The main cause of hair loss in men can be attributed to the negative effects of testosterone and the buildup of oils on the scalp due to overactive sebaceous glands, and/or vitamin deficiencies.

The buildup of sex-hormones and oils on the scalp cause hair follicles to shrink and hair to shed prematurely. These traits will make hair much finer and thinner, eventually leading to baldness. If the follicle is damaged by these known causes, the hair growth cycle is interrupted. Only through professional treatment can the follicles be rejuvenated to produce normal hairs. Growth factor therapy derived from mesenchymal stem cells with Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in combination with Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) treatments will stimulate hair follicles and increase blood flow in order to restore your hair to grow naturally.

If you are a man suffering with hair loss, then you are encourage to seek a medical evaluation. Dr. Melamed can access the cause of your hair loss and recommend the right treatment option, including advanced non-surgical solutions such as PRP and LLLT. The sooner you intervene, the better your chances for recovering your hair and not requiring surgery. There are effective treatments to stop, reverse and re-grow your hair naturally.

Hair Transplantation may be the right choice for patients with more extensive hair loss. When considering a hair transplant you have to consider the surgeon and the type of procedure. Most common types of early hair loss will require 1,500 to 2,500 grafts for a complete treatment. Some patients may require more. There are two procedure options:

Option 1 is Strip Transplantation: traditional method that removes a slice of skin from the back of your head. Several technicians will then remove the hair follicles from the strip of skin. The follicles are later implanted by multiple technicians working with the surgeon. The procedure will usually start at 7am and finish by 5pm.

• Advantage: possibility to harvest 3,000+ grafts in a single visit. Has a lower cost as compared to the Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) procedure.
• Disadvantage: a visible linear scar on the back of the head (donor area).  Reported complications include bleeding, folliculitis, infection, wound dehiscence or necrosis, numbness, persistent pain, postoperative pain, suture extrusion, keloid and hypertrophic scar, donor hair effluvium, hiccups, and arteriovenous fistula (Kerure AS, Patwardhan N. Complications in Hair Transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018;11(4):182–189. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18).

Option 2 is FUE (Follicular Unit Excision): new method that uses the ARTAS iX robot in conjunction with Dr. Melamed to harvest follicles. No strip of skin is removed, therefore there is no linear scar. Instead each follicular unit is removed individually (see video below). Dr. Melamed recommends FUE as the method of choice, and uses the ARTAS iX robotic system. The FUE procedure eliminates the linear scar seen in the FUT procedure. Read more here at the ISHRS website.

• Advantage with ARTAS iX: no linear scar, and the possibility to harvest as many as 3,000 grafts in a single procedure. A patient with extensive hair loss may require multiple treatments spaced 6-8 months apart. The procedure has a faster recovery time as compared to the strip procedure described above.
• Disadvantage with ARTAS iX: able to harvest up to 3,000 grafts in a single procedure. Possible complications include hypopigmentation, acute effluvium, buried grafts, keloid/hypertrophic scar, epithelial cyst, necrosis, numbness and persistent pain (Kerure AS, Patwardhan N. Complications in Hair Transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018;11(4):182–189. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18).

It is important to understand your hair loss solutions and to carefully weigh your options. Each treatment option, including hair transplants are appropriate for the right person. The only way to determine an appropriate hair restoration solution is to obtain as much information as possible, and to consults with Dr. Melamed. The ARTAS iX has been a revolutionary addition to our practice, and the results speak for itself.

Start by scheduling a hair loss assessment with Dr. Melamed, and he will help you decide on the right restoration solution.

Watch 35 second video clip narrated by Dr. Melamed showing the ARTAS iX in action:

Additional treatment options to consider include (a) Propecia (finastride) to chemically inhibit the effects of DHT and stop the progression of hair loss, (b) Rogaine (minoxidil) to stimulate more blood flow to the scalp and make hair thicker, (b) Vitamin supplementation to address deficiencies, and (c) Laser biostimulation to help thinning hair regrow thicker and stronger.