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Warning Against Medical Tourism and Black-Market Clinics

August 26, 2019 admin Leave a comment

As a specialist in botched and corrective hair transplants, Dr. Amir Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute has noticed a troubling trend of hair transplant patients who are traveling to countries like Turkey and Bulgaria for ‘low priced’ surgeries. Just this year the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (IAHRS) – of which Dr. Yazdan is a dedicated member – has authored an official statement warning against medical tourism and black-market clinics.
“Hair transplant patients are being lured to black market pirate clinics across the world, at an alarming rate. They are promised low prices and guaranteed results. Unfortunately, these ‘clinics’, where surgeries are performed by non-doctors with little or no training, are causing irreparable harm.” – Official IAHRS Statement
The ISHRS found that nearly 80% of its distinguished members have seen a sharp rise in the number of patients coming to their clinics, seeking help after their surgery has gone wrong in the hands of a rogue and often illegal clinic.
Lack of Expertise
In black-market clinics, the surgeries are rarely, if ever, carried out by a qualified specialist. Most often it is a technician with minimal training who will be performing the operation and administering the anesthesia, with zero direct oversight by a certified surgeon. This allows the clinic to offer cheaper prices than if they were using trained and licensed hair transplant surgeons, but, of course, makes it far more dangerous. There have been reports of completely unqualified practitioners carrying out these highly intricate and skilled procedures in places like Turkey, Eygpt, Bulgaria, Brazil and Iran, but there exists such clinics in the West as well.
Lack of Proper Diagnosis
At Modena Hair Institute in California and Las Vegas, we consider the initial consultation process to be the most important part of all of our treatments, as this is where we will be able to work out the best options for our patients. It may be that surgery wouldn’t be suitable for them, in which case we would suggest alternative treatments. However, black market clinics have no interest in providing clinical advice to patients on whether or not they’d be a good candidate for the surgery – as long as they can pay, they will be accepted for a hair transplant. This means that people who aren’t suitable candidates will be wasting money on an operation that won’t actually yield desired results.
Lack of Medical Technique
The quality of the transplants, unsurprisingly, is likely to be extremely poor. Scarring and infections are common, as is ‘over-harvesting’, where too much donor hair is removed, meaning that there won’t be enough hair to use for future surgeries. Worse still, the donor at the back may look like it has chunks missing. Unnatural, disfiguring hairlines and hair growing in the wrong direction as a result of follicles being placed poorly are also common results. The clinics often tend to offer a large number of grafts – usually between 2,000 – 4,000 graft extractions per session – but with no consideration for the patient’s degree of hair loss.
Identifying which clinics overseas and domestically are illegitimate and unethical is difficult to do with a simple internet search. These clinics often fake reviews and testimonies, and pay large marketing sums to promote their services on Google and other prominent platforms. Some key things you can do to verify the legitimacy of a clinic are:

An extensive background check on the clinic through review sites like RealSelf
An inquiry into the propriety of their certification
An inquiry into the level of specialization, experience and results of the clinic

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Treatment for Early Signs of Balding

August 22, 2019 admin Leave a comment

The progressive nature of hair loss causes its sufferers to experience a mounting sense of dread and anxiety over their aesthetic deterioration. Responding to early signs of balding is often performed in panic and haste, but we’re here to advise the contrary. Know that tens of millions of men and women worldwide are experiencing hair thinning and loss right now. And that advances in the hair restoration industry in response to this universal phenomenon have been extremely fruitful.

For example, just in the last few years, platelet-rich plasma treatments for women have shown remarkable clinical results in decelerating hair loss.

Medical therapies like PRP and stem cell therapy – solutions which would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago – are now proving to fight hair loss better than ever possible. There are also strong proactive topical treatments like groMD follicle activator spray and groMD shampoo/conditioner, if mixed with finasteride or minoxidil, that can halt hair loss to a large degree.

Signs of Balding
A conspicuous absence of density near the widows peak and front temple are often the first signs of hair loss among men.

Excessive shedding in the shower or after sleep are also beginning warning signs for both men and women.

Loss of density on the crown and on the top of the head among males can often occur before anywhere else.

Among women, perceived visibility on the scalp where hair is often parted is usually a first sign of pattern baldness.

Study Yourself in the Mirror
Before rushing to search for remedies online or getting in touch with an expert in the hair restoration marketplace, look in the mirror and pull your hair back from your temple areas. Is there clear evidence of follicle miniaturization on the front ‘V’ pattern of your scalp and widows peak? If so, you are very likely experiencing early signs of balding that may lead to major hairline recession if not treated

Still more detailed, place a mirror above your head and towards the back near the crown, can you perceive areas of the scalp covered with little to no hair? If so, you have likely progressed beyond the early stages of hair loss and are advancing on the Norwood scale.

Treatment Options for Early Signs of Balding
Now that you’ve established that a more-than-normal amount of hair loss is occurring, and that a change in lifestyle or diet will likely fail to halt the progression of your hair loss, it’s time to consider the strongest treatment options to fight early signs of hair loss.

Perhaps the most well-known medical treatment to mitigate hair loss is finasteride. Finasteride blocks dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness. Taking a daily dose of finasteride, in pill form, sold under the brand names Propecia® and Proscar®, has been clinically proven to re-grow hair in 65% of men and slow hair loss in virtually all patients.

A popular and proven topical treatment to fight hair loss is Minoxidil, sold under the brand name Rogaine®. Minoxidil stimulates inactive follicles and decelerates hair loss and follicle miniaturization. Minoxidil is usually applied via liquid or foam.

While finasteride and minoxidil are powerful treatments in helping to slow hair loss, they are costly, require lifelong commitment, and may have negative side effects. GroMD shampoo and conditioner and groMD follicle activator spray is simple and easy-to-use, free of sulfates, parabens, and other harmful chemicals, so everyone can adopt a light daily regimen that prevents hair loss. GroMD’s fortified and expertly refined DHT-blocking formula is enriched with growth-factor peptides and proteins, as well as anti-inflammatory mediators and anagen growth stimulators. Treatment with the groMD system has led to a significant increase in thickness and hair density in some patients.

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Achieving the Right Density During your Hair Transplant

August 21, 2019 admin Leave a comment

According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), of men who’ve had hair transplants, 64% were disappointed with their hair density after their procedure.
Bad hair transplant results can stem from a number of things – lackluster expertise being at the top of the list. A hair transplant surgeon should not be a cosmetic jack-of-all-trades, rather he or she ought to own many years of refined and artistic specialized mastery.
Hair loss can be a frightening experience, taking a toll on one’s confidence and pubic presentation. A board-certified hair transplant surgeon will be able to determine the sufficient density according to the type of hair that is being transplanted. Many lesser trained cosmetic surgeons will simply offer the potential patient more grafts without regard for follicle survival rate or natural growth patterns, resulting in poor growth rates.
The follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedure – the gold standard of hair transplantation – involves the extraction of hair follicles one by one from genetically resistant donor areas (back and sides of the scalp). These extracted follicles are then transplanted onto the bald areas of the scalp where they will resume growing into natural looking hair.
When discussing hair density and FUE with you surgeon, it is important to understand that the level of hair density you will receive from the surgery depends on a number of factors such as your age, severity of hair loss, and the reason for hair loss.
As noted above, during the formal consultation the surgeon will determine the extent of your baldness as well as the number of hair follicles that will be required to cover the bald areas of your scalp. That is why it is important to undergo any procedure only at the best hair transplant clinic in order to get the maximum hair density without compromising quality control.
As the only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas area, Dr. Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute has practiced hair transplantation with exceptional artistic and surgical prowess for over a decade. Potential hair transplant patients are entitled to a provider who is experienced, ethical and knowledgeable – someone who makes them feel safe and comfortable. The search for such a qualified surgeon, however, can be both challenging and time-consuming. The hair transplant marketplace is notoriously riddled with hair restoration generalists (i.e. non-specialists) and unqualified technicians seeking to exploit consumer ignorance and insecurity.

While many patients feel that transplanting excess hair onto the bald areas can help them get a head full of hair, it is important to remember that transplanting excess hair follicles can affect the blood supply to the surrounding hair, resulting in shock. Therefore, the number of hair follicles transplanted by the best hair transplant surgeons will always be less than a patient’s natural hair density.
At the end of the day, every person’s hair is different. Therefore, the hair density after an FUE hair transplant of one patient can be different from another.

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Are You a Candidate for a FUE Transplant?

August 11, 2019 admin Leave a comment

In the modern era of hair transplants, there have been few innovations as exciting & vital as the development of hair transplants using the FUE method, with the acronym being short for follicular unit extraction. Even though the traditional FUT (follicular unit transplantation) procedure only leaves minimal scarring, those who wear their hair shorter are hesitant toward it, and for a long time it was their only option. As FUE has become increasingly popular, though, peoples’ desire to get a hair transplant has skyrocketed, and keeping people informed about it has become nothing short of vital.

There are quite a few differences between it & the traditional procedure, but the most distinct differences involve how the follicles are taken from the donor area. With the FUT transplant procedure, also known as the strip procedure, a strip of skin with the donor follicles is removed from the back of the head. From there, they’re extracted from the strip & carefully placed into the donor area. With the FUE transplant, however, no strip is required, as follicles are removed directly from the back of the head & placed into the transplant area. While it’s not a “scar-free” procedure, the scars are essentially undetectable by the human eye due to the small diameter of the punch Dr. Yazdan uses during the procedure. Even those who wear their hair in a trimmed buzzcut would show no visible signs of a procedure having taken place.

Understandably, your next question might have to do with whether you’re eligible for a FUE transplant. Luckily, the criteria have become wider & wider as the process has become more refined, but there are still a few to keep in mind. It depends on some key factors, such as how you wear your hair (as we discussed earlier) & what the progression of your hair loss looks like. For someone who’s caught their hair loss early & just needs certain small sections touched up, FUE might be an excellent option.

For example, Dr. Amir Yazdan’s patients at Modena Hair Institute (located in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas & Newport Beach) can have about 2500 or so transplanted follicles at most with the FUE method. The limit is set here due to the patients overall donor density and spacing of follicular units. However, with FUT, that acceptable number can go past 3000 & beyond, allowed for by the removal of the aforementioned strip from the back of the head.

Before & after a successful FUE procedure performed at Modena Hair Institute.

There was also a time when FUE would be restricted to white patients & those with similar hair types. However, with the extent the technology has developed, as well as the proprietary tools Dr. Yazdan has developed, African American patients have also become able to reap the benefits of this revolutionary procedure. With those restrictions out of the way, it just comes down to what you’ve got on your head already & how you want to look afterward.

No matter what you’re looking for in that regard, however, you can come into a Modena clinic & receive world-class treatment from one of the most renowned hair restoration surgeons in the industry. Dr. Yazdan, who personally performs every hair transplant procedure at our clinics, is assisted by the same team of assistants that’s worked with him for years, and we utilize some of the most specialized & advanced technology on the market to make sure your hair transplant is done right the first time around. Learn more about both FUE & FUT procedures on our website, and schedule your consultation to see what we can do to help you reclaim your hairline.

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What is Causing My Hair Loss?

August 10, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Hair loss can happen at any age. At Modena Hair Institute we’ve designed topical and medical hair loss programs for patients in their early 20s, as well as those in their late 50s. While hair loss is universal, its causes and origins may be summarized into three general categories.

Very few lay people understand that hair loss is not a single, simple diagnosis, but that it is actually a common symptom that can be caused by a variety of different conditions. This is one of the reasons why finding the correct diagnosis and treatment for hair loss can be difficult, and why Dr. Amir Yazdan at Modena Hair Institute continue to study every possible underlying cause and treatment option.

By far the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is Androgenic Alopecia (AGA). Otherwise known as genetic pattern baldness, AGA occurs when the hair follicles have inherited an increased sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (or DHT). This hormone is a natural by-product of the breakdown of testosterone in the body and is present, in varying degrees, in both men and women. When sensitive hair follicles are exposed to DHT they begin to shrink and their growth cycle shortens. Over time, they produce gradually thinner and thinner hair strands until, eventually, they stop producing hair altogether.

A second general type of cause behind hair loss may be termed external influence. While genetic pattern baldness is an internal and physiological concern, things like stress, menopause, environmental disturbances and diet may cause hair loss through external disturbance.

Individual hair follicles on the scalp do not continuously produce hair, but instead go through distinct cycles of growth and shedding. However, a variety of external factors can potentially disrupt these cycles, causing a condition called telogen effluvium where large amounts of hair are shed at once. Anything that causes a physiological shock to the body can potentially cause telogen effluvium, including physical trauma, major surgery, or even crash dieting that starves the body of necessary proteins. In some cases, emotional trauma and stress can prompt changes in eating or sleep patterns that can also result in similar symptoms.

A third general type of cause behind hair loss is auto-immune disease. There are several different auto-immune symptoms that can potentially result in hair loss, but the most common is alopecia areata, a condition similar to rheumatoid arthritis where the body’s immune system attacks the rapidly growing cells at the base of the hair follicles. The inflammation that results interrupts the natural cycle of hair growth and causes hair to shed in small, round, smooth patches on the scalp. In some rare and extreme cases, alopecia areata (AA) may progress to the point that all of the scalp hair is lost, a condition called alopecia totalis, or even to alopecia universalis, the complete loss of all body hair.

As is apparent, diagnosing hair loss can be complicated and there is really no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ treatment. That’s why, at Modena Hair Institute in California and Nevada, we spend so much time and effort determining the specific underlying cause of a patient’s hair loss. That is the only way we can formulate a personalized hair restoration treatment program that addresses patient’s individual needs.

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Hair Transplant Repair: What Are Your Options?

August 9, 2019 admin Leave a comment

A botched hair transplant can be traumatic to say the absolute least. At best, the scalp is scarred & the distribution of hair looks less natural than ever before. At worst, serious infections can occur & have a major effect on one’s health. The emotional fallout should be considered as well; for people who pursue a transplant to tackle self-image issues, there’s no worse feeling than ending up in a worse position with less money as a result of trying to fix it.

For people in that situation, things might seem hopeless, as though they’ve been removed from their old selves & placed away from them at an unreachable distance. We understand that fear better than anyone, which is why we’d like to let you know that there’s a way to not only undo the damage, but obtain the refreshed look you were searching for in the first place.

Many of the cases we see at Modena Hair Institute in Orange County are repairs, and they come in quite a few varieties. One major type of case we see is people who went to clinics being operated by inexperienced surgeons & assistants at a low cost. As we’ve written about on this blog before, going to a cheap clinic will always cost more in the long run, and you’ll have to pay with your confidence & appearance along with money. Many of the most serious cases come from patients who received a botched FUE transplant. Often times this is due to inexperience and obsolete technology and surgical tools; while an experienced hair restoration surgeon like Dr. Yazdan will use small punches ranging 0.7mm – 1.0mm in diameter today, older varieties used by inexperienced clinics are far larger, sometimes reaching a massive 2mm. These outdated punches will very often lead to the area surrounding each follicle sustaining great damage. Issues also tend to arise when inexperienced assistants, rather than a trained & licensed physician who specializes in hair restoration surgery, perform the procedure, since the skills required to competently perform these operations only come with years of training & education. Whether it’s one or the other, a mix of these, or other issues, it’s an unfortunate situation to say the least.

The other types of repair cases we see involve patients suffering a large donor scar from an FUT transplant that fails to properly heal. Whether it’s an error in the closing technique itself (a typical result of an inexperienced surgeon’s work) or an aggressive harvesting of hair to force results, these scars are understandably devastating for our patients.

Dealing with any of these fallouts is an arduous task, and reversing them requires heavily trained hands, knowledgeable minds, and attentive eyes. This, as a matter of fact, is exactly what we offer at Modena, whether you come into our Newport, Beverly Hills, or Las Vegas offices. Through countless hours of time spent with these procedures, we’ve developed a wide range of methods to tackle botched transplants of many varieties.

To start, we’ve found that patients dealing with damage from outdated procedures achieve significant results after we perform our repairs. As described on the Modena site, “…new, natural follicular units can be transplanted to soften or camouflage the old plugs and restore a natural appearance. In some cases, if the plugs were placed incorrectly, we can re-transplant the hair from the plugs to the correct area & [set them] in the correct growth direction.”

A patient of Dr. Yazdan who suffered a scar at an outside clinic. These images (left-right) show this patient before, immediately after, & eight months after the repair procedure.

Our years of experience also come in handy when repairing botched donor scars. Above is a photoset showing the steps in this process. A patient of ours was dealing with a scar along his posterior scalp after a botched FUT “strip” hair transplant performed at an outside clinic. To assist him, Dr. Yazdan took hairs from the undamaged parts of his donor area, transplanted follicles directly into the scar, and completely camouflaged it as a result. In less than a year, virtually nobody would be able to tell that there was any procedure done to begin with.

Even if the donor area in the back of your scalp can’t be used in a repair, which is unfortunately the case for quite a few of our patients, you still have a chance to regain your hair. When the patient in the video below came in with notable scarring & an unusable donor area, Dr. Yazdan, with the help of his longtime team of assistants, was able to extract donor hairs from the beard & chest, placing them in a way where they were indistinguishable from natural hairs from the scalp. No visible scarring resulted, and the patient gained a far denser hairline in turn.

To sum things up, a botched FUT or FUE hair transplant is far from the end of the road. When you come into Modena for a consultation, we’ll stop at nothing to determine every option you have in your hands, and we’ll dedicate ourselves entirely to giving you the look you set out on achieving from the beginning.

Learn more about our hair transplant repair services, along with everything else we offer our patients, and be sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions.

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FUT Procedure, Step by Step

August 7, 2019 admin Leave a comment

*This blog is a transcription of a video covering a Modena Hair Institute patient who saw Dr. Yazdan for a FUT hair transplant procedure, also known as follicular unit transplantation. We’ve included the video itself here as well*

https://youtu.be/5iItZGXhhS8

Jake has arrived at Modena Hair Institute in Orange County, California for his first hair transplant surgery. After careful research, Jake has chosen Dr. Amir Yazdan & Modena to perform his surgery. “I’ve been losing his hair since I was [in my] early 20’s, and it’s really bothered me, so it’s time to make a change.”

In his office, Dr. Yazdan carefully studies the condition of Jake’s follicles, their viability, and the density of his hair. By taking the time to note these specific details in advance, Dr. Yazdan ensures that the procedure will not only have the best possible results, but go by smoothly, quickly & painlessly. Jake is also given the opportunity to see his information on a monitor, allowing him to go into the procedure with confidence as well. Upon inspection, Dr. Yazdan finds the patient’s donor zone looks perfect, and that it’ll take approximately 2500 grafts to fill in the transplant area and lower his hairline. They’ve decided to have Jake undergo an FUT, or strip transplant, which will allow the surgeon the necessary amount of grafts for the procedure, and only leave the patient with a thin cosmetic seam along the donor area.

It’s not necessary to cut your hair before a transplant surgery using the strip method; it’s only necessary to shave the donor area. Once the strip is obtained, there’ll be no evidence the area has been shaved. Afterwards, Dr. Yazdan carefully constructs an outline for a natural hairline, and the procedure begins once the patient & surgeon reach an agreement.

The first step is anesthesia. At Modena, under the direction of Dr. Yazdan, we’ve developed a unique process for its administration. The patient feels no pain during the course of surgery or after, and the area isn’t subject to swelling, as is typical with transplant procedures at outside clinics. It’s necessary to precisely define the width of the donor sample, which, on the one hand, will give the required quantity of grafts, and, on the other, will not cause tension in the scalp as the seam heals.

Excision is the next stage; the surgeon has to carefully cut out a hem so the donor zone shows as little sign as possible of surgical intervention. This technique prevents the seam becoming too wide, which can lead to unacceptable scarring. The stitches used to close the donor area are made using degradable thread, allowing the cut to heal without any need for the surgeon to remove the stitches after the procedure.

Once the seam is closed, the area already looks presentable. The thin strip shows little to no sign of bleeding, and no part of it protrudes beyond the surface of the skin. While Jake takes a break, the rest of the team works to process the grafts. It’s a laborious task to say the least, and attention to detail is key, along with the use of precision tools. Speaking to the patient’s condition during this point of the procedure, Jake is even able to watch the preparation of these grafts.

The quality of graft processing is essential for a successful hair transplant, right along with the success of their extraction. Speed is a key part of this; the longer a hair remains out of the human body, the more stress it experiences, leading to an increased likelihood of transplant rejection. At Modena, to ensure this all happens quickly & professionally, between three & five assistants work on graft processing for each surgery, which is notably substantial in comparison to outside clinics. In turn, even more intensive procedures like Jake’s are able to be performed in a short span of time without sacrificing attention, guaranteeing near total graft survival.

Halfway through the procedure, Jake praised the lack of pain he encountered during the process. “Virtually painless. I fell asleep during the thing. I didn’t feel any pain at all. They’re cutting the grafts right now & I’m getting ready to eat some lunch. Things are going great.”

In beginning the second phase of the procedure, the surgeon starts to create the apertures where the patient’s grafts will settle & reform his hairline. In doing this, Dr. Yazdan makes a specific note of the direction in which the patient’s hair will be growing. He also utilizes state-of-the-art tools to ensure the most extensive transplant possible in a minimal amount of time, along with preserving the direction of the apertures we mentioned earlier, and maintaining natural density in turn.

Each aperture is counted by a special device that displays the amount on a monitor the surgeon can check as he’s working, allowing him to note & maintain accuracy. He remains lucid & comfortable throughout the procedure, and he continues to show virtually no signs of bleeding the whole time, even after a total of 2,968 grafts are placed.

On the day after the surgery, when we see Jake for a follow up, he not only shows no signs of hypostasis, a common side effect at outside clinics, it’s impossible to tell that he had undergone hair transplant surgery the day before. After a quick hair wash courtesy of the assistants, along with final instructions from the surgeon, Jake says goodbye & goes on his way.

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Jake’s story is just one of many to come from Modena, and your story can be the next one we tell. Located in Orange County, Beverly Hills & Las Vegas, we’re willing to do whatever we can to help you regain your hairline & confidence. Visit our website to schedule a free consultation, learn about our many different services, & call us whenever you’re free during business hours.

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Dr. Yazdan Named One of the Top Hair Transplant Surgeons in the World

August 5, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Spencer ‘Spex’ Stevenson, one of the most prolific and well-known hair loss mentors in the world, has recently authored a list of the top 20 hair restoration surgeons in the world. We are happy to announce that Modena’s own Dr. Amir Yazdan has been featured on that list.
“I am incredibly grateful to be named a top hair restoration doctor by Spencer Stevenson,” said Dr. Yazdan. “Spencer is someone the entire hair restoration community admires and is indebted to. It is humbling to receive this remarkable honor for nearly a decade of rewarding and fulfilling work with my patients and colleagues.”

Here at Modena Hair Institute we’ve doubled down on our efforts to expose hair loss practitioners posing as experts or hair restoration clinics which grossly misinform and mistreat their patients. We’ve covered many botched hair loss stories and the tragic psychological impact it can have on patients’ wellbeing, as well as the undermining effect it can have on the entire hair restoration industry.
It’s with great enthusiasm and rejoice then, that we are today witnessing an unprecedented level of patient advocacy.
In his article, Spencer highlights the importance of distinguished and high-caliber hair restoration forums and associations in providing trustworthy information and guidance to patients. Associations like the IAHRS (International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeon) provides unparalleled professional vetting and seeks to represent only the best in the discipline – the true leaders in the field of hair transplant surgery.
Spencer explains that “a crucial element of my recommendations is that all the doctors listed support the message conveyed by the relevant standards and authorities in the field. These guys care about the industry and its ethics, integrity and quality of treatment…”
As the only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas area, Dr. Yazdan’s acceptance into the society means that he has consistently upheld the highest ethical standards, carries exceptional surgical prowess and a visceral commitment to the art and science of hair transplantation.

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World Renowned Hair Transplant Advisor – Spex – Joins Modena as Patient Advisor

August 4, 2019 admin Leave a comment

The hair transplant industry has a guardian angel and his name is Spencer ‘Spex’ Stevenson.

As a dedicated hair transplant advisor known for his extraordinary patient care, Spex has spent his life helping clinics and practitioners, and educating the public about hair loss.

Potential hair transplant patients are entitled to a provider who is experienced, ethical and knowledgeable – someone who makes them feel safe and comfortable.

The search for such a qualified surgeon, however, can be both challenging and time-consuming. The hair transplant marketplace is notoriously riddled with hair restoration generalists (i.e. non-specialists) and unqualified technicians seeking to exploit consumer ignorance and insecurity.

Spex himself cautions: “Be warned, the hair loss industry preys on your vulnerability and isolation. I fell prey to the hands of this brutal place and my own journey was unfortunately very long, emotional and tremendously tiresome.”

Both Spex and Modena Hair Institute have been at the forefront of patient advocacy and hair transplant excellency. That is why we are grateful and enthusiastic to have Spex join our team as a patient advisor.

“Spencer is a true pioneer – a talented and tireless advisor, a dedicated and inspiring educator, and a friend and mentor to everyone he meets. He never sought to be a leader, but became one naturally through his brilliance, compassion, patience and selflessness,” said Dr. Amir Yazdan, director at Modena Hair Institute.

Guiding potential patients to the very best practitioners in the hair transplant industry, Spex only partners with the most distinguished surgeons and hair loss specialists. As the only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas regions, Dr. Yazdan has consistently upheld the highest ethical and technical standards. Dr. Yazdan is committed to the continual advancement of the art and science of hair transplantation, and has pioneered sophisticated hair transplant instruments and methods, specifically with regard to the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure.

We look forward to a very bright and fruitful companionship with Spex.

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What is PRP Therapy?

August 3, 2019 admin Leave a comment

PRP therapy, also known as platelet rich plasma therapy, is an increasingly popular technique for hair restoration. To give some context, a platelet is a cell particle without a nucleus, lacking DNA, and is responsible for proper blood clotting. What most people don’t know, though, is that platelets also contain a significant amount of healing factors and growth proteins. These characteristics, then, make it very effective in treatment for hair loss. This plasma, of course, can only be obtained by extracting it from a patient’s blood.

During a PRP treatment, patients have their blood drawn & stored in small vials. These are then brought to a separate room where they’re placed in a machine & rapidly spun in different directions. This multi-spin technique is a special touch by Dr. Yazdan & Modena Hair Institute, and it means that there’s a near-total extraction of PRP in the end, which is almost unheard of otherwise.

To fully understand PRP therapy, it’s also vital to understand two things: stem cells & ACell.

Let’s start with the former. As far as stem cells go, there are two types: embryonic and adult. The former are extracted from, well, embryos, and have many potential applications in medicine, but in this context we’ll focus on the latter. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body after development; they multiply by cell division to replenish dying cells, and regenerate damaged tissues in turn. This combination of platelets and stem cells creates a hair growth serum that can quickly promote strong, stable hair growth. As for the other version of this procedure, the additional factor that comes into play is a product known as ACell, which is made out of multiple carbohydrates, collagens, proteins, and other components that facilitate a regenerative process. It, like stem cells, is mixed in with the PRP to enhance efficacy.

While this procedure tends to be considered an option for people who need an alternative to a hair transplant, PRP can also be used in combination with FUE or FUT hair transplant surgery procedures. During an FUE procedure, the PRP is harvested and injected primarily in the donor and recipient zone. In FUT/Strip procedures, the PRP is injected in the donor scar as well as the recipient area. We have noticed that patients who undergo PRP with their surgery tend to see decreased graft shedding after the procedure, along with faster healing, improved strip scar outcome, and quicker visible results.

The procedure starts with the doctor drawing 100ml of blood, similar to a regular blood draw at the lab. The blood is then put inside of a centrifuge in Dr. Yazdan’s proprietary method which includes multiple spins at different RPM’s to separate the platelet rich plasma from the platelet poor plasma and red blood cells. The PRP is then harvested and injected with a microneedle by Dr. Yazdan in the areas where a patient is experiencing hair loss. The process generally takes about 45 minutes, and there is usually no downtime after having a PRP procedure; many patients are even able to have it done during their lunch break. Patients can sometimes experience some soreness in the scalp for up to 24 hours, which is normal, and resolves by itself.

A patient of Dr. Yazdan undergoing PRP therapy.

Dr. Yazdan, here at Modena Hair Institute, is one of the few doctors who actually performs the injections and PRP procedure himself, while other clinics will irresponsibly let technicians and assistants carry it out. Technicians may be cheaper and helpful to the doctors who don’t feel like doing their own procedures, but the fact of the matter is that they haven’t undergone the years of education and vigorous training that a board certified physician has. This inexperience can increase the risk of poor results, even including loss of hair after the procedure. It’s imperative to search for a licensed physician, such as Dr. Yazdan, who specializes in hair restoration and hair loss, bringing the experience to help you achieve your desired results.

If you are interested in learning more about PRP procedures, you can find Dr. Yazdan at one of our offices located in Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, and Las Vegas.

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Is Hair Transplant Surgery Safe and Effective?

July 23, 2019 admin Leave a comment

In short, yes. Hair transplant surgeries are generally safe as long as you select the right clinic and doctor to perform your surgery. The safety of hair transplant surgery comes down to experience, specialization and artistic ability.

Many clinics sell clients on grandiose expertise and then have assistant technicians perform most or all of the surgery, instead of the head surgeon. Their pseudo-rationale is that because they are overbooked and the surgeon doesn’t have the time to give each patient his or her full undivided attention, that medical mediocrity is somehow acceptable. Worse still, some doctors are non-hair restoration specialists but advertise total surgical competence in the field.

At Modena Hair Institute in Newport Beach, Dr. Yazdan does all of his own surgeries. He is involved in every step of the process from pre-op diagnosis to post-op maintenance and care. He only books one surgery per day so that he can make sure every single patient gets the best result possible.

An FUE surgery, or follicular unit extraction, involves grafts being punched out of a donor site and transplanted into the recipient site. Dr. Yazdan commands each punch for an FUE procedure and the punch size is a great deal smaller than most clinics. He uses a razor thin 0.7 or 0.8 mm punch size, whereas other practices generally use a 1.2 mm punch size. Larger punches create more scarring and sometimes damage the surrounding healthy hair.

Hair growth is not always in a straight line and the follicles are not always found growing straight back in the scalp. An experienced doctor will be able to look at the hair and tell the direction and the angle in which the hair is growing. This is paramount when doing the punches for an FUE surgery. Instead of punching a straight hole and cutting right through an angled follicle, they can identify and adjust to the hair growth. Thus, there are lower transection rates and higher yields.

Creating a recipient site for the new follicle to be inserted entails selecting an area where hair needs to be placed and then outlining that area. The doctor makes small incisions in the recipient site, where the grafts will be placed. The graft size must match the incision size perfectly. If the recipient sites are too large the grafts will easily fall out. Conversely, if the recipient sites are too small, the grafts will not fit inside.

Dr. Yazdan also does not cut or split grafts to increase graft number, thereby reducing the total cost of the procedure. Cutting and splitting grafts is needlessly expensive and can lead to decreased survival of the transplanted hair. A follicle could easily be cut during this process as well as dried out. Follicles are extremely sensitive, so the less they are manipulated the better.

A strong medical team is always needed and the surgical team selected by Dr. Yazdan has been with him for nine years. Yazdan and his team continually refine their method and optimize safety and effectiveness

The safety of FUE transplant procedures, therefore, heavily depends on the experience and expertise of the guiding physician, their operating method, and the nature of their instrumentation. Don’t risk your scalp – do thorough research and stick with masters in the field of hair transplantation.

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Thinning at the Back of the Head – Help!

July 22, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Thinning hair at the top or crown of the head is extremely common for men as they age. So common is this reality that 85% of men will experience some kind of thinning as they age.

The good news is that barring certain cases of total baldness, men with a receding hairline or thinning crown have access to numerous medical and surgical solutions.

Is Treatment Likely to Grow My Hair Back?
Based on clinical data and institutional results complied at the Modena Institute of Orange County, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, levels of regrowth vary from significant to moderate, with almost all patients experiencing increased coverage.

At the very least, effective treatment will slow thinning hair down and neutralize the dreaded descent into total baldness. For those experiencing progressive hair loss or follicle miniaturization year after year, even basic hair loss stabilization – which is the minimum to be expected from hair loss treatments – will be seen as a success. Early and immediate action is therefore imperative.

Treatments for Thinning Hair
FUE hair transplantation is the most intimate, effective and permanent solution to hair thinning in males. A minimally invasive procedure, follicular unit extraction (FUE) is virtually painless, undetectable and permanent. The procedure involves the removal of hair follicles, one by one, from hair-rich donor areas which are then transplanted to the thinning parts of the head. We encourage any interested readers to sit down with a board-certified hair restoration specialist who can properly evaluate your hair loss situation, based on factors like your medical profile, hair loss condition, and aesthetic outcomes. Finding a true expert and specialist of the craft can be tricky, so check out our guide to finding an ethical expert in the field.

GroMD’s specially formulated shampoos and conditioners are designed to enrich and maintain any hair type, keeping the scalp in a healthy and vibrant state. We may also prescribe finasteride to help promote hair regrowth, as well as other topical treatments like minoxidil (Rogaine). Such a topical program can restore shrunken hair follicles and encourage them to produce thicker, stronger hairs.

Planning for the Future
When involved in a Modena Hair Institute hair loss regime, it is important to keep in contact with Dr. Yazdan and his California offices so that he can make sure that your thinning hair is being treated as safely and successfully as possible. You will receive routine maintenance calls from Modena to track the progress of your treatment and share timely updates on the status of your growth.

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What You Need to Know About Scalp Micro Pigmentation

July 22, 2019 admin Leave a comment

There are many different avenues to a fuller-looking head of hair. Some might get a FUE or FUT transplant (if they qualify), start using specialized shampoo & follicle activator spray, give laser therapy a shot, or try any combination of methods. We encourage all of these approaches, of course, but there might be another that you have yet to consider. It’s a fairly new trend, and it’s simpler than you might think.

Allow us to fill you in on what’s known as Scalp Micro Pigmentation, which is often referred to as SMP for short. To keep it short, the person performing the procedure creates a dense grouping of medical-grade tattoos, each about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen, specifically matching the density of the hairs on that part of the patient’s head.

“Wait, but what’s a medical-grade tattoo?” You might be thinking, “Couldn’t I just have my local tattoo artist take care of it?” Let’s just get this out of the way now: tattoo artists are not qualified to perform SMP by any means. For starters, there’s no sort of major oversight group to monitor the safety of tattoo parlors. In contrast, the people cleared to perform SMP are strictly monitored by the state medical licensing board, meaning that they have to follow an incredibly precise set of guidelines concerning how these tattoos are given to patients.

A Modena patient’s thinning crown before & after their SMP procedure.

Let’s get back to explaining SMP itself, though. This sort of procedure can be useful for quite a few different people. For starters, if you recently got a hair transplant & want to make it seem like there’s more hairs between the transplanted ones, an SMP procedure can be an excellent option. It also works for people who want to fill in the space between thinner hairs, and if you don’t feel like having too much hair restoration work done, you can even have larger areas of your scalp pigmented to give the appearance of a very low-cropped shaved hairdo.

A donor scar resulting an FUT procedure, also known as the “strip” procedure, can be covered up in this manner as well. As another example, if a person decides to go to a less experienced hair surgeon before finding us at Modena Hair Institute, either at our Newport, Beverly Hills, or Las Vegas locations, we can utilize the procedure to cover up poorly-closed donor areas that would’ve stuck out far more clearly otherwise.

You can see an example of how this plays out in the first half of the video we’ve included here. This Modena patient was dealing with a rather wide donor scar that appeared clear as day along the back of his head. With some moderate pigmentation by Dr. Yazdan, however, one cannot tell that any procedure had been performed in the first place. The same can be said of the person appearing in the second half, who had a space in the center of their head & left with it not only looking completely filled-in, but natural in turn. When it’s all said and done, the results will end up lasting you around 3-5 years.

The best results, however, only come when you have an experienced professional handling things. If done poorly, the results can end up looking worse than unnatural. How can this happen, you wonder? Well, many of the negative experiences people have at outside clinics center on a certain safety factor that wasn’t in play, along with a lack of experience.

One of the main causes of a botched SMP procedure, for instance, is bad ink. If you’ve seen the results of botched budget tattoos people get on other parts of their body, imagine how that would look on someone’s scalp. It’s a sorry sight, to say the least, and it can be easily avoided. All you have to do is avoid the temptation of dubious budget clinics, where cheapness is often a result of cutting corners in safety. Instead, opt for a clinic like Modena Hair Institute, where board-certified & licensed physician Amir Yazdan follows precise medical standards to make the procedure completely safe & sanitary.

Of course, with cheap outside clinics, there’s also the risk of ending up with dramatically unnatural markings on your head, resulting from the performer’s lack of experience replicating real hairlines. Your surgeon should know a natural hair grouping like it’s their first name, and as you can tell from the pictures above, Dr. Yazdan fits that description better than any other hair restoration surgeon out there.

The long-lasting nature of the procedure means it’s more than vital that things are done right the first time. That’s why all SMP procedures at Modena are performed under the guidance of Dr. Amir Yazdan, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon & physician who has years of experience in his field. You can see various examples of his patients here, and set up a consultation of your own here.

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The Truth About Female Hair Loss (& How It Can Be Treated with PRP Therapy)

July 21, 2019 admin Leave a comment

A little known treatment, PRP therapy has revolutionized the way hair restoration specialists approach female hair loss. If you’re like many other people out there, you probably tend to associate hair loss with men exclusively. However, you might be surprised to learn that there are far more women suffering from it than you might expect. In fact, according to the American Hair Loss Association, 40% of women end up experiencing it by the age of 50.

Here are some of the many reasons why certain women endure hair loss in their lifetime:

Genetics

As it is with men, a genetic predisposition to hair loss, referred to in this case as Female Pattern Hair Loss, is the most common cause of thinning & balding in women. Unlike men, though, women will begin to notice this occurring as the center part in the middle of their scalp begins to widen, rather than experiencing thinning in the front.

Telogen Effluvium

This form of hair loss is relatively common as well, and refers to when a large amount of hair follicles shift into the resting phase of their life cycle known as the “telogen” phase. As a result, one tends to experience a dramatic shedding of hair. This can be caused by anything from stress, to trauma, to drug use, to hormonal imbalances & nutritional issues.

Alopecia Areata

In short, this is an autoimmune disorder that can cause varying degrees of patchy hair loss in women, along with men. This can either just amount to scattered thinning, or progress as far as advanced balding with a few patches of hair clinging on.

Scarring Alopecia

As implied by the name, this refers to hair loss that results from scarring on the scalp. This can be caused by tight braiding or other hairstyles that put high stress on your hair, as well as pulling, ripping, and tearing.

Trichotillomania

This can essentially be described as a compulsion to pluck one’s hair. It might just happen while you’re performing other activities & your mind wanders off, but some also find themselves doing it in habitual patterns. This, of course, causes scarring alopecia over a long period of time, along with permanent hair loss. In this case, before any treatment can be done for the hair, the psychological issue has to be handled.

The varying degrees of female hair loss.

Regardless of how women encounter it, it can be a devastating ordeal for them to suffer through, oftentimes making a significant impact on their self-esteem. Since a lack of confidence can lead to difficulties in many other aspects of life, it’s vital that this issue is tackled head on & in the most effective way possible. For women, we’ve found that the one true way of accomplishing that task is through the use of PRP Hair Regrowth Therapy.

The acronym stands for platelet-rich plasma, and as discussed on the Modena Hair Institute site: “PRP is a concentration of your own autologous platelets which have reservoirs filled with powerful growth factors and healing agents.”

In carrying out the procedure, “It is ‘harvested’ from your own blood. This is done by collecting a small volume of your blood and spinning it down to separate the red blood cells from the platelet cells.” After that process is completed, the extracted plasma goes through activation & gets reintroduced into you through various minor injections into the scalp. In the process, growth & stem cells that are already in the body are called to action to assist in the hair regrowth process.

This procedure has been used since the 1970s across many different medical disciplines, including pain management, sports medicine, cosmetic surgery & dentistry, along with hair restoration. It’s been clinically proven to work across multiple studies, and there’s even specific science behind why it works.

As discussed by Dr. Amir Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute:

“The presumed mechanism is that elements within the plasma, such as: platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor beta, fibroblast growth factor, [etc.] help stimulate the immune and endocrine systems to decrease hair loss”

The treatment is often implemented along with hair transplant surgery, but for those who aren’t eligible for those types of procedures, like many women, PRP Hair Regrowth Therapy is an excellent way to get started on the path to a full, luscious head of hair.

There are key factors, however, that we think you should keep in mind when picking out a clinic. For starters, the person performing the procedure needs specialized equipment to fully extract the necessary PRP from the patient’s blood. As discussed in the video above, Dr.Yazdan utilizes a special procedure called the “multiple-spin technique”, along with taking advantage of natural growth factors & activators to maximize the results. As for the final factor, seeing as this is a medical procedure, we can’t stress enough that the only person who should be performing it for you is a licensed physician. We understand that here at Modena Hair Institute, and that’s why Dr. Yazdan, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon & physician, performs these procedures at his Newport, Beverly Hills & Las Vegas locations. Utilizing specialized equipment & years of experience, we’ll have your hair coming back quickly, fully, and naturally.

Learn more about the procedure & the many other services we offer on our website, and make sure you contact us to set up your consultation.

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What Makes African-American & Asian Hair Transplants Different

July 20, 2019 admin Leave a comment

The art and science of hair transplantation continues to progress after nearly a century of practice. African and Asian hair transplants continue to prove more difficult than those of a Caucasian heritage.

Hair transplants have become an increasingly valid option in restoring one’s hair, and it’s safe to say that there are quite a few people who are keen to figure out how well the procedure will work for them. For Caucasian patients, including those of other ethnicities with similar hair, this has rarely been an issue as far as hair type is concerned. They’ve had the FUT procedure (also known as the “strip” procedure), along with the newer FUE method, open to them for as long as those options have been around. Rather, their eligibility has always been an issue of specifics.

African American & Asian patients, however, were in a different situation for a long time. Their hair follicle & skin types, for reasons we’ll dive into soon, once made them virtually ineligible for either type of hair transplant procedure. Now, however, as the technology has developed & hair restoration surgeons have gained further experience with those procedures, the door has begun to open up for them as well.

These advancements have been astounding, to say the least. To help you understand why, let’s go through some of the particular factors a surgeon must navigate in performing a procedure on a African American or Asian hair transplant patient.

An Asian patient at Modena Hair Institute before & after their transplant.

Hair Density

For Asian patients, the issue boils down to them having generally lower hair density across their scalp, meaning that there are less options for follicles in the donor area. This decreased margin for error means that a trained eye is especially vital in carrying out the procedure, lest the results end up looking thin & unnatural.

With African American patients, the density factor comes into play a different way. Specifically, it’s a combination of their hair density being higher than average, along with the fact that their follicles are curled (more on that later). As a result of this, the challenge comes with placing the non-linear follicles in close, natural groupings. This isn’t an issue at Modena, however; we have the experience to know what a natural hairline looks like, and we have unique tools that allow us to bring that ideal, natural hairline into reality.

Scarring

African American patients are at special risk of a particular healing issue known as keloid scarring. People of any skin color can get it, but it’s been noted as affected darker skin patients the most often. Essentially, it refers to growth of extra scar tissue upon post-injury healing, and the issue is even believed to be passed on across one’s family.

To avoid any suffering from this issue, when patients visit Modena Hair Institute, those with a known history of keloid scarring in their family will go through a very minor test session to determine whether they’ve got it as well. Thankfully, however, even if you see that type of scarring happening on other parts of your body, the vascularity of the scalp means it’s generally less likely in that area. Furthermore, even if it does happen, Modena’s Dr. Amir Yazdan offers his Newport, Beverly Hills & Las Vegas hair transplant patients a special medication to combat it during the procedure, dramatically minimizing it as a result.

For Asian hair transplant recipients, It’s less an issue of specific potential issues (although keloid scarring is still possible), and more an overall increased risk of scarring. If there are genetic issues that might affect this, patients receive the same sort of minor tests mentioned earlier to determine how they’ll react to the full transplant.

Hair Follicle Shape

Lastly, as mentioned in the first point, the hair follicles of African American people are curled in the scalp, leading to the typically very curly nature of their hair. The extraction process changes accordingly, and a punch with a slightly larger diameter than normal has to be used to fully capture the curled follicle, without damaging the surroundings of course. Dr. Yazdan, for example, uses a 0.8-1mm punch to fully capture each follicle while avoiding the surrounding area in turn.

Overall Eligibility

Given the different factors we’ve discussed here, especially with scarring in mind, we at Modena Hair Institute generally perform FUE transplants on African American patients, especially males, since FUT (“strip”) procedures leave minor scarring as a result. Asian patients, however, are eligible to receive either depending on the doctor’s analysis of each particular case.

Why Modena?

Yes, it’s more than possible for African American & Asian patients to get the hairline of their dreams, but as we’ve suggested, it’s only possible if the procedure is being done by someone with years of experience & knowledge on their belt. That’s exactly what we provide here at Modena Hair Institute.

Our practice has had years of experience handling these specific types of transplants, and that’s exactly what it takes to do it right the first time. Sure, other clinics offer these transplants, but many of them have rarely performed procedures on non-white patients, especially Asians & African Americans. Because there are many different nuances in how their procedures are done, this simply won’t do; you’ll be far better off with a clinic like ours that’s spent quality time working with cases like yours.

It’s not just down to procedure experience, either; without the right tools, the best possible results are that much further out of reach, and risk comes creeping that much closer. That’s why, instead of the tools used for the majority of our patients, Dr. Yazdan has highly specialized tools at his disposal for his African American patients. By taking this vital step, he’s able to offer them a full, natural head of hair, an even hairline, and properly-healing donor & transplant areas in turn. Other clinics simply don’t offer this level of specialization, and it’s for that reason why their attempts at performing the procedures are loaded with risks that no patient should ever have to face.

Dr. Yazdan examining Countess Vaughn on The Doctors.

Lastly, at Modena, Dr. Amir Yazdan, a board-certified physician, personally performs every transplant at our clinics, with no assistants handling the procedure itself. The time he’s spent perfecting his craft & practicing case-specific methods makes him more than qualified to handle patients of all backgrounds, and the results he’s achieved speak for themselves.

Learn more about African American hair transplants here, check out more info on Asian hair transplants here, schedule your consultation, and be sure to visit our website to learn more.

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What If a Hair Transplant Isn’t an Option?

July 19, 2019 admin Leave a comment

As hair restoration options grow more effective and varied, FUE & FUT transplants continue to be permanently significant. Yet there are some factors that can limit one’s hair restoration options. For instance, if your available donor areas don’t have enough follicles for your transplant area, you’ll have a hard time getting either type of procedure done. People suffering from alopecia areata, otherwise known as spot baldness, also find themselves unable to receive a transplant due to their condition. These, along with other factors we haven’t mentioned, mean that effective alternatives to a hair transplant are an absolute must.

Thankfully, they’re not only out there, but they’ve already helped scores of people change their life & get their hair back. These treatments, known as PRP hair regrowth therapy, scalp micro pigmentation, and low level laser therapy, are often used as supplements to hair transplants, but they’ve also been extremely helpful as standalone procedures. Let’s go through them one by one so we can show what makes them as important & effective as they are.

PRP Hair Regrowth Therapy

If you aren’t familiar, PRP is short for platelet-rich plasma, which exists as part of one’s blood & has a wide range of natural healing & growth properties. To obtain its benefits, a hair restoration surgeon like Dr. Amir Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute will begin the procedure by drawing some of your blood & preparing it for PRP extraction. Here at Modena, Dr. Yazdan uses a specialized process unique to his Las Vegas, Beverly Hills & Newport clinics. Specifically, he performs what’s known as the “multiple-spin technique”, which involves rapidly spinning the vial of blood in different directions at high speeds until nearly all the PRP in the sample is separated. From there, proprietary growth factors & activators are added to maximize the growth & healing potential of the plasma.

Once that’s completed, the PRP is lightly injected into the scalp & begins its work to shift follicles from what’s known as the “telogen” phase of their life cycle (when hair loss occurs) to “anagen”, or the growing phase. This, along with the assistance it offers the immune & endocrine systems in tackling hair loss, begins to show in as little as three weeks, fully manifesting in a matter of a few months from there.

With the combination of our unique extraction system, the state-of-the-art technology at our clinics, and the years of expertise Dr. Yazdan brings to the table, PRP hair regrowth therapy has become a treatment choice for countless Modena patients, whether they’re receiving it on its own or getting it in supplement to a FUE or strip hair transplant.

Scalp Micro Pigmentation

Before & after a SMP procedure at Modena Hair Institute (performed by Dr. Yazdan)

Like PRP therapy, scalp micro pigmentation, known as SMP for short, is quite common as both a standalone procedure & a supplement to others. Unlike PRP though, there’s no drawing of blood involved, and the needles being used are attached to tattoo guns, rather than syringes.

This is far from a tattoo you could get at a shop across the street, though. How, you ask? Well, simply, it’s medical-grade. With SMP, every aspect, including ink, tools, and the person performing the procedure, falls under the strict supervision of the state’s medical licensing board, while the inks, processes & tattooers at conventional shops are entirely unregulated from a medical standpoint. Even professional tattoo artists acknowledge infections as a potential danger with their work, and an ink-related infection in the scalp area could be disastrous for future hair growth. Besides that, even just from a cosmetic standpoint, a tattoo artist with no knowledge of hair groupings would be bound to fumble in the pursuit of creating a natural look. In short, not just any tattoo or tattooer will do. Whoever performs this procedure for you needs to know your hair growth pattern like it’s their own first name, along with needing to stick to strict medical codes & keep your safety at the forefront of their mind.

When you come into a Modena clinic, you can be sure that’s exactly what you’re getting. Dr. Yazdan, a licensed physician, has dedicated much of his time to perfecting the SMP procedure, and his patients’ results show that he’s done the necessary work to achieve optimal results in the safest possible way.

Low Level Laser Therapy

Lastly, having become an increasingly popular phenomenon in the past few years, low level laser therapy, known as LLLT or simply “laser hair therapy”, has shown to be very promising for a significant amount of people. So how does it work? Well, as told in the name, in LLLT, a series of low level laser diodes is distributed evenly surrounding the scalp, firing off periodically to kick follicles into the “anagen” stage of their life cycle. This, as we mentioned before, is when hair growth takes place.

As it goes with these promising technologies, not all iterations live up to the hype. For instance, many companies making LLLT devices have cut costs with their products by making them far too weak to be effective. Others are just low quality through & through, merely made to cash in on a rising trend.

There is one, however, that we’ve found to stick out beyond the rest in a big way. Known as the CapillusRX, its first strength comes in the amount of diodes it boasts compared to the competition. Rather than sticking in the 100-200 range like much of the competition, it comes packed with 312 diodes that cover the entire scalp with little to no blank space. Its second advantage comes with convenience; rather than needing to come into a clinic for treatment, CapillusRX owners can carry out their anti-hair loss therapy in the comfort of their own home, with the device fitting on one’s head like a regular cap. Lastly, this devices rises above the others with the virtue of saving time; patients only have to wear it for six minutes each day, and results start appearing within a few months of starting treatment.

If you already opened a new tab to order it to your door, slow down. Unlike the standard, less effective alternatives, you can’t order this from a store; it’s only available via licensed physicians who offer it out of their practice. Fortunately for you, Dr. Yazdan offers the CapillusRX out of every Modena location in California & Nevada, and all you need to do is reach out & stop in for a consultation to see whether LLLT is the right hair loss treatment for you.

Learn more about PRP therapy, SMP, and LLLT, along with the many other services & treatments we offer, by visiting our website.

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Hair Cycle and Hair Loss

July 15, 2019 admin Leave a comment

At Modena Hair Institute we care scrupulously about the details and processes behind hair cycle and loss. Knowledge of hair cycles (or phases) are foundational to understanding the nature of hair loss, as hair thinning and problems with hair growth occur when your growth cycle is disrupted. This can be triggered by conditions such as metabolic disturbances, illness or improper nutrition.

The hair cycle is the all-important mechanism regulating hair growth in the body. Normally, each individual hair strand follows its own hair cycling schedule, completely independent of other hairs on the scalp.

In the following article we will dive into the nature and consequences of hair growth cycles.

The average adult human scalp begins with approximately 100,000 individual hair follicles, and each one of these follicles is constantly undergoing a regular cycle of growth, shedding, and re-growth. This means that the average, healthy person naturally sheds between 50 and 100 hairs from the head every day.

However, this loss goes largely unnoticed since, unlike other mammals, human hair growth and shedding is random, not seasonal, so the follicles are almost never in the same phase simultaneously. More likely, at any given time a random number of hairs will be in one of three distinct stages of hair growth and shedding: the anagen, the catagen, and the telogen phases.

Anagen Phase: Aggressive Growth
During this phase, the cells in the root of the hair are dividing rapidly, and the hair is growing about half an inch per month, or six inches per year. This new hair pushes through the dermis to the surface of the scalp, dislodging older hair along the way. Scalp hair can remain in an active growth phase for anywhere from two to six years, depending on an individual’s genetics, which is why some people find it easier to grow their hair longer than others. At any given time, about 75% of the hairs are in the anagen phase.

Catagen Phase: A Brief Transition
After the anagen phase comes the transitional catagen phase, a relatively short period, lasting about two to three weeks, when growth stops and the follicle effectively renews itself. During this phase the outer root sheath shrinks and attaches to the root of the hair, forming a stubby hair which is easily shed. This shrinking of the hair follicle is similar to what occurs during common genetic hair loss or androgenetic alopecia, but in the case of the catagen phase is only temporary.

Telogen Phase: Shedding
When the hair enters the telogen phase, it remains completely ‘at rest’ for roughly 100 days. During this time the follicle begins producing a new anagen hair shaft, which pushes out the fully formed club hair that is still resting on the surface. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root. Only about ten percent of the hairs on the scalp are in the telogen phase at any one time, except in cases of telogen effluvium, a relatively uncommon form of hair loss that can be brought on by significant physiological stress.

Understanding the regular pattern of hair growth gives us important insights into the progression and underlying causes of hair loss, so it is something that the hair restoration experts at the Modena Hair Institute spend a great deal of time studying.

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How Advanced is Your Hair Loss Doctor?

July 7, 2019 admin Leave a comment

As the field of hair restoration continues to change and grow, it is paramount to go to a physician who is continually pursuing ongoing research and testing in their field. A doctor who is trained in the most recent FUE techniques and hair transplant research will be equipped to provide their clients with the highest chance of success in their hair restoration treatment.

He or she will be able to proffer the most cost effective and relevant solution to your hair loss needs. Many clinics continue to use outdated hair extraction methods and techniques, unaware of key surgical advances which dramatically improve hair transplant results.

For more than a decade, Modena Hair Institute has been helping people improve their lives through hair restoration and hair transplant surgery. Throughout his career as a hair transplant surgeon, Dr. Yazdan has devoted himself to researching and improving his specialty in order to provide the best and most up-to-date treatments for his patients.

As part of his efforts to provide the most cutting-edge services, Dr. Yazdan’s continuing hair transplant research and education includes attending conferences, workshops, congresses, and forums. He has worked with many distinguished physicians and frequently engages in open hair restoration forums with professionals like Spencer Kobren and others.

Most recently, Dr. Yazdan attended the world-renowned FUE Europe Conference in Manchester, England, where he shared his innovations in follicular unit extraction and to keep up with all important advancements in the field.

To learn more about our specialty and qualifications and how we can assist with your hair loss, contact Modena Hair Institute to schedule a consultation. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get the latest news in hair restoration and research.