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Q: I am an African-American woman who had a unsuccessful hair transplant. Should I have another one? – S ~ Boston, MA

A: A common cause of a failed hair transplant in African Americans is the surgeon missing a diagnosis of primary scarring alopecia. In this case the scalp is literally attacking the transplanted hair and a repeat hair transplant would also not expected to be successful. This condition is recognized by scaling and redness around the follicles and diagnosed by biopsy. The condition is treated medically rather than by surgery. However, if the cause of the failed transplant was poor surgical technique, then a repeat procedure would be warranted as long at the remaining donor supply was adequate. In all cases, a repeat procedure should not be contemplated unless the cause of the failure can be identified and corrected.

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Hair Restoration in Women, Dr. Bernstein Featured in 'New You' Magazine

Dr. Bernstein and Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration were featured in New You magazine’s article “My Hair Lady.” The main topic of the article is hair transplantation in women, however it also touches on hair loss in women, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), medication and other products.

On Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration:

The Manhattan office of Bob Bernstein, just steps from Park Avenue, is the kind of space that makes successful men feel at home — a good thing for one of the country’s foremost specialists in hair restoration (and the co-author of Hair Loss for Dummies). The layout is part design statement, part science lab, slick with granite, slate, and glass and full of microscopes and high tech gizmos. Among the space’s most noteworthy gadgets is one of only twelve robots in the world programmed to help perform hair transplants, which has a home in Dr. Bernstein’s office.

A female patient of ours discussing the “taboo” of hair transplantation in women:

Sara Lyles, 62, whose hair loss was caused by a styling technique, said that when Dr. Bernstein performed her hair transplant 12 years ago, the subject was taboo. “Women never talked about it, and I was so embarrassed that I avoided all social functions,” she recalls. “I’m African American and I slept in large tight rollers to keep frizzing under control. The traction destroyed my frontal hairline.”

At the time, she would have been mortified if someone found out she had undergone a transplant. “Even my hairdresser had no clue,” she says. “Dr. Bernstein not only gave me my hair back, he gave me my life back.”

Dr. Bernstein on the amazing progress of the hair restoration industry:

As Dr. Bernstein emerges from his operating room, sporting green scrubs and green Nikes that match the room’s tiles, he shakes his head and sighs. “When I went into practice back in the eighties, transplantation was almost barbaric and Rogaine was the only alternative,” he remembers. He marvels at the advances and choices he and others now have to over. “I never would have thought I would be working with robots, lasers, and cloning.”

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Q: I am Hispanic and I have thick, black coarse wavy hair. Do you transplant Hispanics and are there any difficulties in performing hair transplants in them?

A: Yes, we treat Hispanic patients. There are no specific issues unique to Hispanics when performing hair restoration procedures. However, things to consider are:

  1. Hispanics have a slightly greater incidence of forming a thickened donor scar than Caucasians (but not as great as African-Americans)
  2. Hispanics often have coarse hair, but a low donor density, so fewer absolute numbers of grafts may be available for the restoration. The coarse hair, however, will make the restoration appear fuller.
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Hair loss has a variety of causes. Diagnosis and treatment is best determined by a board-certified dermatologist. We offer both in-person and online photo consults.

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