scalp scars from hair restoration surgery in a Hair Foundation blog post. Parsley talked about tattooing over keloid scalp scars from hair restoration surgery (the area they harvest from) not as an option to conceal hair loss.

But now this alternative exists. The Britain-based company, HIS (Hair-Ink-Skin) Hair, has launched a technique to hide baldness by using a form of tattoos. The procedure, called micro hair technique (MHT) scalp pigmentation, gives the appearance of a short, cropped ‘buzz’ hair by applying different shades of specifically-blended pigments to the scalp.

This copies the size, shape and density of micro hairs, according to The Daily Mail.

The procedure costs on average of £2,000 (US $3,151) and was developed by HIS Hair founder Ian Watson. Some of the allure is coming from its lower cost as compared to other hair loss remedies.

Watson got the idea for the procedure when he developed alopecia in his mid-twenties after his older brother passed away from cancer. 

Sensitive to his hair loss, Watson asked his brother’s widow, Ranbir Rai-Watson, to grab a fine pen and draw dots on his scalp, in an effort to create a “cropped” haircut. While the ink washed off on the first attempts, after a decade of research the procedure has been tweaked by hair loss experts and English and Australian semi-permanent make-up artists.

The company is now opening clinics in Europe and the U.S.with this procedure.

Celebrity hairdresser Adee Phelan has opened the company’s newest clinic in Manchester, England; he is also a satisfied customer who’s had the procedure. Phelan said, “This is a great permanent, non-surgical option that can disguise everything from male- pattern baldness to receding hair lines and scars on your head. I thought losing my hair didn’t bother me but even I felt younger and more confident afterwards.

“And it looks so natural, most people don’t even know I’ve had it done.”

According to the Daily Mail, statistics show that 10 million men from the UK suffer from hair loss. By the age of 50, those affected by male pattern hair loss reaches 50 percent. Many in the country believe this new alternative will be great for hair loss.

If you have questions about hair loss, please contact us at info@hairloss.org or check out our online videos.

The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) recently announced their position on Propecia (Finasteride 1mg) for hair loss and the subsequent reports of sexual dysfunction by users.

ISHRS is one of the Hair Foundation’s Allied Organizations Council (AOC) members.

Under a task force, the organization reviewed the reports of sexual dysfunction and looked at data and finasteride experiences from a group of dermatologists, hair loss physicians, urologists, endocrinologists and sexual medicine specialists.

ISHRS has reported there was no evidence-based science data that linked finasteride and continuous sexual side effects after users discontinued using the drug in numerous, double blinded, placebo controlled studies that evaluated the use of Propecia 1mg for hair loss, according to the press release.

In a statement by ISHRS President Dr. Jennifer Martinick, she said,

“The health and well being of our patients is the utmost concern of the 900 physician members of the ISHRS — whether prescribing medications like Propecia or performing hair restoration surgery. ISHRS members devote an average of 72% of their practices to medically and surgically treating hair loss, and collectively they have treated millions of men around the world suffering from hair loss with finasteride 1mg with virtually no side effects.”

Since receiving FDA approval in December of 1997, 20.5 million and 6.7 million patient-years of exposure using Proscar (finasteride 5mg) and Propecia (finasteride 1mg), respectively, have seen a low adverse event profile according to ISHRS’ release.

ISHRS believes this represents the most current and reliable data available.

Martinick further noted that sexual dysfunction is a complicated disorder as it’s hard to find the exact cause due to the many factors contributing to erectile dysfunction (ED) such as nicotine, alcohol, prescription medications, stress, anxiety, fatigue and depression.

She said, “The incidence of ED in the general population is known to be quite high — as high as 49% in middle-aged and older men according to one study published in 2006 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. “That being said, we owe it to our patients to address valid concerns in a scientific manner and to clarify any misleading reports so that men can make informed choices regarding the use of this medication.”

To learn more about hair loss treatments for men, please visit our online videos.

Photo courtesy of HairMax

In June, Lexington Intl, LLC (“Lexington”), a Hair Foundation partner, received FDA Clearance to market its HairMax LaserComb® Lux 9 for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss) and the promotion of hair growth.

On Aug. 4, CBS Philadelphia ran a story about this HairMax LaserComb. It featured a 53-year-old woman with hereditary hair loss and included Hair Foundation’s Vice Chair, Dr. Ken Washenik, as a hair loss medical expert.

Here’s a link to the video and some background on the story.

In an additional story about the LaserComb Lux 9, here’s one from Univision.

Want to learn more about the HairMax LaserComb Lux 9 for women? Check out this June 10 Hair Foundation blog post.

For many people, Lady Gaga is seen as a music icon, an individual, a very creative person and yes, a woman who struggles with hair loss. The 25-year-old has been open about her hair loss and has said that her hair has started to fall out because of the constant hair dyeing. The natural brunette is known for platinum blonde hair and because of it, she’s been open about her hair loss.

So what’s a woman to do about hair loss? In a recent AOL blog post, rumors have been swirling that Lady Gaga is using Minoxidil (Rogaine®) to combat her hair loss.

What is Rogaine? It is the only FDA-approved topical solution to regrow your hair. For women, it enables them to take control of hair loss and start regrowing healthy hair. It is a very good treatment for hereditary hair loss. Initially sold as a prescription product, Rogaine is now sold over the counter and for women, the 2% solution is recommended.

One thing to keep in mind, according to Dr. Matt Leavitt, president and CEO of the Hair Foundation, in his book, “Women and Hair Loss: A Physician’s Perspective,”

Use of minoxidil to abate hair loss or re-grow hair should be viewed as a lifetime commitment if the re-growth is to be maintained.

Leavitt further explains,

More density to the hair is achieved with continuous use, which allows for easier styling, but bear in mind that it does not replace all of the missing hair and that the response to treatment is individual.

Side effects may include an itchy scalp and other minor skin irritations, which occurs in approximately 6% of females, according to Leavitt.

Want to learn more about women and hair loss? Check out this March 29 Q&A blog with the Hair Foundation’s vice chairman, Dr. Ken Washenik  and the Hair Foundation’s new physician videos.

Photo courtesy of HairMax

On June 6,  Lexington Intl, LLC (“Lexington”), a Hair Foundation partner, announced in a press release that it received FDA Clearance to market its HairMax LaserComb® Lux 9 for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss) and the promotion of hair growth.

It is the first time in over twenty years that a new home-use treatment for female hair loss has been available, according to Lexington. The HairMax Lux 9 has indicated it treats androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss), and promotes hair growth in females who have Ludwig (Savin) Scale I-4, II-1, II-2 or frontal and Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-IV.

The HairMax was the subject of a double-blind, device-controlled clinical study of females which showed that 100% of subjects on the HairMax LaserComb Lux 9 experienced hair growth at six months.  In addition, over the same time period, subjects using the HairMax experienced a mean increase in hair count of 20.5 hairs per centimeter squared, which is considered medically and scientifically significant.

Most importantly, over 79% of the subjects using the HairMax Lux 9 reported improvement in thickness and fullness of their hair.  No serious side effects occurred and there were no other side effects caused by the HairMax Lux 9 in the study.

The results of this study of efficacy and safety were a key part of the FDA 510(k) submission, and the subsequent decision of the Agency to grant marketing clearance for the treatment of female AGA.

In Lexington’s press release, Dr. Matt Leavitt, Chairman and President, the Hair Foundation, and Lexington Medical advisor, made the following comment regarding the news:

“Hair loss amongst women is a growing concern”, says Dr. Matt Leavitt, Medical Advisor to Lexington. “In the past, women had only one FDA Approved drug ingredient to treat their hair loss. Now they have a clinically proven viable alternative. Upon review of Lexington’s extensive clinical studies on female hair loss, the FDA has granted Clearance to this exciting new treatment option. I believe the HairMax will be able to offer help to the millions of women suffering from hair loss.”

Here is a copy of the FDA clearance letter.

To learn more about female hair loss and treatments, please see the Hair Foundation’s new video series.

This spring, the Hair Foundation’s doctors served as experts and helped film a nine-part video series for public use. They cover a variety of hair

Photo by hopefulfarm.com

topics and viewers will find many of their common questions answered.

Drs. Matt Leavitt, Dow Stough,E. Antonio Mangubat and Ken Washenik discussed the following video topics:

• Types of Hair Loss
• Understanding and Living with Hair Loss
• Men and Hair Loss
• Women and Hair Loss
• Children and Hair Loss
• Hair Loss and Self-Esteem
• Combating Hair Loss: Diagnosis and Medical Treatments
• Hair Care and Maintenance before Hair Loss Occurs
• Hair Disease and Treatments

These free videos run between two to four minutes in length and they include patients, real world examples and visuals.

Look for their availability soon on the HF website, YouTube and partners’ websites.

On May 10, Unilever announced that it had completed its acquisition of the hair care company Alberto Culver Co. With this new company, Unilever is now the world’s largest maker of hair conditioner, the second-largest shampoo seller and the third-largest maker of hair styling products. Alberto Culver makes the personal care products under the TRESemme, Nexxus, St. Ives and Noxzema names and is a supporter of the Hair Foundation.

Alberto Culver donated in-kind products of TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo to the HF’s partners, Childhood Leukemia Foundation and ISHRS, to include in CLF gift baskets given to patients and their families during their recovery from cancer treatments.

In a four-part series by The Hair Foundation, we take a look at eyelash loss by explaining reasons it can happen, the severity of it and a few remedies. Product side effects and costs will also be discussed. 

In Part IV, we’ll discuss the option of eyelash transplants.

Not sure LATISSE^® is for you? Another option is an eyelash transplant.

This is a medical procedure where a doctor takes about 28-40 hair follicles from your scalp and implants them into your eyelid. The number of hairs depends upon the patient’s particular situation and costs can run close to $1500 per year.

A transplant session takes anywhere from one to three hours and may require two to three sessions.  Recovery takes seven to 14 days and during that time, the patient may need to sleep in goggles to prevent scratching and dislodging the new eyelashes. 

Transplanted hairs will begin to grow soon after the procedure with some growing outward and away from the eye just like natural eyelashes, while others will need to be “trained” to behave as eyelashes. This includes coating the new hairs with lash oil and using an eyelash curler to encourage proper curl. 

Patients in good health rarely reject the transplanted eyelashes and report very little side effects or swelling from the surgery.

The “new lashes” must also be trimmed regularly to maintain proper length. The cost for this is around $5,000 to $10,000.

The options for having lush lashes are becoming more affordable and easier to achieve. Soon the phrase “batting your eyelashes” may have a whole new meaning.

For more information, see http://www.ishrs.org/articles/eyelash-transplantation.htm

In a four-part series by The Hair Foundation, we take a look at eyelash loss by explaining reasons it can happen, the severity of it and a few remedies. Product side effects and costs will also be discussed. 

Part III discusses the side effects and cost of using LATISSE.^®

While LATISSE^® has produced positive results for those looking to improve their eyelashes, there are side effects. The most common reported in the clinical study include an itching sensation in the eyes and/or eye redness; less common side effects include skin darkening, or hyper pigmentation along the lash line, eye irritation, dryness of the eyes, redness of the eyelids, and the possibility of hair growth to occur on other parts of your skin that LATISSE^® repeatedly touches. 

These conditions may clear up once you discontinue using the product.

According to Dr. Matt Leavitt, “While LATISSE^® has no major side effects in clinical studies, there is the potential for darkening in the pigment around the eyes if the user gets the product in their eyes for treatment of glaucoma. This happens less than three percent of the time but it may be permanent.”

Proper application of LATISSE^® is vital. One way to avoid the potentially permanent change in pigment to brown is to apply LATISSE^® properly at the tip of the top eyelashes, not in the eye as you do to treat glaucoma.

After you decide to go the LATISSE^® route, costs will vary depending on a physician’s practice and pharmacy costs but on average, the prescription may cost $120 per month ($1440 per year). Discounts are available if patients join the LashPerks program or participate in other additional offers such as buying more than one month’s supply at a time.     

 “LATISSE^® is only available by prescription,” added Leavitt.

In a four-part series by The Hair Foundation, we take a look at eyelash loss by explaining reasons it can happen, the severity of it and a few remedies. Side effects and costs will also be discussed. 

Part II will discuss LATISSE^®as an alternative for those with inadequate or not enough eyelashes. We’ll discuss when to use this, how to apply it correctly and what to expect from its use over a period of time.

Part II – LATISSE^®

 LATISSE^®is the first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment that enables lashes to grow longer, fuller and darker for those with either inadequate or not enough lashes (eyelash hypotrichosis).

 When is it time to use LATISSE^®?

“At any point, people can use LATISSE.^® If you’re still unhappy with your sparse lashes after using over-the-counter treatments, then you may want to try LATISSE^®,” said Dr. Matt L. Leavitt*, DO, and president of The Hair Foundation.  “By using LATISSE^® the user will see longer, darker and thicker eyelashes.”

 LATISSE^® requires a prescription and consultation with a doctor to ensure the patient is an appropriate candidate for treatment, aware of the potential benefits and its side effects as well as proper use of the product.

 Users have seen lash improvements at weeks eight, 12, and 16; however, when the applications were discontinued, the results gradually disappeared and eyelashes went back to their previous state.

“You’ll continue to see the benefits of LATISSE^®if you keep using it every day,” explained Leavitt. “If you do stop for a period of time, you can go back to it and you’ll again see benefits. Get in the habit of applying LATISSE^® as you do when brushing your teeth before bedtime.”

For eyelash growth, LATISSE^®uses a once-a-day treatment applied to the base of the upper eyelid margin. The specially-designed applicator brush limits the amount of product delivered; it is approximately five percent of the regular dose amount in volume when applied topically versus dropped in the eye as a treatment for elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Two changes from LATISSE^® are believed to take place from the application: it increases the duration of the lash growth cycle and the number of hairs in the eyelash growth cycle. You’ll see longer eyelash length and thicker, fuller lashes.   

*Leavitt is an Allergan consultant. His views expressed in this series are independent from his role with Allergan.