Q: What does the ARTAS™ robotic system for Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) actually do? — E.J., Plainsboro, NJ
A: ARTAS is a computer assisted system, made by a company called Restoration Robotics, that utilizes image-guided robotics to increase the quality of the hair follicles harvested during FUE. It aids in the initial part of the FUE procedure where follicular units are separated from the surrounding tissue. The system is operated under direct physician supervision.
Q: I use Nizoral for my dandruff. Does it work for hair loss too? — M.D., Danbury, CT
A: The active ingredient in Nizoral is Ketoconazole. This medication, originally developed to treat fungus infections, has slight anti-androgen action. It is supposed to work in hair loss by inhibiting the action of DHT on hair follicles. Although, in theory, it should be useful for androgenetic hair loss, there have not been conclusive scientific studies to show that it works to treat balding when used as a topical application for balding.
Q: When was ARTAS robot for FUE approved for use in hair transplantation? — J.B., Jersey City, NJ
A: Restoration Robotics’ ARTAS System for robotic follicular unit harvesting, received 510K clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 14, 2011. The indication is for “harvesting hair follicles from the scalp in men diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) with black or brown straight hair.”
Q: What is Restoration Robotics? — L.N., East Brunswick, NJ
A: Restoration Robotics is a medical device company, based in Mountain View, California, that has developed a computerized instrument to assist in the graft extraction phase of follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedures. Their patented device, called “ARTAS,” is an image-guided system for FUE. Their website is: www.restorationrobotics.com.
Q: I hear you leave staples in sometimes up to three weeks after a hair transplant. Why do you leave staples in that long? – M.C., Boca Raton, FL
A: My reason for leaving some staples in longer is that the tensile strength of the wound continues to increase (significantly) during the first three week period after surgery — actually, it will continue to gain strength for up to one year post-op. To give the wound the best chance to heal, on average, I take out alternating staples at 10 days and the remaining staples at 20 days.
Q: I heard that the sexual side effects of Propecia are irreversible. Is this true? — L.R., Parsippany, NJ
A: The sexual side effects of finasteride (Propecia) begin to subside soon after the medication is discontinued. This would make sense since the drug finasteride is a reversible inhibitor of DHT. Although it is possible for side effects to be persistent after stopping the medication, this situation seems to be very uncommon and a cause and effect relationship is still in question.
Q: I saw your post on the clinical trials of Latisse (bimatoprost) for hair loss on the scalp. What is the status of the study? — B.V., New Providence, NJ
A: Allergan, the company that makes Latisse, is conducting safety and efficacy testing of three formulations of the drug for men with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness).
Is it appropriate to call hair transplant repair a “re-do” of a hair transplant? This question is the basis of a discussion Dr. Bernstein had with a UK-based hair restoration physician. Read on for the full exchange.
Dr. Bernstein is featured in a New York Times article — “New Stratagems in the Quest for Hair” — about the latest advances in hair restoration. The article mentions Dr. Bernstein’s pioneering research on hair cloning, including his studies on hair multiplication using the breakthrough biotechnology of ACell’s MatriStem® extracellular matrix.
Dr. Bernstein was interviewed by Dana Tyler, host of the television program “Eye on New York” on CBS, for the show that aired on April 17th. The wide-ranging interview was the feature in a 9-minute segment on hair transplantation and hair loss. Read further for a partial transcript of the interview.
