Thin Or Balding Hair? 5 Things To Know About New Advances In Hair Restoration Techniques

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the average person loses around 100 hairs per day. For most people, those hairs grow back, but for millions of people they don’t, leading to a problem that may tend to make them feel self-conscious about their appearance. The good news is that there are options for those who experience hair loss, including hair restoration.

“Many of those experiencing hair losses assume they are stuck with it,” says Dr. John Kahen, founder of Beverly Hills Hair Restoration (BHHR). “But there have been significant advances in hair restoration that are bringing newfound hope to many.”

The NIH reports that hair loss can happen for a number of reasons beyond growing older. They include certain disease, diabetes, lupus, family history, stress, or a number of other factors. The reasons why people experience hair loss or thinning can be vast, but the solutions are much simpler. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), there were over 133,000 people who had hair restoration in the U.S. in 2016, and that was a 18% increase over the prior year.

Each year many people are prescribed Propecia, a medication designed to stimulate hair growth and slow down baldness. However, Dr. Kahen says its side effects can impact one’s ability to perform their duties. Confusion, short-term memory loss, dizziness, weakness and headaches have been known to strike users as is a stymied libido and even impotence.

As more people learn about what hair restoration can do for them, they are opting to have the procedure. Hair restoration surgery involves taking hair you already have and using it to fill in the areas that are missing hair or have thinned.

Dr. Kahen, who is a world-renowned hair restoration surgeon, is a pioneer and the leading expert in using the Platelet Rich Plasma technique, called Smart PRP. His hair restoration technique uses the body’s own tissue regeneration mechanism to strengthen small hairs and stimulate growth of new follicles.

Smart PRP, a 30 minute procedure, can be performed as a standalone treatment or, in some cases, combined with transplant surgery, which takes all day. Since Smart PRP is a non-invasive procedure, patients generally return to work the next day. Hair transplants take longer to heal - generally 10 days — as the redness, swelling and scabbing fade. Cost of treatment varies based on the treatment(s) plan.

• Here are 5 things to know about hair restoration:

1. Time. Many people think hair restoration is a process that will take a lot of time. The reality is that the procedure generally takes around an hour, sometimes less. Recent advances including Dr. Kahen’s SmartPRP can generate results in as little as 30 minutes. Those who need a hair transplant will find it takes up to six hours for the surgery, depending on the extent of the baldness, and does require a longer recovery period.

2. Healing. Following hair restoration, patients may experience mild swelling of the scalp and redness that heal much quicker than with previous hair restoration techniques.

3. Candidate. Almost everyone is a candidate for hair restoration. While many people tend to think it’s men who get it, ISHRS reports that 39% of hair restoration surgeries that take place are done on women. Many women have thinning of the hair or hair loss, and they too are good candidates for restoration.

4. Advancement. Hair restoration has come a long way over the years. Today there are advanced technology procedures that are used. These help to improve the outcome, as well as recovery times.

“Those with thinning or balding hair often suffer from self-consciousness and, eventually, that can take its toll on one’s self-esteem,” added Dr. Kahen. “Being able to restore one’s hair can help the patient regain their confidence as I’ve witnessed over and over again.”

Dr. Kahen has performed thousands of hair restoration surgeries and has become one of the most sought-after doctors in the country. He has performed surgeries on business executives, physicians, dignitaries, and celebrities, among others. He has invented some of the most advanced restoration technology, including SmartPRP. Located only 30 minutes from the Los Angeles International Airport, BHHR also offers a fly-in program, helping those who may be coming in from other states or countries for the procedure.