Tag Archives: hair grafts

PRP: Fertilizer For Your Hair!

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has been around for several decades and has been widely used in skin and wound healing. Hence why you may have heard professional athletes using PRP treatments to expedite their wound healing. As it gains traction, it is now being used extensively in cosmetic surgery, dentistry, sports medicine, and pain management. And yes, if your guilty pleasure is watching an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, you’ve probably seen what the trendy PRP also known as the ‘Vampire Facial’ can do for your face as well!
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is your own blood plasma that is enriched with platelets. A concentrated source of autologous platelets, PRP contains several different and powerful growth factors that stimulate the healing of bone and soft tissue, as well as…you guessed it, hair growth! The human blood contains stem cells and autologous blood products that contain essential and specific growth factors that aid in tissue regeneration and healing.
Dr. Yazdan favors PRP during a hair transplant procedure, whether it be an FUE or Strip transplant, as it helps with healing, accelerates the growth, and stimulates the existing hair follicles. “Think of PRP as fertilizer for the hair when used in conjunction with a hair transplant. It possibly increases the survival rate of the grafts as well as the growth with a decrease in graft shedding after a transplant” says Yazdan.

Evidence supports PRP therapy as a safe, and promising treatment to restore your hair by promoting hair growth. It is a favorable non-surgical treatment for both men and women experiencing pattern hair loss and hair thinning. PRP can be combined with ACell as an additional stimulant for improved results, as it helps facilitate the body’s ability to repair and remodel tissue. In our practice, ACell + PRP has shown very promising results. How is a ‘lunchtime’ PRP treatment performed here at Modena Hair Transplant? Upon arriving, a licensed nurse or surgeon will draw your blood just as though you were having a routine blood test done at your primary care doctors office. The blood is then spun in a sterile centrifuge system, which separates the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood. The highly concentrated platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the scalp area that needs a little T.L.C. and you can be on your way back to work! It’s as simple as that. That is, if it’s not combined with a hair transplant, of course.
Now for those of you with a more severe condition of hair loss, PRP in conjunction with an FUE or Strip (FUT) hair transplant may be the right option for you and can yield amazing results when combined.
While PRP alone isn’t a magic pill, it is proven to significantly improve the coverage of the scalp where there are large numbers of weaker hair follicles, usually near the hairline and the crown of the head. It has shown excellent results for patients suffering from many forms of hair loss such as androgenic alopecia (or common pattern loss) and alopecia areata.
As a stand alone for hair loss, PRP can slow down hair loss and increase growth however, Doctor Yazdan recommends combining both methods together with medical management for superior results giving you that new head of hair that you always dreamed of!
https://modenahair.com/hair-restoration/prp-hair-loss-therapy/
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link

Post Hair Transplant: SURVIVAL GUIDE


Undergoing hair transplant surgery is a unique and rare opportunity to show off the confidence you gain with your new look! However, there are some tips experts like Dr. Yazdan recommends, ensuring the best results possible. Failure to follow your post hair transplant procedure with the proper care can result in damage to hair and even further hair loss.
Ok, so now you’re getting ready for your hair transplant. How exciting! Here are some great, in depth tips to help you prepare and survive your recovery.
No Smoking and No Alcohol- You should not be consuming any alcohol prior to your transplant surgery and waiting at least 3 days after. Also, smoking is just a bad idea- smoking constricts blood vessels and thus leads to decreased blood supply and poor wound healing by lowering oxygenation in tissues.
Sleeping- Your sleeping situation is crucial, a semi-sitting position for the first several nights is a prerequisite. Feel free to spend the next few nights snoozing away on your Lazy Boy recliner would work just as well. The goal is keeping your head elevated to help reduce any swelling after the procedure.
The Morning After Surgery- Typically, most doctors such as Dr. Yazdan will have you come back the following morning for your follow-up to assess the affected areas. He will then give you ample information on how to care for the grafts during the healing period. Your surgeon should schedule several future appointments for the coming months to ascertain the grafts are healing correctly and ensuring your satisfied with the results. Here at Modena, Dr. Yazdan will schedule your future appointments for the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months following to keep a close eye on the progress of your new head of hair.
Ice Packs- Make sure to keep several ice packs on hand as you may have some swelling across the forehead, temple or ears. Not to worry-this is completely normal and just a part of the healing process. CAUTION: Never place the ice (or anything for that matter other than gauze) directly on the transplanted area following an FUE or FUT/Strip transplant procedure.
Pain Management (Different from Medical Management)- Generally speaking, most hair transplant patients experience minimal pain (if any) and discomfort is rarely noted. You may feel some tension or burning which will subside within the first week. If you should have some mild discomfort, Tylenol is sufficing to ease any pain you may be experiencing. If that doesn’t seem to do the trick, you can ask your doctor for a prescription for pain relief. Significant pain or discomfort is extremely rare, and you should call your doctor immediately if it persists.
Washing Your Hair- Your physician should supply you with some gentle shampoo, otherwise baby shampoo can be picked up at your local store. Find something with several natural ingredients with the least amount of additives to avoid any irritation of the recipient and donor areas. As a leading surgeon in Hair Restoration, Dr. Yazdan spent many years formulating the perfect hair loss prevention and regrowth shampoo recipe including a proprietary blend of DHT Blockers as part of medical management for all our patients. (for more information on GroMD shampoo please call our office today) Make sure to gently wash the hair as proper hair wash is essential and plays a key role in your outcome- your doctor should explain exactly how to wash your hair, however if you have any questions on proper care- do not hesitate in asking your doctor before proceeding. This is very important! Do not wash your hair or touch the transplanted area for the first 24 hours. It’s vital not to allow running water to flow onto your head at all during this time.
Scabs and Crusting- While this should stay at minimum, especially with an FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and if your transplant is performed by a skilled surgeon. However, you may experience light scabbing in the days following your hair restoration procedure. It’s important to keep the area moist to reduce any irritation. You may use an ointment such as Aquaphor over the healing areas. Whatever you do- DO NOT pick at any scabs or crusting.
Avoid Strenuous Activity- I know this is a hard one for us Southern Californian’s as working out in the gym is just a natural part of our everyday existence, but this is a big no-no. Patients need to avoid all physical and strenuous activities that will make the heart rate rise above a resting position for at least the first week of recovery. Patients should also be careful getting in and out of their vehicles so that they avoid hitting, rubbing or grazing their heads. The hair follicles can very easily move or dislodge if you’re not careful.
Practicing Patience- The ‘hurry up and wait’ game, some would argue this being the most relevant tip for someone who is enduring a hair transplant recovery to simply, be patient! The first several months the grafts are still in their healing phase. The good news is, once you can get past the first 3-4 months you will start producing all the new hair you so badly desired and you can sit in front of a mirror to watch your hair GROW! Well, not exactly but you get the picture. At your 9-12 month mark your grafts should be finished producing hair and now you can reap all the benefits of looking decades younger! At this point, and with an honorable, well qualified surgeon, there should be minimal evidence that a hair transplant procedure took place. Even upon close inspection, no one will be able to tell without prior knowledge of it.
These are a few healthy tips to help you get through your hair transplant surgery with the best results and a faster recovery and to prevent infection from occurring. Every surgeon has their own regimen and it is always advisable to follow your doctors own post-op instructions.
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link
 

Hair Transplant: Consultation Questions to Ask Your Surgeon

As if hair loss isn’t frustrating enough, right?! Planning your hair transplant surgery can be just as difficult. Here are some questions to ask your doctor at the time of your consultation to make you feel at ease when choosing the right doctor for YOU to get the best results possible!
Does an actual Doctor perform the hair transplant surgery?
This is one if not THE most important question to ask. In the U.S. there are strict regulations and it is required that all hair transplants are performed by a physician. While it may seem like the obvious answer would be “Yes”, unfortunately that is not always the case and legal actions may be taken. Most hair restoration surgeons are assisted by highly skilled hair transplant technicians who typically dissect out the hairs under microscopes and help with the planting of grafts. While a patient may want the doctor to conduct the entire surgery, this can be inefficient. Hair transplantation surgery is a team effort. The surgeon will perform the graft excision and prepare the slits in the recipient area where the transplanted hair will be grafted. These slits are what determines hairline design, density, and the growth pattern and should only be done by the doctor. However, placing the grafts in the previously made recipient sites is typically done by an experienced technician yet, there should ALWAYS be an MD present to manage every aspect of the surgery. Dr. Yazdan performs every transplant himself using his artistry and precision by hand and only allows 1 surgery per day in order to take the time for almost 100% accuracy.
Does the “Punch” size matter?
Yes! SIZE DOES MATTER. The diameter of the ‘punch’ affects the size of the wound and how well the wound heals. While most punch sizes range from 0.6-1.3mm, Dr. Yazdan stays far away from the unfavorable wound sizes and scarring that larger punches can create. Staying at the lower end, he uses precise application with a 0.7-0.8mm punch tool. The direct relationship between the diameter of the punch and wound size is rather obvious and needs no further explanation other than, the larger the punch-the greater the risks involved such as scarring, damage to nearby hair follicles and prolonged wound healing. Potentially making scars more visible. Additionally, beware of the robotic Artas that more and more physicians are using as assistance-as the Artas is currently only capable of using larger punch sizes.
What are the doctor’s credentials to perform hair restoration surgery?
Any physician can technically perform a hair transplant. You “technically” only need two things: A medical license and, the desire to call oneself a “Hair Restoration Surgeon”. This is why it is so important to do extensive research and ask these types of questions at your consultations. You should feel completely comfortable asking your doctor for his resume and photographs/videos of his past cases. If a doctor has a high success rate and is proud of their work, he or she should have no problem showing you before and after photos. There’s truth behind the saying, ‘a photograph says a thousand words’. As Doctor Yazdan always likes to say, “my work and results speak for themselves”. Here is a link of our Hair Restoration Before & After photos. https://modenahair.com/photos/
Does the clinic use travel technicians for their procedure?
When it comes to hair restoration, there’s no “I” in teamwork and your surgeon is only as good as his or her staff. It’s all about teamwork. In most cases, when there is a long-lasting relationship between the doctor and their technicians, the work is more efficient and consistent resulting in a successful transplant. Problems or inconsistencies can occur with a clinic that uses travel technicians since the surgeon is not accustomed to working with these technicians and vice versa. A great doctor will run a tight ship and have a dependable team. Dr. Yazdan is no exception to these guidelines and tells us “having an excellent team is mandatory”. His entire staff has decades of experience and his team has remained the same the last 9 years.
Does the graft count matter?
The simple answer is yes and no. There are two different ways to estimate the amount of hair needed. The golden standard is per number of grafts or per number of follicular units and the second way that some doctors use is the number of hairs transplanted. There is a HUGE difference that needs to be understood so expectations (and your pocket book) stay in check. In each hair graft, there may be 1, 2, 3 and even sometimes 4 hairs and depending on the number of hairs in each graft, they are used appropriately in the recipient area. However, it is also good to know how many hairs were actually transplanted. This way you can have an overall idea of how your head of hair will look once the hair grows in. Just be cautious when a doctor tells you he can extract and transplant 5,000 grafts. For example, if 2,000 grafts were all ‘one hair units’ the total number of hairs would yield 2,000 hairs. Let’s say with 2,000 grafts, there was 500 ones, 500 twos and 1000 three-hair units, in this case the total number of hairs would be 4,500 hairs. These numbers can be deceiving, and patients think they’re actually getting 4,500 grafts which certainly isn’t the case. Even though here at Modena, Doctor Yazdan never charges by the graft count, you will find that many doctors do choose to charge patients based on the graft number so make sure you’re understanding the difference before making any final decisions.
Does the doctor attend regular training and medical conferences?
Hair Transplants have come a long way as far as technique is concerned, so having a surgeon who is up-to-date with the latest techniques and tools and has the most advanced technology will play a key role in the success of your hair transplant. Never be afraid to ask your doctor what training and medical conferences they have attended. If your doctor mentions the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), it is highly likely they are involved in the field beyond performing hair transplant surgeries. A hair transplant procedure is a complex cosmetic procedure that craves a certain artistry and skill and requires extensive training, so you don’t end up on a television show like Botched! Dr. Yazdan doesn’t just attend training and conferences such as ISHRS, he is a speaker and educator in all their surgery conferences. Not to mention, a leading consultant for the LA (Los Angeles) Weekly and hit television shows like Dr. Phil and The Doctors.
These are some key questions to ask at the time of your consultation in order to find the right doctor for you and get the best results possible!
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link
 

Outrageous Graft Numbers: Understanding the Difference

So, you’ve made the decision to enhance your appearance and go for a hair transplant and now you’re hearing all about “graft numbers”. You should know and understand graft calculation to better prepare you for your hair restoration surgery consultations so you’re getting realistic expectations.
Although your main goal is likely having as much hair transplanted as possible in order to look like you did when you were 20, there is a limit to the number of grafts that can be transplanted in one session. Be aware of physicians who offer these outrageous graft numbers as you are likely being scammed and now your intelligence has been insulted as well. They’re either giving you a fictitious number or they are attempting to place too many at one time which carries many risks.
If the follicular units (1-4 hairs) are extracted and then divided up into smaller groups, or into individual hairs, the fictitious “graft numbers” will significantly increase and so will the price of your hair restoration procedure (if the patient is charged by the graft), without any increase in fullness (and possibly even less fullness due to sub-optimal growth). So, more than likely the clinic was counting follicular grouping or hairs and sometimes this can be deceiving because 4,000 hairs may amount to only 2000-2,500 grafts.
For example, if a patient has a 2,000 graft hair transplantation procedure where the 4- grafts were split up into 1- and 2-hair grafts, either through poor dissection or intentionally, the new procedure would now have much more ‘grafts’ with exactly the same number of hairs. Now, more sites would need to be unnecessarily placed into the patients scalp to accommodate these grafts. This in turn would cause the hair to be spread out over a larger area of the scalp, decreasing the potential density in the more important areas such as the front and increasing the cost of your new hair transplant!
That is why Dr. Yazdan does a full exam and consult to discuss this in depth and NEVER charges by the number of grafts. It’s simply unrealistic resulting in unrealistic expectations from the patient.
Another reason for an absurdly high graft count is physicians attempting to plant a large number of grafts in “mega-sessions” which poses its own set of challenges. As the number of hair grafts placed per area rises, so does the risk of vascular compromise (decreased blood flow to the area caused by injury to the scalp) and this can result in sub-optimal graft growth.
For instance, in an FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) transplant, Dr. Yazdan typically recommends no more than a true graft count of 2,000 and for the traditional Strip/FUT method, no more than 3,500 should be harvested in one procedure. Using the FUT technique- a 3,500 hair graft procedure will require an incision greater than 20cm on the back of the scalp consequently excellent scalp elasticity is needed otherwise this could significantly increase the risk of a widened scar. A wide donor scar can potentially create a cosmetic problem and can limit the amount of hair that can be obtained if a future hair transplant procedure is needed.
Another word of caution, in FUT (Follicular Hair Transplantation), microscopic dissection is used to dissect naturally occurring 1-4 hair follicular units from the donor area. If these units are kept intact during dissection, growth will be maximized, and a hair transplant patient will get the greatest possible fullness and density. However, if dissection is poor and some of the hair in the follicles are destroyed, the results will be less than ideal.
To avoid such problems, men and woman in need of a larger hair transplant should take caution when choosing the right surgeon and should only be reserved for the most experienced surgical teams. As you see in the photo above, this is a great example of a physician at an outside clinic who overharvested the donor area while using a much larger punch size than needed.
Because these factors are ‘deep-rooted’ in all hair transplant procedures, it is important that the surgeon focuses on maximizing hair growth, rather than seeking some arbitrarily high target number of grafts.
“What is ultimately critical for the patient is not how many grafts were transplanted, but how many actually grow. My results speak for themselves.” Said Yazdan.
This blog was written as a result of a patient being told that he was receiving a 7,000 graft transplant. See link below.
https://www.realself.com/question/paris-fr-hair-after-7000-hair-transplant#6245220
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link
 

Is a Hair Transplant a Risky Procedure?

Hair transplant is a surgical process used as a hair loss treatment. If you are suffering from baldness and want to rid yourself from hair loss than a transplant may be right for you.
As with all cosmetic surgical procedures, there is risk involved. Like with many things in life, you need to balance the risk versus reward. Finding an experienced surgeon who specializes in hair restoration will greatly reduce the “risk” factor.
Overall, a surgical hair transplant procedure whether it may be FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) or the Strip method is a completely safe procedure.
Generally speaking, risks are usually limited to:
Swelling – This is your body’s way to heal an area as blood reserves collect in the area. Mild swelling is normal after a hair transplant, but excessive swelling that might result in black eyes requires immediate medical attention.
Bleeding – Similarly to all wounds, bleeding may take place as the body heals. Rarely, a graft might dislodge from the area, which results in excessive bleeding that will require pressure to stop.
Numbness -Some transient numbness is inevitable. Typically, and if any, this is felt at the suture line or graft sites and generally lasts from 3-18 weeks.
Pain -This is actually a good sign for it demonstrates that your body is working to heal itself. Often, over the counter medications help alleviate the symptom, and some patients don’t need anything for pain.
Itching -Another sign of healing as your body adjusts to the new follicles and is usually alleviated with regular shampooing.
Infection -Even papercuts are vulnerable to infections if they are not properly cleansed. After undergoing this procedure, and under the guidance of your physician, it is important to regularly clean the wound site accordingly.
Scarring -Scarring generally occurs in FUT/Strip method plantations and is occasionally seen from the FUE technique with an inexperienced physician.
Every individual varies greatly in their physical reactions and healing abilities. Yet, these associated risks are relatively minimal when you’re looking at the bigger picture of what a hair transplant can do for you and your self-esteem for many years to come.
In hindsight, the ‘biggest’ risk is a bad result or no result from an inexperienced doctor or non-licensed practitioners whom aren’t properly trained to do surgical hair transplants. As long as you feel comfortable that you’re in the hands of skilled, artistic hair transplant doctor, you’re likely to have fantastic results that will look very natural!
Do some extensive investigating to find a well qualified full-time hair restoration surgeon and your benefits will certainly outweigh the costs, these risks are fairly minimal and shouldn’t be a major deterring factor with proceeding with such a life-changing procedure! Having a hair transplant can significantly boost one’s self-confidence and compliment your appearance leaving you with smiles for days, or decades, rather!
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link

Avoiding a Botched Hair Transplant


The good thing about hair restoration is that it’s permanent and the bad thing can be that its permanent.
A Hair Transplant can be a life-changing procedure. A full head of thick luscious hair can take decades off your life giving you a youthful you! Unfortunately, there are plenty of horror stories and gruesome photos when it comes to botched hair restoration surgeries. A number of factors can lead to unsatisfactory results, which range from unnatural looking and poor longevity to embarrassing skin damage. Almost always, this can be attributed to the inexperience of the physician. Let’s look at some major factors that could potentially go wrong if you’re not cautious in your planning..
Over-harvesting
Over-harvesting happens when too much hair is taken from the donor site and unfortunately is almost a non-correctable problem.  In this case, a recommended solution would be Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) done to the area that is depleted. Transplanting grafts into the depleted area is possible but extremely difficult and labor intensive. Dr. Yazdan has strict guidelines for safe extraction numbers and routinely performs this technique on depleted donor areas with strip scars and over-harvesting. Although this does not bring the hair back, it will help tremendously on making the area look as natural as possible.
Scarring
Large linear scars are a result of the Strip method. Scarring is something that is common to have happen with improper experience from a doctor and can be caused by over-harvesting. When the incision is made at the donor site, if more skin grafts are taken than the elasticity of your skin can handle, causing tension of closure, this makes it hard to stitch the scalp tightly back together resulting in a gapping scar.  If you’re concerned of a botched scar, a safer bet would be the 2nd hair restoration technique which is called FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) that minimizes scarring as this method is done by extracting grafts individually opposed to taking a strip from the back of the scalp. With FUE there is no linear scar and no stitches are required, so your donor area will be minimally noticeable within just a few days. Dr. Yazdan has done thousands of hair transplants and it takes great effort for anyone to find a donor site scar on his patients.
Failure of Regrowth
This can happen from poor surgical technique. Poor handling of the grafts, and drying out of the grafts. If the donor hair was properly harvested and properly placed, typically 95% or more of the grafts should successfully grow.
Large Punch Size
The larger the punch size, the higher the risk of damaged or dead nearby hair follicles. Your grafts should average only 1-3 hairs which can be accomplished with smaller punch sizes. More recently, many physicians are using a machine or robot, rather, called the Artas which does the extracting of the hair follicles for the surgeon. Multiple problems can occur with the Artas including the use of the larger punch sizes creating permanent damage to the nearby hair follicles. Dr. Yazdan recommends a highly skilled and experienced surgeon who manually does the hair restoration surgery to get both the angle and orientation of the incisions in a way to match the existing native hair, so the results come out looking natural.
Shopping for a Bargain
Going to a budget store is all good if it’s for redecorating your home. It is not something you want to risk your appearance on. This could potentially affect your quality of life and is NOT recommended as this can lead to disastrous results that you may be stuck with. At Modena Hair Institute, our patients take comfort in the security and aesthetic results of their choice.
Bad FUE or Strip hair transplantation planning can lead to unnatural looking results leaving you more self-conscious of your appearance than before you started -Don’t let this happen to you! Picking the right doctor is extremely important, while minimally invasive, it is still a surgical operation that needs to be done by a Board-Certified Surgeon who has a high success rate in order to obtain superb results. A botched surgery can easily be avoided by doing extensive research.
If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a consult please call one of our conveniently located offices in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas 1-888-717-5273


 

FUE Hair Transplant: How Long Will It Take For My Hair To Regrow?


Hair growth after surgery is the very first question that may come in mind. Understanding the stages how transplanted hair grows will help to keep expectations realistic.
Every person is different, therefore the rate in which your hair will regrow varies from patient to patient. In our practice, a well performed transplant will see results in as little as 4 months whether you’re acquiring FUE or Strip hair transplant surgery. Newly growing transplanted hairs start to become visible at this time however they are still not in their final stages of thickness and length quite yet.
Dr. Yazdan likes for his patients to come in for a post-op visit at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th month mark to compare your pre-op photos so we can discuss your progress, but expect to see the full benefits within the first year and maximal cosmetic improvement can be seen within 14-18 months.
“I highly recommend waiting a solid year before arriving at any conclusions as to the success of your hair transplant. At this time, if you’re still unsatisfied with the length and density of your new hair, talk with your surgeon. If you still have doubts, you may need to seek a second opinion.” Says Dr. Yazdan.
Once a hair transplant starts to grow, it will continue to grow until the end of the hair cycle at a rate of about ½ inch per month. The new hair which has been transplanted grows in cycles and will become fuller and thicker than the donor site over time.
And for optimal results, we like to follow a hair restoration surgery with PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) or laser therapy which can stimulate hair regrowth tremendously giving you maximal results. Light medical management is also highly desired during the growth period. Medical management consists of non-surgical methods such as minoxidil, finasteride and GroMD hair loss prevention shampoo.
Some might say the hardest part of a hair transplant is after the procedure is finished. Continuously over analyzing and examining each hair follicle, checking the mirror every few hours waiting to see results. Remember, be patient! Good things come to those who wait.
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link

Eyebrow Transplant: Should You Try It?


Eyebrows are more important than ever before! With todays fashion trend, its all about the thicker, fuller eyebrows. The quest for fuller brows has made eyebrow transplants a thing these days. Let’s talk about who would be a good candidate:
Eyebrow loss can occur in both men and women, leaving them unsettled and insecure about their facial appearance. After all, eyebrows frame the upper portion of the face and eye area making this region the first thing people look at. Brow loss is most commonly due to injury or trauma resulting in scars, hormone imbalance, hereditary, aging, yet over-tweezing making the top of the list! Less common factors may be due to an attack of the immune system such as cancer treatment processes like chemotherapy-which for some patients, can be the most emotionally difficult part of the process as hair loss can be a tell-tale sign of an illness present.
Every day people are applying makeup to recreate a new brow or filling in what they once had. Thinning or hair loss of the brow region from overplucking was a common trend in the 90’s, as that was the time overzealous plucking in earlier years often begin to show up as thinning or bald spots. Overplucked eyebrows are one of the most common causes people seek out transplants. More than ever, people are pulling out all the stops to hide the fact that they’ve lost their brows, and often times the hair won’t regrow on its own. Fortunately, there is a Cosmetic treatment now being used for a more long-term solution using modern microsurgical techniques.
Eyebrow Transplantation is a surgical procedure to permanently restore or customize the brows by taking hair from another part of the body such as the back of the scalp and transplanting it to the brow region to create the desired brow shape. This procedure is quite meticulous and takes artistic design for a successful procedure. However, if done incorrectly, can leave you with redness and scaring on the donor site as well as uneven patchy eyebrows.
As with all cosmetic procedures, the key to a natural-looking result is to fully research the surgeon of your choice to get a good idea of the doctors skill when it comes to eyebrow transplants or any kind of hair transplants for that matter. “I can’t stress enough how important it is that patients do their homework ahead of time in finding the right doctor, otherwise they might end up with a botched outcome,” says Dr. Yazdan -whose patients fly in from other areas to seek treatment at his Beverly Hills and Orange County offices. It bears repeating that careful planning and precise angulation of each hair is critical for a successful end result.
Restore the thickness and shape of your eyebrows by calling our office today!
For questions or to schedule a consultation, call one of our offices conveniently located in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas at 888-717-5273 or contact via our website at contact Modena Hair Link

How to determine how many grafts you need for hair transplant surgery

The most common questions regarding hair transplants are how many grafts are needed and how much the procedure will cost.
To get an idea of the cost of your surgery, you’ll first need to get an idea of how many grafts you’ll need. While the cost is not always directly correlated to the graft count, the two numbers are often correlated.
To best answer these questions, you should meet with an experienced and qualified hair transplant surgeon. During a consultation, the stage of hair loss, scalp and follicle health, density of hair coverage, quality of donor area, medical history, and many other factors can be evaluated to give you an accurate idea of the amount of grafts you’ll need.
An additional factor to keep in mind is that hair goals differ from patient to patient. What makes one patient happy may not make another patient happy. These goals definitely play a role in the amount of grafts needed.
For first time patients, scalp hair transplant surgeries typically range between 1,000-3,500 grafts needed. All of the factors above will determine your exact graft count needed.
If you’d like to get a surgical quote to determine how many grafts you’ll need and how much the cost of the procedure will be, give us a call for a free consultation today.
If you’d like to learn more about what factors go into graft count quotes, read here.

Case Study – Amazing Results Using FUT Method of Hair Transplant Surgery

There are many factors that go into determining your candidacy for hair transplant surgery. For example, the density of the donor area, the strength of the surrounding hair, the involvement and efficacy of medical management, and the severity of the hair loss, just to name a few.

When all of these factors work together in a patients favor, we see great results like these.

 

This patient presented with severe receding and balding of the crown. Although the degree of his hair loss may make this patient appear much older, he was only his late 20’s at the date this picture was taken. Utilizing approximately 3600 grafts, Dr. Yazdan was able to restore this patients hair line and fill in the crown.

Results are shown after 1 year post-surgery. The patient now has an appropriate hair line with good density throughout the crown.

The patient now looks like a new man.

How soon after a hair transplant can you wear a hat?

For many individuals who decide on hair transplant surgery, their least favorite part about the process is the appearance of their hair immediately following surgery. For the first couple of weeks post-op, there may be redness, swelling, and scabs in the recipient and donor areas of the scalp. Some describe the process as having your hair look worse for a small amount of time to look better for the long-term.
It is many individuals’ inclination to cover and hide their hair during this initial post-op period. Many patients desire to wear a hat or hood to shield the appearance of their hair.
Unfortunately, this is not a recommended option for patients so soon after surgery. You may be wondering why not? What harm could a hat cause?
Well, while hats are a great tool to conceal the hair, they happen to rest on the head where thousands of grafts have just been carefully excised and transplanted. Particularly, the band of the hat often sits right on the donor and recipient areas. This is harmful to the grafts, as they are extremely fragile and sensitive during this initial period. Any unintended rubbing or pressure could cause them to fall out, risking all the hours of hard work you and your doctor put in to give you a nice, full head of hair.
We typically suggest patients avoid hats for the first week post-op. While we realize this may be inconvenient appearance wise, it is the best way to ensure the results of your hair transplant surgery.
For whatever the reason, if you wish to have a discreet hair transplant surgery, not allowing people to see or know you had a recent hair transplant, we suggest scheduling your surgery during a slow period where you will be able to take off a few days to yourself.
Here at Modena, we offer flexible scheduling so you can plan your surgery around your busy work and life schedule. If you’d like to learn more about the services we offer, give us a call.

FUE vs. FUT/Strip – which hair transplant surgery method should you choose?


Many individuals researching hair transplant surgery as an option to restore their hair loss, have come across the two main methods of hair transplant surgery: FUE and FUT/Strip.
Before you can assess which method of surgery is best for you, you must first understand how the two methods work.
The FUE method of hair transplantation works by excising one hair follicle at a time from the donor area using a very small circular scalpel. These follicles are then transplanted one by one into the recipient area. When done properly and using the proper tools, these incisions are so tiny that once healed cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is why the FUE method of hair transplantation is sometimes referred to as virtually scarless.
The FUT/Strip method of hair transplantation works by excising a thin strip of the scalp in the donor area. Grafts are then microscopically dissected from the strip and placed in the recipient area. The area where the strip was removed is closed using modern tricophytic donor closure technique. When done properly, the scar is very fine and easily covered by the existing surrounding hair.
Typically, the FUT/Strip method of hair transplantation produces more grafts. Because there is a small scar left behind by the procedure, this method is more suitable for someone with a slightly longer hair style. Therefore, the FUT/Strip method is ideal for someone who has a slightly longer hair style and is need of a high number of grafts to reach their hair goals.
In general and when done properly, the FUE method is hair transplant is scarless. That means when the procedure is done and the patient is healed, no one should be able to tell you had a hair transplant surgery. This would be the ideal method for someone who likes to wear their hair short and doesn’t have advanced and severe hair loss/balding.
In order to determine which surgical method is best for you, you should meet with a qualified and experienced hair transplant surgeon. During a consultation, you and the doctor can work together to pick the most effective hair transplant method for your hair type and goals.
If you’d like to schedule a consultation to determine your hair transplant method, give us a call today.

How important is punch size in FUE hair transplant surgeries?

For those of you who have been researching hair transplant surgery, you’re probably familiar with the term ‘punch size.’ For those of you who are unfamiliar, punch size refers to the size of the tool that is used to extract and sometimes make new places for the transplanted follicles to rest on the scalp.
Common punch sizes used by hair transplant surgeons range from 0.75mm-1.0mm. Recent evidence on the use of larger punch tools has shown that they increase the risk for scarring. One of the great things about the FUE method of hair transplant surgery is that it has minimal risk for scarring. Using a larger punch size negates this benefit. Most experienced hair transplant surgeons, including Dr. Yazdan, agree the smaller the punch size the better.
Some doctors who still use the larger punch size claim that the larger punch allows them to extract follicles containing 2, 3, and 4 hairs. The truth is, punch size has little to do with what type of hair follicles that can be extracted. What plays a bigger role, is skill and experience. More often than not, these doctors lack the expertise needed to extract follicles containing multiple hairs using a smaller tool.
The other scenario where we still see larger punch sizes being used, is with robotic devices. Robots and automated tools can’t be as precise as a tool operated by a human hand. Therefore, they utilize a larger punch size in an attempt to increase extraction results. The problem with this is that the risk for scarring increases dramatically. Further, the success rate for transplanted follicles decreases dramatically due to the trauma induced by the large punch.
Here at Modena, we utilize a 0.7mm punch for extractions. When it’s time to transplant the follicles, we set aside the punch and utilize tiny incisions. This not only reduces the risk for scarring but reduces the risk of shock loss in surrounding existing follicles.
If you would like to learn more about our method of FUE hair transplant, give us a call for a free consultation.

Hair transplant recovery – when can I expect results?

Many individuals who have hair transplant surgery are eager to see results right away. This makes sense – you sat through a full day of poking and prodding and when you unwrap those bandages you expect to see something different. After all, you just had thousands of hair follicles transplanted. Instead, you see some redness, scabbing, and the same ol’ hair you’ve had.
In order to understand the timeline for expected results, we need to fully understand the hair transplant process as well as the hair growth process.
The FUE and Strip procedures we do involve Dr. Yazdan hand selecting, extracting, and transplanting, each and every hair follicle. This process is not only grueling on the doctor and patient, but also on the follicles. These follicles have gone through a sort of trauma. Once they are transplanted they do not begin growing immediately. They need to heal and settle in their new place.
Hair grows in cycles or phases. There are the anagen (growth), catagen (regression), telogen (resting), and exogen (shedding) phases. It can take months or even years for our hair to cycle through these phases. That means, it can take at minimum, months for our newly transplanted follicles to cycle through these phases. That is why we expect to see results 6 months – 1 year post-surgery.

The best advice for post-hair transplant recovery is to sit back, relax, and be patient while your newly transplanted follicles get comfortable and begin growing in their new home. If you would like to speed up recovery and ensure your results, you may wish to consider other treatments such as laser therapy, PRP therapy, and medications.

2500 FUE Hair Transplant Grafts – 6 Month Follow Up

This is a before and 6 month after 2500 FUE hair grafts were performed in one session by Dr. Yazdan . Patient is a 33 year old male with Norwood Class 6 hair loss. His hair is black, fine texture with average density.  His results will continue to improve over the next 6 months.  Patient sent in his own followup picture as he lives out of state in New York and has not returned for a formal followup evaluation.

Before and 6 months after 2500 FUE hair grafts.