Eyebrow Transplants in Younger Patients

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Hello all, I recently have been performing an increasing number of eyebrow hair transplants in younger patients. Patients can lose their eyebrow hair for various reasons, the most common being, over plucking of the eyebrow hair. It is very important that patients understand that if they pluck out any of the new eyebrow hairs they have had  transplanted, they may not grow back. That is why I draw out the shape of the new eyebrows I will be creating, prior to placement of the new eyebrow hairs. This gives the patient a chance to agree with the plan or advise as to how they would want the eyebrow hairs placed differently. The best method is always to use any existing eyebrow hairs as a road map to help guide the design of the new eyebrows. I also tell patients to bring photos of themselves with eyebrows, and to bring photos of celebrities or friends who have eyebrows that they like. This helps formulate my overall design plan for the individual patient. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions about eyebrow transplants.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, M.D.

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplantation / Restoration

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Hi all, I figured I would dedicate this blog entry to Eyebrow Transplantation / Restoration since it is such a large aspect of my medical practice.  Eyebrows are one of the most important and visible characteristics on a persons face. Often we don’t even realize the importance of eyebrows until we see someone who does not have them. The method of restoring eyebrows through eyebrow transplantation is a very meticulous process through which initially “the right” hairs need to be identified for transplantation. This is done by carefully examining the characteristics of the persons hair and finding the location of the hair on the individual that most closely resembles eyebrow hair. Often this hair is found in the area behind the ear where the hair is usually a little finer, but in certain individuals it can be found elsewhere as well. I then harvest the “donor” hairs, most often through the standard “strip excision” (more info on this can be found on my website), or through FUE (which involves taking each follicle out individually). Once the donor hair is prepared it is important to draw out the shape of the eyebrows so that the patient and myself agree on where the new eyebrow hair will be placed. I often tell patients to bring in pictures of themselves in their youth, so I can use these in reference when I am designing the new eyebrows. In order to create natural looking eyebrows, they must correspond to the patients facial symmetry. Once we have agreed on the shape of the eyebrows, I carefully make tiny receptor sites with a hand cut custom blade approximately 1mm in diameter which is fashioned to fit the patients hair diameter perfectly.  It is imperative the the sites and placement of the grafts are made with care so that the new hairs grow in the proper direction. Since eyebrows hairs change directions depending on where they are located in the eyebrow, this process of placing the new eyebrow hairs requires a significant degree of experience to be performed properly. Sometimes the new eyebrow hairs stay and begin to grow right after the Eyebrow Transplant procedure. Other times, the new hairs fall out and then start to grow back at around 6-8 weeks. Full growth is usually seen by about 9 months after the procedure. I have many patients who are completely satisfied after one procedure, and others that opt for a second “touch up” procedure to provide some increased density. I see many patients who have eyebrow tattooing. If they are happy with the shape of the tattoo, I can place the new eyebrow hair over the exisitng tattoo. If the shape of the tattoo is wrong, I usually recommend that the patient have the tattoo removed prior to Eyebrow Transplantation. Eyebrow Transplantation / Restoration is extremely gratifying for me, because it requires a strong artistic and aesthetic sensibility, and can really make a major change in a persons appearance. If you are considering this procedure and live outside Southern California, please feel free to email me photos of your eyebrows and I can review them with you via an email consult, or we can do a video consult with iChat if you are a mac user. I hope this provides you with some basic information on Eyebrow Transplantation / Restoration.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, M.D.

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

My first post

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Hello all, this is my first time posting a blog so I hope you’ll excuse my newbie status. I have been practicing Hair and Eyebrow Restoration for almost 5 years now and I must say it is one of the most gratifying fields to be involved in. I began my medical career in Head and Neck Surgery and subsequently transitioned into Emergency Room Medicine before finding my real calling in Hair and Eyebrow Transplantation. At the core of who I am, I am an artist. Whether I am drawing, playing guitar or piano, writing a song, or a short story, it is the expression of art that I truly enjoy. Hair and Eyebrow Transplantation affords me the opportunity to express myself artistically. Every patient is different and presents a new set of challenges. There is the constant management of expectations between what the patient wants, what’s best for the patient in the long run, and what is realistic for the patient. In the field of Hair and Eyebrow Restoration, managing all these together, while still maintaining the ultimate cosmetic result is a challenge, but one that I relish. I receive immense gratification in following up with my patients after their new hair has grown in. Seeing how the results can change peoples lives and better their self esteem is truly a gift.

I feel incredibly lucky to be in the field of Hair and Eyebrow Transplantation and I look forward to many posts in the upcoming days and years to discuss various cases and issues that I am presented with on a daily basis.

All the best, Marc Dauer, M.D.

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist