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Q: After an old hair transplant using plugs, can you use lasers or electrolysis to remove the transplanted hair? — N.C. ~ Newark, N.J.

A: You can remove the hair in plugs with electrolysis, but it is difficult since the scarring distorts the architecture of the hair shaft and makes it hard to insert the electrolysis needle. Laser hair removal is a far more efficient way of removing the hair but takes multiple treatments. However, the problem with either of these techniques is that the hair is destroyed and the underlying scarred scalp is not improved. In fact, it is made more visible when the hair has been removed.

Our preferred method of repair is to completely remove the plugs, dissect out the individual follicular units from those plugs and then re-implant them in the proper location and direction. In this way, the hair can be reused and the appearance of underlying scarred scalp can be improved, as well as camouflaged with new hair.

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Q: I’m concerned that finasteride might result in unwanted body hair on the arms, back, etc. Is there any truth to this? My thinking is that since finasteride blocks the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase which converts testosterone to its more active form, DHT (dihydrotestosterone), is it possible that it might actually have some effectiveness in ameliorating unwanted hair? — P.P., Stamford, CT

A: Yes, finasteride does have some ability to decrease body hair, since growth of body hair is stimulated by DHT. However, the effects of finasteride are mild and not observed by everyone, so if you have unwanted body hair you will probably need some other means to remove it such as waxing, laser hair removal or electrolysis. The important thing is that finasteride doesn’t increase body hair.

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Q: I had a hair transplant in 2004 of mostly plugs. The plugs are in an angle which doesn’t really look natural, far from it. I have lost a lot more hair since I did the hair restoration procedure. I regret ever doing a hair transplant. I prefer to reverse the surgery. I have read a lot about repair work on the net, and I have come to the conclusion that using FUE to take the plugs out, and put them back into the scar might be an option, but it may just make it worse on top. Also I can do electrolysis to remove the plugs, might be better because the possibility of scarring is smaller, and as I already have a lot.

A: If you had plugs, then a graft excision with suturing will generally give a better result than FUE, since a graft excision removes the underling scar tissue as well as the plug. FUE only removes the follicles, but leaves the underlying scar tissue. In addition, the shape of the follicles in scar tissue is often distorted, making extraction difficult and leading to more transaction (damage to follicles).

Electrolysis is very difficult in a scarred scalp and also would not remove scar tissue. Laser hair removal with a diode or Alexandrite laser is generally a better option than electrolysis (it is also faster and less expensive), but like electrolysis and FUE, they do nothing to improve the appearance of underlying scar issue.

For more information on this topic, see our pages on Graft Excision in Hair Transplant Repair and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

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Follicular Unit Transplant - Surgery of the Skin - Dr. BernsteinSurgery of the Skin: Procedural Dermatology; published in 2005 by Elsevier-Mosby and Edited by Robinson, Hanke, Sengelmann and Siegel; is monumental work that covers the entire spectrum of dermatologic surgical procedures. In the editor’s words, the goal of this 872 page textbook is:

“To capture the art and practice of dermatologic surgery at the beginning of this century.”

It is to be used as the core surgical textbook for dermatologic training programs. The book is divided into four parts: Part I – Basic Surgical Concepts, Part II – Essential Surgical Skills, III – Aesthetic Surgical Procedures, and IV – Special Procedures.

The text covers a wide range of subjects on aesthetic surgery, including liposuction, chemical peels, Botox, soft tissue augmentation, laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing, leg vein treatment, blepharoplasty, face lifts and, of course, hair transplantation.

Dr. Bernstein was honored to write the section on hair transplantation that covers the historical aspects of the field, patient evaluation and surgical planning, operating room set-up, surgical techniques and how to maximize the cosmetic outcome of the hair transplant.

The focus of Dr. Bernstein’s chapter is on Follicular Unit Transplantation, the technique that has changed the face of surgical hair restoration over the past decade. The chapter discusses strip harvesting, follicular unit extraction, the use of anesthetics, ways to optimize density and ensure the naturalness of the procedure, as well as a host of other important topics. The textbook may be purchased at Amazon.com.

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