Hair Restoration-ARTAS Robot

Technology has done it again! Hair restoration surgery performed by a robot? Restoration Robotics, a company founded by Dr. Frederick H. Moll, developed the ARTAS System.  This completely automated machine is the first and only robot designed to carry out the scoring aspect of the now popular, FUE hair transplant procedure. 

On April 14, 2011 the FDA granted a 510k dollar clearance to the ARTAS System for follicular unit extraction of the scalp on androgenic alopecia patients. In 2007, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) meeting was presented with the initial test results of ARTAS. At that point, the prototype had and unacceptably high transection rate of 30%. After more research and testing at the ISHRS, the company reported that the device had decreased transaction rates to 6–15%. At the ISHRS meeting in September 2011 the company reported further improvement in the transaction rates.

How it works

It normally takes seven to eight hours to individually harvest, by hand approximately 1,000 grafts. Since the surgery is tricky and time consuming, fewer than 10% of hair restoration surgeons perform this method of hair restoration.  The new ARTAS can gather grafts for hair transplant quicker and with less pain for patient.

Once the machine is turned on and initial parameters are set by the physician, and set to start, the machine decides which follicles to score around. It then proceeds from one hair follicle to the other at preset speeds.

The patient is positioned for the robot to punch out the grafts on a donor area of roughly 5 to 10cm at a time. During this time, the patient must remain absolutely still as the head is restrained by straps. The surgeon then removes each graft by hand with a pair of forceps. After this, the patient is repositioned for ARTAS to work on a new section of donor hair. This process continues until the extraction portion of surgery is complete. The implantation of grafts is done using the traditional transplant method.

ARTAS is available at a few locations the U.S. and is only approved for use on patients with straight hair that is dark brown or black in color. 

Hair Loss: What you need to know

If you are one of the many individuals considering a hair loss treatment, here is an overview of the most important things you need to know, including the basics or hair loss and hair growth.

How Hair Growth Works

Hair is made up of a protein called keratin (can also be found in nails) produced in hair follicles in the outer layer of skin; follicles produce new hair cells, the old cells are being pushed through the surface of the skin at a rate of about six inches a year.  The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs and looses up to 100 of them a day-this is completely normal.

Each follicle has its own life cycle and at any one time, 90% of the hair is growing while 10% is resting. The hair life cycle can be influenced by age, disease and wide variety of other factors.

Hair Life Cycle

Anagen- This is the growth phase that lasts between two and eight years. During the anagen phase the growth cells in the papilla rapidly divide and produce the hair shaft which becomes keratinized as it pushes up and out of the follicle into the pore. 

Catagen- the Anagen phase is followed by a brief two to four week Catagen phase or transitional phase. This is part of a renewal process where the follicle is literally degraded and the hair stops growing but does not fall out.

Telogen- The follicle then goes into the Telogen or resting phase for two to four months, during this time the hair still does not grow but remains attached to the follicle while the dermal papilla is in a resting phase below. Approximately 10–15 percent of all hairs are in this phase at any one time.

Types of Hair Loss (Alopecia) and Causes

Involutional Alopecia- is the normal loss of hair around the crown and temples, both in men and women, as the age starts advancing. Men are a larger target for this condition then women are.

Androgenic Alopecia (pattern baldness) — Accounts for over 90% of all pattern hair loss in both men and women. It is the progressive and gradual loss of hair in certain areas of the scalp. Affects men from early twenties and in some cases earlier-but generally 40’s are the worst period. After menopause Women can also be affected. The hair follicles in certain areas are thought to be affected by the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Pattern baldness is hereditary, can be inherited from either paren.

Alopecia Areata (patchy baldness)- This condition presents itself as patchy areas of the scalp clearly defined. Both sexes can suffer from this. Large chunks can come off while brushing. The cause is believed to be nervous stress and mostly following infectious diseases such as pneumonia, influenza, typhoid. It can also follow operations and childbirth. Hair will, in most cases grow back, usually in white color first, regaining its natural color gradually.

Trichotillomania (Traction alopecia): Caused from abuse by pulling or twisting of the hair resulting breaking of the hair shaft. Children are most affected because of their habit of playing with their hair. Certain hair dressing practices such as hair curling or straightening can also cause this condition.

Telogen Effluvium-Caused by certain events in life that alter the hair growth and simultaneously force follicles start resting phase. This can result in a molt or major hair loss that can be quite traumatic. The condition may reverse in time leaving less dense hair in most cases.

Recent breakthrough by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found that an abnormal amount of a lipid protein called Prostaglandin D2 in men with androgenetic alopecia may be the cause for hair loss in men and women. The derivative of prostaglandin in a certain receptor is inhibiting hair growth in both human as well as animal subjects. Striking 8 out of 10 men under 70 male pattern baldness causes hair follicles to shrink and grow microscopic hair for a shorter time lapse than normal.

Earlier research last year found that hair from bald scalp as well as from non-bald scalp contained the same amount of stem cells as well as finding the depletion of a progenitor cell. Taking an unbiased look when searching for potential organic causes for baldness, looking at scalp tissue for bald and non-bald hair follicles, they found that in human as well as in animal subject the presence of the derivative protein was 3 times higher than found in similar haired scalp with men with male pattern baldness. Although no clinical trials are underway at this time this discovery raises expectation to bring about new hair loss treatments in men and women.

So you’ve lost a significant amount of hair. Can we really prevent hair loss? Can the hair be restored? Can we ‘cover’ the hair loss? 90% of the products you see advertised for “hair loss” are not really intended to treat hair loss at all. The majority of the time it is just a marketing tool intended to trick consumers into buying it. You’ve seen them, countless advertisements and websites for “hair loss” products. Everything from hair fiber sprays, hair thickening shampoos and powders. These products do not affect the biochemistry of hair loss, hair loss continues. In turn, there are no guarantee results when using any hair loss products, medical treatments or natural remedies.

Hair loss at any age will hurt a man’s self-esteem. 40% of men start noticing thinning hair in their twenties.  Over a third will be prepared to spend at least 30% of their earnings on hair loss products.  To every method there are always pros and cons, but why spend so much of your hard earned money on TEMPORARY relief.  .  There are only two ways you can expect to have full amount of hair back: non-surgical replacement system (hair piece) and hair transplant.

Non-Surgical Hair Replacement System (Hair Piece)

Toupée (pronounced too-pay) is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness. An obvious benefit of hair pieces is the immediacy in which results can be seen. Rather than having to wait weeks for substantial hair “growth” to be apparent, the results of a hair piece can be seen right away. Despite the lower cost, the results of a hair piece are not at all permanent. Another downside of opting for this means of treating thinning hair is also the very drastic change of appearance from instantly having a full head of hair. Rather than a more gradual filling out, the change to a full mane can often seem unnatural.

Hair Restoration Surgery/Hair Transplant

Hair transplants can be effective in curbing signs of aging in that they offer a more permanent solution to hair loss than hair pieces or wigs. Remember, the key word here is PERMANENT. Hair transplants, can also give you a more natural, fuller look than simply buying a hair piece. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that it is your REAL hair that is providing you with a more youthful look, not synthetic material or another person’s hair. Also, the hair restoration procedure itself is not painful.  

When deciding on which of the above mentioned hair loss options will work best for you. Think about the money you will be spending and how long your results will last. Hair restoration surgery may seem like drastic alternative. However, the results speak for themselves. They’re permanent, natural looking and it’s your hair!! 

“Trim your ends every two weeks and condition only your ends when showering”, this is every hairstylists’ advice regarding split/thinning ends. But before you start trimming or treating your thinning hair, have you wondered what is causing the ends of your hair to thin. This is important! This information will help you prevent running into the same problems down the line.  Women experience hair loss and thinning hair primarily due to hormonal, menopausal and genetic reasons.  The main contributors to thinning hair and ends are physical and chemical sources of damage. Please don’t be surprised as some thinning episodes can occur to perfectly healthy and well cared heads of hair. Hair thinning near the ends is normal in very long hair. A slight thinning in the hair ends occurs during the normal hair growth process. The hair nearest the ends is the oldest hair on the head, and the longer the hair is the older it is! The ends of this hair are usually older than three years.

Thinning hair ends can be cause by many factors:

Styling

Always control your comb as it makes its way down the hair shaft. This is critical for reducing breakage during detangling and styling. Avoid combing your hair form root to ends without grasping the hair along the way. Using the hand to support along the hair shaft as you make yourself through reduces unneeded tension.

Heat Use

Heat has to be one of the main culprits of self induced hair thinning. The lack of internal moisture causes breakage and results in a thinner look to the hair. Heat also denatures the hair’s internal protein structure and damages the cuticles layers of the hair. Try a low heat regimen to prevent, no direct heat more than twice a month.

Over Processing from Chemical Relaxers

When a relaxer touch-up is done and the relaxer is rinse out of the hair, the active creme passes over previously relaxed ends and starts to work on them. This is very harmful and happens when the ends are not protected during the relaxing process. Each time this occurs, the cuticle becomes more and more degraded. Protect your ends by using an oil or conditioner and applying it to your ends before starting the relaxing process.

Improper Neutralizing of Relaxer

When the relaxer is improperly neutralized your hair can become thinner overtime. The relaxer chemicals continue to process the hair strand long after the relaxer is rinsed away, resulting in thinner, moisture and protein deficient hair strands. Breakage can also result from this; you must always make sure your hair is properly rinsed!

Remember it is vital that you keep your hair hydrated, conditioned and well trimmed. This along with staying informed about the causes of thinning hair ends will keep your hair end looking healthy and beautiful!

Dihydrotestosterone is male hormones combination commonly found in both men and women of all ages. When an excess of this hormone is produced, it can lead directly to the loss of your hair, commonly known as genetic hair loss or male and female pattern baldness. 

This DHT hormone surround your hair follicles with ha wax like substance; this will basically starve the follicles of much needed vitamins and nutrients that help them to grow healthy and strong hair. The DHT, causes your hair follicles to produced thinner and thinner and more brittle hairs until the simply fall out, and new hair are unable to replace them due to damages DHT has done to the follicle. Leaving you with those tell tale unsightly bald patches or more common in women thinning across your scalp.

But there is help in the best hair loss solution, these clinically proven formulations can and do work to stop the loss of your hair and help-grow your own natural and sexy healthy hair. These hair loss remedies use the only FDA approved ingredient on the market that can be used by both men and women and has been proven to help stop further hair loss and re-grow hair.

The topical hair loss solution goes to work ensuring your follicles receive a rich supply of hair friendly clods filled with the vitamins and nutrients needed to help those hairs grow to be strong healthy and shiny.

Combine this with the oral mineral and vitamin supplements,. and you have a winning combination for hair loss re-growth.

The vitamin and mineral supplements contain all natural ingredients and herbs with powerful DHT blocking abilities, thus ensuring your hair has the very vest chances to defeat the silent killer dihydrotestosterone.

Most people are aware that many vitamins, especially B vitamins and vitamin E have been long recommended as a cure or method or maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails. There is more than a little truth to this recommendation. The human body relies on nutrients and vitamins for the production of many chemicals and amino avoids within the body relies on nutrients and vitamins for the production of many chemicals and amino acids within the body to regulate and perform normal bodily functions. One of these millions of functions is the regulation of hair growth. Studies have shown that individuals who maintain a poorly balanced diet or tend to go on crash diets will tend to have less healthy skin, hair and nails. Individuals suffering from anorexia very commonly exhibit loss of hair and other skin and nail issues.

There are a number of vitamin and nutrients the body absolutely must have in order to stimulate the growth of healthy hair. Remember, we have already established that healthy hair must be frown from within. To that end, the body must have adequate supplies essential and non-essential nutrients. While non-essential may sound as thought is not as necessary, this term simply means that the body is capable of producing it on its own. individuals who have medical condition that prevent the body from producing or storing non-essential nutrients will need to supplement their diets in order to get amounts.

At a minimum, the body needs the following vitamins and nutrients to act as a catalyst for other productions within the body including the necessary  growth and maintained of healthy hair:  

Vitamin A

Vitamin B

Vitamin E

Copper

Iodine

Thanks to hair transplant surgery, you don’t have to live with hair loss for the rest of your life. This blog looks at four important tips that can help you get great success with the procedure.

Tip #1: Learn which method of hair restoration is best for you. Hair replacement surgery can give you very successful results if your surgeon practices new methods in hair restoration surgery. Beverly Hills hair transplant surgeon Payam John Kahen, M.D.? practices the most advance techniques in hair restoration surgery. Look at before and after photos of his hair restoration patients.

Tip #2: Look for and consult with some patients of the surgery and the best hair transplant physicians out there. With the awesome power of the Internet, there are lots of discussion groups and forums out there where you can find real-life people that have had successful transplant done. Talk to them and learn, first-hand, what they went through, their successes or failures and where to find the best surgeons. You can even view real-life before and after photos to help you decide.

Tip #3: Take the time to thoroughly research and pick a surgeon of outstanding reputation. While there are many surgeons out there, not all of them have the experience and skills necessary to give you the results you might need. Because of that you have to take the time to find one that has the experience and skills needed.

Tip #4: Contact existing patients and get your questions answered by someone who went through the process. In doing so, you’llobtain first hand knowledge of how your experience will be with the surgeon you’re electing to preform hair restoration. Go through the existing patients to select the best surgeon. Patients can be relied on the most honest and informative reccomendations, insuring you chose the best hair transplant surgeon, based on skill and most importantly the results.

As simple as the above tips are they can really help you get great success with hair transplant surgery.