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Is Hair Cloning Here?

Greetings,

Last week researchers at Columbia University reported that they had taken human dermal papilla cells and cloned them and subsequently injected them into human tissue that was grafted onto the backs of mice and that in 5 of the 7 cases the hair grew and was determined to be genetically matched to the human donors. The hair growth lasted 6 weeks.

This announcement triggered a media barrage of coverage and certainly speculation that we are closer than ever to being able to clone hair.

When we are able to clone hair, and I say when because I believe we will be able to clone hair sometime in the future, it will possibly be the greatest advance yet in the field of hair restoration. It may also be one of the greatest advances in medicine because it may lead us to be able clone organs and most certainly skin.

Almost everyone will be a candidate for hair restoration! There will be no more supply to demand issues we now encounter in hair transplant surgery. We will be able to create a full head of hair no matter how severe the hair loss! Even individuals with alopecia totalis ( lack of hair over their entire body) may be candidates for hair restoration when we are able to clone hair.

The tantalizing nature of this discovery is incredibly exciting and as a hair transplant surgeon the idea that I may one day be able to help every patient that comes to me, and to do with with a limitless supply of hair is almost too incredible to imagine.

As much as I would want to believe that we are right around the corner from being able to clone hair, I honestly believe that we are probably closer to 20 years away from being able to clone hair in actual practice.

Though this report out of Columbia University is very exciting, it does not address the multitude of issues that will need to be solved before we are able to clone hair in hair restoration practice.

These challenges include but are not limited to figuring out the hair cycle kinetics (getting the hair to actually grow for more than 6 weeks like it did in the study), hair color, positioning, angulation, and texture. Also, having the cloning procedure be financially feasible for the masses.

I do believe the day will come when we are able to clone hair in practice. However, I do not believe that we are very close to that day at this moment in time.

This discovery is an important one and will be another step in the long progression that one day leads us to hair cloning. It is my hope that researchers around the world are inspired by this progress and continue to make great strides towards this end.

In the meantime, I will continue to practice hair restoration surgery with every available technology available and look forward to the day when we will have unlimited supply of donor hair follicles for all patients.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

/98 Comments/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplant Information Video

Greetings,

Here is a new video I just edited that demonstrates my approach to eyebrow transplants and eyebrow restoration. In the video I demonstrate the shape and angulation of the hairs in the eyebrow which are all crucial to the most natural final result.

I hope you enjoy.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplant Patient Testimonial

Greetings,

Below please find an eyebrow transplant patient of mine describing her experience undergoing the procedure.

I hope you enjoy watching.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplant Patient- Before and After

Greetings,

Here is a patient of mine who received approximately 300 eyebrow transplant grafts to each eyebrow. The results are shown after 1 year. As you can see the patient had very few eyebrow hairs prior to the procedure, secondary to over plucking and genetically thin eyebrows. The patient also has very fine, light colored hair.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

Before and After Eyebrow Transplant Photos.

Before and After Eyebrow Transplant Photos.

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

ISHRS Annual Meeting

Greetings,

In a few weeks I will be traveling to attend the (International Society Of Hair Restoration Surgery)  ISHRS annual meeting in San Francisco. I always look forward to these meetings to see my old friends and hear from my respected colleagues on the latest and greatest in the field of Hair Restoration Surgery. In addition, I usually present lectures and conduct teaching workshops at these meetings and this year I will be conducting a Board Review course and teaching the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) course. I plan on blogging from San Francisco and writing about the new advances I find interesting. I look forward to reporting my findings in a few weeks.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplant After 4 Days

Greetings,

Here is a patient of mine who received 746 grafts to both eyebrows 4 days prior. There is minimal residual swelling present and some minor crusting, but the overall photos give a very nice idea of what the final result of the eyebrow transplant will look like after the new hair is all grown in. Typically most of the transplanted hairs will fall off after 1-4 weeks. The new follicles leave stem cells in the dermis that will sprout the new eyebrow hair follicles after 12 weeks. The final  result will be visible after about 9 months, but there will be a marked improvement after 6 months.

This patient is thrilled with how her eyebrows look now immediately after the eyebrow transplant procedure, and I will follow up this post with 6-9 month post procedure photos in the future.

All the best.

Marc Dauer, M.D.

Here is a patient pre eyebrow transplant and 4 days after the eyebrow transplant procedure.

Here is a patient pre eyebrow transplant and 4 days after the eyebrow transplant procedure.

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Animated Video To Summarize Hair Transplant Information

Greetings,

I decided to commission an animated video which would convey all the basic Hair Transplant Information that anyone interested in Hair Restoration and Hair Transplants should know. It was an enjoyable project for me to create the text copy for the video and I believe it answers many of the basic questions that people interested in Hair Transplants may have. I hope you enjoy this video titled “Hair Restoration and Me”.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, M.D.

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Eyebrow Transplant In Patient with Ulerythema Ophryogenes

Greetings,

Today I would like to present the results of an eyebrow transplant I performed on a patient with Ulerythema Ophryogenes. This patient is a young man in his early 20’s who experienced the loss of the outer half of both his eyebrows. He was treated by Dermatology with a variety of topical medications which helped with the redness but did not grow back and of the eyebrow hair. I performed an eyebrow transplant placing approximately 250 grafts in each eyebrow and the results are shown below 12 months after the procedure. The patient is so happy with his results and states that this procedure has changed his life for the better. The lack of eyebrow hair was really affecting his self confidence and since the eyebrow transplant procedure he feels much better and more self confident.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, M.D.

Pre Eyebrow Transplant Procedure

Pre Eyebrow Transplant Procedure

Pre Eyebrow Transplant Procedure

Post Eyebrow Transplant

post eyebrow transplant

post eyebrow transplant

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

Celebrity Hair Transplants

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Greetings,

In the past few years more and more celebrities have gone public with their experiences of hair transplant procedures and how they have changed their lives for the better. In the past most famous people were reluctant to talk about their experiences, but as results have improved, more people are willing to discuss their experience with hair transplantation. Just recently A.J. McLean has come forward to show photos of his transformation through a hair transplant procedure and has discussed how it has changed his life. These celebrity “testimonials” will only serve to make more people aware of how amazing this procedure can be when performed properly by the “right” physician.

I personally have performed numerous procedures on well known individuals from all walks of life and I have seen the changes both aesthetically and psychologically. The changes I have seen are remarkable and I feel so lucky to be a part of this field that allows me to be involved in such amazing transformations.

Most importantly, do you due diligence prior to choosing your hair transplant surgeon and choose someone who’s results you are comfortable with, and who’s demeanor you connect with. If you feel comfortable with both of these things, there is a good chance you are choosing the right physician for your hair transplant procedure.

/1 Comment/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist

When To Have A Hair Transplant Procedure

Greetings,

I am often when the best time is to have a hair transplant procedure. There are many different ways to answer this question.

Firstly, I prefer not to operate on patients much younger than 25. My feeling is that in younger patients with severe hair loss, it may be difficult to ascertain the final degree of balding the patient will have, so it is important to proceed in a very conservative manner with younger patients. I also typically recommend a regimen of Propecia and Rogaine in younger patients to slow down the progression of the hair loss.

Some patients come to me and wonder if they have enough hair loss to undergo a procedure. Every case is different, but in general if you can see loss in any region of your scalp there is a good chance that you are a candidate for a hair transplant in that region.

Finally, I am always asked what time of the year is best for a hair transplant. The answer to this is any time of the year is a good time for a hair transplant. The ideal time rarely presents itself, so the best time to have a hair transplant is anytime you are able to carve out a day. For the first 10-12 days after the procedure I do not want my patients engaging in any strenuous activity. Also, for the first 3-4 months after the procedure I prefer that my patients wear a hat when they are in the sun for extended periods of time.

There are many factors that come info play when deciding the best time to have a hair transplant procedure. Most importantly, find the right Doctor that you connect with, and then the timing will work itself out.

All the best,

Marc Dauer, MD

/by Los Angeles Hair Transplant Specialist