Is diet linked to hair loss?

Excess or deficiency of any kind will affect the system and thereby affect the hair follicle. Including fresh fruits, leafy vegetables, sprouts and cutting down oil and refined sugar will go a long way in tackling hairloss. Crash dieting is one of the major reasons for accelerated hair fall in females.

Which medications are responsible for hair loss?

The following is the list of drugs which may lead to hair loss usually with long-term use:

•	Cholesterol-lowering drug: clofibrate and gemfibrozil
•	Parkinson Medications: levodopa
•	Ulcer drugs: cimetidine, ranitidine and famotidine
•	Anticoagulents: Coumarin and Heparin
•	Agents for gout: Allopurinol
•	Antiarthritics: penicillamine, auranofin, indomethacin, naproxen, sulindac, and methotrexate
•	Drugs derived from vitamin-A: isotretinoin and etretinate
•	Anticonvulsants for epilepsy: trimethadione
•	Antidepressants: tricyclics, amphetamines
•	Beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure: atenolol , metoprolol , nadolol, propranolol and timolol
•	Antithyroid agents: carbimazole, Iodine, thiocyanate, thiouracil
•	Others: Blood thinners, male hormones (anabolic steroids)

What is the difference between hair transplant and hair weaving, hair bonding and hair fusion?

Hair transplant is a surgical procedure in which permanent hair from the patient's own head is transferred to the bald areas. Hair weaving, bonding and fusion are temporary procedures in which, external hair bearing devices are attached to the existing hair or scalp using weaves, micro clips, adhesives to achieve cover of the bald area. Hair transplant is a permanent and natural method to correct baldness.

Why is follicular unit micro grafting the best method of transplant available?

Hair grows in naturally occurring groups of 1,2,3 or 4 hair, a good transplant imitates nature and transfers these units as they occur giving a very natural and undetectable look. The older methods of hair transplant using punches, minigrafts (3-5 hair), micrografts (1-2 hair) that do not respect the follicular unit as a single entity, give a very unnatural look.

Am I a candidate for follicular unit micrografting?

Age, grade of baldness, quality of your hair, a detailed medical history and physical examination will decide whether you can be a candidate for hair transplant. Being well informed regarding various aspects hair loss, restoration etc and having realistic expectations from the procedure, increase the chances you will be happy with the results.

How do I decide about the location of my hairline and number of grafts required for me?

The placement and quality of the hairline are important factors in determining the success of a transplant. Patient's expectations, facial proportions, grade of baldness and generally accepted guidelines help in planning the hairline. In general it is advisable not to place a hairline too low, as it looks unnatural. Imitating the natural hairline in terms of density, direction of hair growth and gradual transition is as much a work of art as it is a science.

The number of grafts required is directly proportional to the extent of the bald area and depends on the available donor area.

What happens to the donor area?

After single strip harvesting, the donor area is closed with stitches and every effort made to keep the ensuing scar, thin and flat. Keeping the surrounding hair at least one inch long helps in hiding it. After 8-12 months it is virtually undetectable, even to the hairdresser.

How painful is hair transplant?

Usually the only pain (tiny, sharp) you would feel is during the injecting of local anesthetic. Some patients report a painful discomfort towards the end of the procedure which gets relieved by the pain relief medication. Many patients report no pain whatsoever.

What are the pre operative preparations?

Refer to PRE AND POST CARE.

What care is required after the transplant?

Refer to PRE AND POST CARE.

When will the grafts start too grow?

Growth starts at about 3-6 months after the transplant. In the initial phase of growth the hair are fine but as time passes by (8-12 months), they gain length and diameter. By the end of one year, the "new" hair should be as robust as the surrounding non-transplanted terminal hair and growing at the same rate.

What are the side effects / complications of hair transplant?

In the overwhelming majority of hair transplantation procedures there are no complications. However, a number of side effects, risks, and complications are mentioned in the medical literature and these are quite uncommon. For the purpose of putting these things in perspective, you may refer to PRE AND POST CARE. If you are worried about any particular complications you could contact Dr Sattur for detailed information on the same.

Can baldness be prevented or cured by using a form of gene therapy?

Genes play a very important role in causing androgenetic alopecia. Hence manipulating the genes responsible for hair loss will cure baldness. Dr Angela Christiano the founder of the gene responsible for a condition called Universal atrichia (total absence of body hair, usually at birth), is involved in ongoing search for the elusive gene causing baldness and feels that someday gene therapy will be used to treat hairloss.

What about cloning?

Hair cloning is a slang term for engineered hair growth. It involves isolation of a group of cells at the base of the hair follicle. These follicular cells are multiplied in a laboratory and they divide to create new follicles and generate new hair, which are then implanted back into the bald area. Early results are promising, but it will take almost a decade of further study, clinical trials and meeting regulatory requirements before cloning is widely available. This would be a boon for patients with limited donor area whenever it is available.

Any new treatment options?

Researchers in Japan claim to have isolated two genes responsible for androgenetic alopecia. They also claim to have discovered a plant-derived ingredient called 6-benzyl aminopurine which could help revitalize the two genes and restore hair growth. It is difficult to verify this claim till large-scale studies are conducted.

What are the available remedies for combating hair loss? What is efficacy of herbal remedies?

At present there are only two remedies approved for hairloss. In terms of topical applications we have Minoxidil or its derivatives and in the pill form we have Finesteride in 1mg strength, which are effective (either singly or jointly) in large number of patients.

Amongst the herbal remedies, Saw palmetto has been used as an anti androgen but there are no conclusive studies to show its effectiveness for male-pattern baldness. Other herbal remedies, for the most part, have little if any effect on scalp growth. Certainly there have been no conclusive clinical trials showing the effectiveness of herbal remedies.

Of course, the most permanent treatment for hair loss is hair transplantation, which is safe, effective, long lasting and cost effective. Hair transplantation has been refined over the last few years and now it gives a very natural result.

What about various treatment options advertised in media and the internet?

In general, for male-pattern baldness, scalp injections are not only not effective, they may actually inhibit hair growth. Other mechanical hoaxes consist of rubbing the scalp, applying electric current to the scalp, ultrasound treatments and light treatments (ultraviolet) which have never been shown to be effective in growing human hair. Aside from these treatments, there are numerous products available through the mail or over the Internet, which claim to stimulate scalp and hair growth - but in reality do little or anything. The good news is that most of these remedies will do little harm. The bad news is that most of the remedies will be a complete waste of money.