I find this interesting.  This is another FUE extraction site treated with ACEll in a hyaluronic acid mixture after 5 weeks.  It is still too early to tell if the hair might regrow in the extraction site though I have seen this.  It does appear that a single hair is forming in the extraction site, which appear as a black nub.  What is interesting is the appearance of a capillary in the skin.  These are usually missing following FUE and help lead to the loss of pigment in the extraction site.  I’ve done enough FUE to spot extraction sites anytime I look at a donor area even when no hypopigmentation occurs.  It is an observation based on experience with FUE.  With this donor area, I could not find any evidence that FUE was performed.  The red circle is where I would expect a follicular unit to be.  The entire donor area looked like this.  The black circle is 10 sq mm.  I had the dermlite people make this reticule for me.

The long hair after 5 weeks is a result of a completely non-shaven procedure of 1464 grafts.  I call this C2G.  It is still to early to say for sure because I need more results, but this is an example of what I have seen in donor areas treated fully with ACELL with my method of FUE where I use minimal depth control.  The initial problem was treating all the extraction sites with a powder.  I overcame this with mixing it in a viscous hyaluronic acid.  More recently I have been mixing in a more viscous cellulose.  I have a few comparative examples where I am looking at powder, hyaluronic acid, and cellulose.  Time will hopefully tell. I think the minimal depth incision technique along with Acell may result in better healing than a full depth incision.  Maybe we will see more hair regrowth over time.   Maybe not.  Still no one could comb through this donor area and find any evidence that a hair transplant had been done.  It appears that we really are coming full circle today.  Not only have we produced optimal results in the recipient area such that you cannot tell that a hair transplant has been done.  Even the trained eye cannot see evidence that a hair transplant was done in the recipient area.

I am now 29 and have been using propecia for around 6 years and my hair sitution has now got worse.
I was wondering With your expertise and vast knowledge if you would recommend me trying avodart to help my situation alongside propecia or take it by itself?

The studies that have been performed show that Avodart does work better than Propecia. The only problem is that we don’t know the long term consequences of taking it. You are blocking both forms of 5 alpha reductase. We don’t know if this will produce problems later on such as depression.

The other problem is we don’t know the proper dose because it has not been studied. People take it once a day or as little as once a week because it has a long half life. There are many patients on it because it works better than Propecia, but I’ve heard a few say that the Propecia worked better than the Avodart.

Shedding probably means it is working for you because hair shedding occurs when resting hairs return to the growing phase and push the old resting hair out. This means that the drug is stimulating growth or Anagen. Of course it could take up to one year before you see a noticable improvement. I think it will always work best when you have some existing hair. If your hair line is bald, don’t expect much benefit. If the hair line still has hair, then the Avodart could stimulate new growth. The main thing all these products do is prolong the life of hair. It is actually rare to see a significant improvement in coverage, but when it occurs, it can be amazing.

Amid discrimination concerns, China has revoked a controversial visa restriction placed on bald Taiwanese visitors.  The Chinese city of Xiamen imposed a rule barring bald people from receiving one-year multiple-entry permits.  However, according to Taiwan’s Travel Agent Association, this rule was repealed earlier this year.

Amid discrimination concerns, China has revoked a controversial visa restriction placed on bald Taiwanese visitors.  The Chinese city of Xiamen imposed a rule barring bald people from receiving one-year multiple-entry permits.  However, according to Taiwan’s Travel Agent Association, this rule was repealed earlier this year.Roger Hsu, a spokesman for the association said “it would probably have raised the question of discrimination if Chinese customs officials were to ask visitors to remove their wigs”.  Hsu said that the rule applied primarily to frequent business travelers, though he did not know how many people had been rejected for visas under this policy.  Unnamed travel agents reportedly justified the former policy by explaining that Chinese authorities were concerned that “it was easier for bald people to disguise themselves”.The election of Ma Ying-jeou noticeably improved relations between Taiwan and China when he was elected president of Taiwan in 2008.  Ying-jeou promised to do what he could to boost trade and tourism for the island.  The Chinese city of Beijing considers the self-ruled Taiwan to be part of its territory, awaiting reunification.

Originally posted on Google news: China cancels visa restriction on bald Taiwanese

Hair Loss in Men in Their Teens and Early Twenties

Although hair loss is typically considered to be an affliction associated with old age, it occurs in younger men as well.  Hair loss is generally unexpected in young men and, therefore, the realization that they are losing their hair, can be a devastating shock to younger individuals.  Hair loss typically presents itself as thinning in the temporal area of the frontal hairline, resulting in the appearance of a high forehead.  Men in the early stages of hair loss may also begin to notice excess shedding when they shower or comb their hair.

Even with a known genetic predisposition, hair loss can be highly distressing for a young man in his teens or early twenties.  Premature hair loss can put these men in an emotionally vulnerable and psychology fragile position, leaving them feeling alienated, unattractive, hindered socially, or even disfigured.  These men may be particularly susceptible to the numerous expensive ‘scam’ products and treatments advertised on the internet and television.

What should I do as a young man experiencing hair loss?

A good first step would be to visit your general practitioner, a dermatologist or a hair restoration specialist to evaluate your hair loss.   A physician should first educate the young patient about the likely cause of their hair loss, explain that hair loss is a progressive condition and go over possible treatment options, as well as any possible ramifications or side effects of such treatments.

Is hair transplantation a good option for young men with hair loss?

In the vast majority of cases, hair transplant is not a reasonable option for young hair loss patients.  One reason for this is that it is difficult to evaluate, at a young age, what pattern and progression hair loss will take, and therefore difficult to create a long-term plan.  Once a patient elects to have a hair transplant procedure, additional future surgeries will almost always be necessary to maintain a natural appearance as further native hair is lost.  In addition to being costly, there is a danger that hair loss will exceed limited donor supply.  Unfortunately, the younger you are when you first experience hair loss, the more hair loss you can expect will occur over the remainder of your life.

What are some better treatment options for young men experiencing hair loss?

A good first line of defense in treating hair loss is Propecia (finasteride). Propecia can slow the progression of your hair loss, prevent further hair loss, and occasionally even regrow hair.  However, Propecia works primarily in the crown region and will do little for a maturing hairline.   Another option is Rogaine (minoxidil) which is applied topically and also slows or stops hair loss, and can promote hair regrowth.  Both therapies work best when they are started early on, though any benefits will be lost if use is discontinued.  These treatments generally will not grow a significant amount of hair back in most individuals, but they will buy you some time and hopefully limit the amount of hair restoration you will require over the course of your lifetime.

But what if I really believe surgery is the right solution for my hair loss?

Hair restoration surgery should almost always be delayed until at least the age of 23.  If, at this age, you are set on having surgery, you should only consider CIT or FUE.  Strip procedures are never advisable for young patients as they leave a linear strip scar that you will have to camouflage for the rest of your life.  With CIT or FUE, you can elect to shave your head later down the road and still maintain a natural appearance because you will not have the severe scarring that strip procedures leave.  However, remember that the longer you can delay your procedure, the better off you will be.

Follica Inc. is a biotechnology firm focused on developing therapies for disorders and conditions of the hair follicle.  According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Follica recently raised an additional $7.5 million in equity financing, as part of the firm’s Series B round of funding.  This funding came from the company’s previous financial backers, including PureTech, InterWest Partners and Polaris Venture Partners.  The total series B capital raised is around $13 million.

Follica specializes in treating hair follicle disorders, including androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness.  It is yet unclear how much progress the company has made in developing a new therapy for combating hair loss, or whether this is even their primary objective at this time.  Regardless, many individuals are hoping that this additional funding will prompt the release of some new, and highly anticipated, hair loss treatments.