Q: Is it necessary to take medications before, during, or after the hair transplant? Will these medications affect pregnancy? — V.M., Fairfield, C.T.
A: It is not necessary to take any medication for a hair transplant other than the local anesthesia used during the procedure.
Although I would not have a hair transplant during pregnancy, the procedure will have no effect on future ones.
Q: Are state taxes applicable for hair restoration procedures? — N.S., Glendale, N.Y.
A: There are no taxes on cosmetic procedures performed in New York State.
Some states do have taxes. In New Jersey, for example, there is a cosmetic surgery tax of 6%, but not in NY.
Q: I am 25 year old who just started going bald. My doctor confirmed that I have pattern baldness and put me on Propecia and Rogaine. I don’t want to go bald at any age. So, instead of prolonging the process for 5-10 years and then having a HT, isn’t it easier to let the hair loss continue and then have a HT, so, that I can save the money on drugs for years. — Z.B., Greenwich, C.T.
A: It is far better to keep your own hair. Keeping your own hair will generally look fuller than a hair transplant, since a hair transplant just re-distributes existing hair (until hair cloning techniques are available).
The medications (i.e. finasteride and minoxidil) are relatively cheap if you get the generic forms.
Q: Are there DHT blockers that are sold in the pharmacy over the counter? — C.C., — Fairfield County, Connecticut
A: The only effective DHT blockers are finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart).
These medications require a doctor’s prescription and are not sold OTC. Nizoral is a topical shampoo for seborrhea (a type of dandruff) that is sold over the counter, but it is not effective in treating hair loss.
Q: I have a quite a bit of hair on my chest, back and legs. Is that an indicator of future baldness? — S.C., Short Hills, NJ
A: Although bald people joke around that they wish the hair on their body (and ears) was on their head, body hair is not an early sign of baldness.
Q: My son, 25 years old, is seeing hair loss around the hairline. According to your website, he is probably a stage II. He may have a little hair loss at the vertex; right now it is hard to tell. He is very muscular and loves weight lifting, but no drug enhancement. Is there a relationship between weight lifting and hair loss, since I have read that weight lifting increases testosterone levels? — G.S., Pleasantville, NY
A: Yes, weight lifting does increase testosterone, which in turn increases DHT. This can accelerate hair loss, although the effect is generally very slight.
Rather than modify his exercise program, your son may want to consider taking finasteride (Propecia). This requires a doctor’s prescription.
Q: Didn’t you do free consults in the past? — N.F., Bronxville, NY
A: Yes. It had been in response to the policy of the larger chains. Patients coming to our practice are evaluated by a board certified dermatologist, trained in diagnosing the causes of your hair loss with expertise in both medical and surgical management. Our consults are not just screens for surgery.
Read more information on becoming a new patient on the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website. If you are ready for a hair loss or hair transplant evaluation, click here to schedule an evaluation with the doctor.
Synopsis: Important information for men and women of virtually all ages anxious to preserve their full head of hair, put the brakes on balding, or explore the safest and most reliable hair replacement techniques currently available. The book offers readers not only the full gamut of modern-day hair-care options, but crucial tips on how to avoid unscrupulous hair transplant doctors and potentially harmful products as well.
Synopsis: The ability to achieve full cosmetic benefit in follicular unit hair transplantation depends upon a number of factors including proper patient selection, accurately assessing the patient’s donor supply, appropriately designing the hair line and correctly distributing the grafts. This paper reviews the major mistakes that doctors make in these key aspects of the hair restoration process and advises the practitioner on how to avoid them so that the patient will achieve the best possible results.
Synopsis: Running, continuous sutures and metal staples are the two most common closures used by hair restoration surgeons today. This commentary discusses the pros and cons of various suture and stapling methods and makes an argument that, with new advances in techniques, staples are possibly the best means of closing the donor wound during a hair transplant procedure.
