This is a 3 months post-op results from a medical management that includes Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Acell, and thrombin. The patient is 32 years old with an unusual Norwood 3V pattern of hair loss. The patient had thinning in the frontal hairline, mid-scalp(top) and crown.
The patient had a successful FUE (CIT) hair transplant procedure, We placed 1992 grafts to the hairline and top.
In most cases grafting into the crown normally requires more donor hair to cover the crown than any other recipient area on the scalp.
We decided to start treatment in this crown with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Acell, and thrombin therapy. The patient had a great response to medical management alone.
As you can see from the photo, At 3 month follow-up we noticed that he had more coverage in the crown where we used the PRP, Acell, and thrombin therapy.

(Click On the image to view full size)

This video shows a post fue hair restoration donor area of a patient that has been treated with Acell for a fast donor area healing and follicle regeneration.

Follicle regeneration means to grow a regenerated hair in an extraction site where the original follicle was removed and transplanted to bald surface area.
Acell is a product known to regenerate tissue. In a limited depth means of extracting follicles, many follicle stem cells are left behind. Because stem cells are left behind, a product might induce them to regenerate a new hair in the extraction site. We found that upon applying Acell to the extraction sites, we have seen some follicle regeneration. We have not seen it work in all instances, however. Not all extraction sites are regenerating hair.

What is ACell?

ACell is a regenerative medicine treatment Dr. Cole is now offering to his hair transplant
patients. ACell is a type of extracellular matrix (ECM), meaning the tissue between cells. ECM
regulates cell behavior and ultimately tells cells what to do and when to do it. ECM also
stimulates cells through a variety of growth factors.

What does ACell do?

When ACell is applied to injured tissue, it can stimulate the regeneration of small areas of
normal tissue.

What can ACell do for me?

ACell can regenerate skin tissue and promote faster and improved healing following a hair
transplant procedure. Dr. Cole’s primary goal in using ACell is to further improve the
appearance of donor areas following follicular unit extraction by his CIT method.

Does ACell have any other benefits?

Dr. Cole is currently studying whether ACell might reduce the appearance of hypopigmentation
that follicular unit extraction can sometimes leave in the donor region. He is also looking into
whether ACell may be able to stimulate stem cells left behind when he performs follicular unit
extraction. Stimulation of these cells could potentially induce the development of new hair
growth.

How is ACell applied?

ACell comes in a powder form and is meticulously applied to both the donor and recipient areas.

Are there any dangers to using ACell?

ACell has been FDA-approved for use in humans, nevertheless, because it is derived from the
basement membrane of pig’s bladder, it should not be used by those who may have an allergy
to pig or porcine products. However, very few people display an allergic reaction to pigs and,
therefore, ACell is thought to be safe for most individuals.

What results have you seen so far?

Our results so far have been somewhat limited because we have only been using ACell for a
couple of months. However, veteran patients have reported more rapid and improved healing
following ACell treatment, compared with prior procedures where ACell was not used.

How much does ACell treatment cost?

ACell treatment is $300 to $900 depending on the amount needed for application.

Why do you charge for ACell if it is still considered experimental?

ACell is an expensive product that takes a good deal of time and skill to apply. We charge our
patients only what it costs us to offer the treatment. ACell is not a revenue-generator for Dr. Cole and his group.

A new study by Sharon Keene and Andy Goren examined hair loss in women.  Previous studies appeared to indicate that postmenopausal women with hair loss did not respond to finasteride, a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor commonly prescribed for hair loss in men.  These findings led researchers to question whether women were actually disposed to androgenetic alopecia, more commonly referred to as pattern baldness.  Recently published reports of finasteride response in some women with hair loss, however, indicate an androgenic mechanism may indeed be present.

Keene and Goren’s study was undertaken in an effort to determine whether variant repeat nucleotide sequences in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene may help determine which women are likely to respond to finasteride therapy.  A 6-month pilot study was undertaken with 13 patients.  They found that women with greater androgen sensitivity were likely to have a significant response to finasteride compared with those treated with a placebo and those with normal androgen sensitivity.  These results indicated that AR-CAG repeats, in conjunction with epigenetic factors, may in fact help determine which women with hair loss will respond to finasteride therapy.

Women suffering with hair loss can purchase genetic tests, such as HairDX, which may indicate whether their hair loss has an androgenetic basis and predict their response to finasteride.  This is helpful for women struggling to find a cause for their hair loss and is a way to “test the waters” before diving into a finasteride regime.