Tag Archives: hair transplant

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Hair Transplant or Micropigmentation: Which is Right for Me?

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Male pattern baldness
When faced with a choice such as whether to have a full hair transplant or to opt for scalp micropigmentation (SMP) instead, it can take a while to decide. And that’s probably a good thing. Both of these procedures are serious and can take time to recover from, and should not be entered into lightly. It takes time and effort to locate an expert hair restoration practitioner and assess his or her strengths and weaknesses.
Therefore, weighing up the pros and cons of each and taking time to do so can make the decision easier and more informed at the same time.  The best option of the two procedures for you will depend on what you want as the end result – each one will (or can) look very different.
Scalp micro pigmentation is the process of tattooing ink into and onto the scalp in order to give the illusion of a shaved head rather than the reality of a bald one. No hair is required, and so for those who are entirely bald it is a great solution. However, the SMP will not feel like real hair, and it won’t grow either. Due to this, the only style available is that of a shaved head, and if you do have remaining hair you will need to keep this shaved as well so that the look is complete. SMP is useful for those who have lost hair in patches, as it can be used as a ‘filler’.
A hair transplant is a more complicated, more serious procedure. This is for men and women who are experiencing mild to severe hair loss and hairline recession. A successful hair transplant will leave you with a new hairline made up of your own actual hairs. There are no artificial tattoos, plugs or wigs involved. Strong and healthy hair is taken – usually from the back and sides of the head – and implanted into the thinning region of the scalp.
However, the end result will be that of a full head of real hair. This is achieved by using donor hair from elsewhere on the patient’s scalp and moving it to the place where hair is missing. This is therefore only possible if there is hair left on the scalp – a hair transplant cannot be achieved on someone who is completely bald. The hair created in a hair transplant should, all being well, continue to grow, and therefore the styles that can be created are much more varied than with SMP.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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Who is Qualified to Perform Hair Transplantion?

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qualified hair transplant surgeon
Due to a lack of sufficient regulation in the hair transplant industry, clients must be very careful. When talking with different clinics, look at the doctors experience, make sure you look at before and after pictures, talk with actual patients and find out about the experience of the technicians that will be assisting the doctor. In fact, on this last point, the importance of an experienced and technically masterful clinical team cannot be understated.
An Expert Hair Transplant Needs an Expert Team
Hair restoration requires a high level of specialized skill on the part of both the surgeon and the assistant team. Recipient-site problems can manifest from either surgeon or assistant error. The surgeon can create an unnatural hairline due to lack of knowledge of natural hair-loss patterns or badly executed recipient sites. He must also be cognizant of how hairs naturally are angled on the scalp to re-create a pattern that appears natural when making recipient sites. Assistants can also greatly contribute to the success or failure of surgery in their task of graft dissection and graft placement.
As hair restoration procedures grow in popularity and accessibility, there has sprung up a dangerous class of doctors and clinics who have no business even approaching a patient’s scalp. These clinics simply hire poorly trained or unlicensed technicians to perform substantial aspects of hair restoration surgery – this is both unethical and dangerous.
Unlike almost any other cosmetic procedure, an excellent hair transplant requires an excellent team. The surgeon is part of the equation, but he or she is not the sole player in the game. The surgeon is part of a dedicated and specialized team. At Modena Hair Institute in Newport Beach, Dr. Amir Yazdan is responsible for hairline design, donor harvesting and closure, and recipient site creation; Dr. Yazdan’s team, however, is responsible for graft dissection and placement. Having an excellent team is mandatory.
Almost any surgeon or physician can claim to do hair restoration, but very few do it well. An expert hair transplant surgeon will know if the client is a proper candidate for such a transplant, he or she will be very discerning about how to do the surgery, what will suit the natural structure of the face, and more. Knowing as much about safety regarding when to transplant and when not to is very important. We believe that good judgment must involve both understanding the medical aspects of hair loss (types of hair loss that you can’t operate on, medical management, etc.) as well as surgical expertise (artistry and technical skills). Finally, ethics is key.
Beware of False Advertising
Too many clinics have hard driving salesmen to push you to do a case that the surgeon might otherwise think is dangerous or inappropriate. Ethical judgment on when not to operate is very important. Some clinics will prop up an eloquent sales campaign and web presence to sell consumers a trap. Over the years we’ve sadly received many patients seeking to repair and correct the damage done by bad hair transplant procedures.
Understanding What You Need
At Modena we recommend being evaluated by a board-certified transplant surgeon like Dr. Yazdan to discuss your medical and family history to better understand the nature of your hair loss and possible treatment options. A careful and experienced hair transplant doctor will scrupulously plan, design and execute on coverage options which you will find most pleasing and attractive.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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How Much Coverage Will a Hair Transplant Give Me?

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hair transplant coverage
Perhaps no question comes up more often in our hair transplant discussions and consultations than the question – how much coverage will my hair transplant give me? Will it give me full coverage?
Understandably, when a patient seeks to invest the time and effort into receiving a hair transplant, he or she would like to know just how much of a revival of hair coverage and density they are going to receive.
Hair Transplants Do Not Generate New Hairs
It’s important to remember what the hair transplant procedure involves. Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE, is the surgical re-placement and redistribution of existing hairs, usually taken from the back or side of the scalp, to areas that are balding or thinning. Those hairs on the scalp that are thickest and most resistant to hormones and hair-threatening enzymes are what will become the brand-new hair a patient receives. There is no such thing as magical creation or generation of new hair follicles in a bald patch or area of thinning – science has yet to reach that frontier!
Hair Harvesting and Coverage
The question of coverage is an impossible one to answer in the abstract because each patient and each scalp will require unique and different treatment answers. A follicular unit, or graft, contains 1-5 hair strands and on average there are 90-120 units, or 100-250 hairs, per square centimeter. It is estimated that around a third of all follicles in the donor area – the back or side of the scalp where hair is most resistant – may be extracted. So there is not an unlimited supply of ready to distribute grafts.
A patient can desire or require the near maximum number of grafts to be transplanted – around 6500 units – or only need to round out his temples or extend his hairline, which may require 1500 to 2500 units. Coverage depends on the patient’s needs, and it is rare for total baldness or thinning on the top of the head to be filled in completely by a hair transplant – the lack of substantial grafts to take from and area needed to be covered are too large.
Understanding What You Need
At Modena Hair Institute in Newport Beach, we recommend being evaluated by a board-certified transplant surgeon like Dr. Yazdan to discuss your medical and family history to better understand the nature of your hair loss and possible treatment options. A careful and experienced hair transplant doctor will scrupulously plan, design and execute on coverage options which you will find most pleasing and attractive.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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An Exclusive Recognition: Dr. Amir Yazdan Accepted Into the IAHRS

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The Doctors TV show
As a long-standing member of the prestigious International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, board-certified physician, Dr. Amir Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute, is excited to be accepted into the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS).
The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons is the only society ever to be recognized by Consumer Reports, Consumer’s Digest and Web M.D. for its commitment to hair transplant patient education and safety.*
As the only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas area, acceptance into the society demands practitioners meet high ethical standards, own decades-long experience and a visceral commitment to the art and science of hair transplantation. Its elite membership seeks to represent only the best in the discipline – the true leaders in the field of hair transplant surgery.
As we usher into the 2019 year, it’s important to review the implications of the growing popularity of the hair restoration and hair transplant industry. While new pioneering research and medical innovations have improved the way hair restoration is understood and conducted, many non-specialist clinics have opportunistically sought to seize a growing share of the market.

Accepted IAHRS Hair Transplant Surgeon

A host of clinics are offering FUE and FUT procedures as a menu item alongside breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and other peripheral cosmetic operations. As Joe Tillman of Hair Transplant Mentor warns: “These technicians aren’t even employees of the clinics, as many times they are simply outsourced technicians that come in to do the job and then leave when the job is done.”
This effectively means that patients act as guinea pigs for trainees who are operating machines that can barely execute a decent job. Operations of the aforementioned kind often result in gross, botched, or unnatural-looking hairlines.
Many clinics who have no business even approaching the scalp of troubled patients, are emboldened by the promise of easy money and a new source of revenue. Some even prop up an eloquent sales campaign and web presence to sell consumers a trap. Over the years we have sadly received many patients seeking to repair and correct the damage done by bad hair transplant procedures.
beware hair transplant black market
To prevent patient mistreatment and misinformation, Dr. Yazdan seeks to recommit himself to world-class hair specialization and expertise by affiliation with august institutions and prestigious societies like the IAHRS and ISHRS. Commitment to these societies is crucial to promising medical and surgical prowess of the highest purity.
Dr. Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the groMD hair restoration product line, and passionate advocate for patient care. As director of Modena Hair Institute, Dr. Yazdan has pioneered sophisticated hair transplant methods and instrumentation, specifically with regard to Follicular Unit Extraction. His hair restoration efforts have focused on patient care and post-op success.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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How to Know If You’re Balding

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going bald
With the average shedding patterns of both men and women being around 100 follicles lost a day, it’s important for everyone, young and old, to know what to look for regarding hair loss. Knowing whether you are losing a little more than 100 follicles a day or a lot more is often difficult to tell.
First things first, many people will overly frustrate their hopes and fears by exaggerating the thinning or shedding they see in the shower or after a look in the mirror. Some hair shedding and thinning (especially with middle aged persons and seniors) of hair density is normal and not indicative of an onset of balding.
The keyword here is some. Clear and visible hair thinning for someone in their 20s and 30s (not uncommon) should be a warning sign and something to be tackled with great proactivity.
For men, they can begin to notice the changes of hair loss in the texture of their hair. Usually it begins to feel finer and perhaps doesn’t seem to be growing as quickly. Many people assume that a receding hairline at the very front of the scalp is the first thing they should look out for when considering hair loss, but this is not always the case. The whirl on their crown and near the back of their scalp can often be the first places on the head which show signs of balding. Check for bald patches on the crown and the back of the head easily with a pocket mirror. Hold it behind your head, scan the area for signs of texture change, density loss or thinning follicles. Run your fingers or a comb through the crown, lifting and pulling to look for parting and lack of thorough diffusion and volume.
The frontal hairline, however, is also the most common area for men to show signs of recession and balding. Hair loss on the frontal hairline takes the form of the classic M shape where the hairline rises significantly at the temples and dips down in the center. Jude Law is a clear example of the M shaped recession line.
For a more extensive guide to male hair loss, click here.
For women, instead of a receding M shape on the front of the hairline as in men, their thinning hairline will begin to appear in the part line, right down the middle or at the curvature of the head. Minimal thinning can be hidden with styling techniques. As hair loss continues, women will notice a decrease in volume and noticeable widening of the mid-line part. Checking for signs of such parting are much easier for women than men because of the dominance and obvious largeness of the diffused thinning.
For a more extensive guide to female hair loss, click here.
How to Combat a Receding Hairline?
High-quality hair restoration products: groMD’s shampoo/conditioner and follicle activator spray is rich in Argan oil (liquid gold) and Biotin to help kickstart the Anagen (growth) phase of the hair life cycle. It also contains a proprietary blend of DHT blockers which helps to strengthen hair and extend the growing phase.
Rogaine and Finasteride: Topical treatments like Rogaine (also known as Minoxidil) help increase and keep the blood supply to the scalps network of capillaries and prescription-only pills like Finasteride (also known as Propecia) work by blocking enzymes that cause conversion of testosterone to DHT.
Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy: This therapy entails micro injections in the scalp which trigger cell growth and stimulate thinning hair follicles. PRP is loaded with growth factors that promote rapid angiogenesis and localized cell growth. The New York Times reports of one practitioner that the PRP procedure “gets results in 80 percent of patients, more than half of whom are female.”
Hair Transplant: For something more permanent, persons suffering from pattern baldness and great hairline recession can opt for the very successful FUE (follicular unit extraction) procedure which involves extracting follicles (typically from the back or sides of the head) with a micro-punch and then transplanting the uprooted follicles into the recipient site, i.e. wherever hair volume is desired. FUE is the most common hair transplant procedure and is less invasive than FUT or strip procedures, leaving almost no scarring. For an FUE procedure, the hair restoration specialist will consult with the patient to determine an appropriate hairline in order to produce a natural hair pattern and shape.

A Healthier Lifestyle: Stress is one of the most important factors that contribute to hair loss. It is believed that stress can disrupt the normal hair cycle and trigger hairs to enter the telogen or fall-out phase. Thus, when striving for faster hair growth, minimize the stress in your life. Eating a diet rich in protein and vital vitamins and minerals is an essential prerequisite to healthy hair growth. Opt for foods high in vitamins A, B, C, and E, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and selenium. Argan oil, in particular, is extremely important for making your hair grow faster.
Hair loss continues in a fairly predictable pattern, so you can spot and combat it before ending up with partial or almost complete baldness.
For all matters hair contact one of our offices at 888-717-5273 or visit Modenahair.com.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and an advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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Hair Transplants in 2019

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hair transplant 2019
In just the last decade or so, advancements in medical technology and medical management have reached incredible levels. Better prophylactic treatments responding to cancer, diabetes and endometriosis have been accomplished in 2018, for example.
More and more individuals today are also turning to medical aid to maintain their youthful features. Dental implants, vampire facials, botox and hair transplants are growing in effectiveness, safety and popularity. Many of these procedures require little downtime, lack of general anesthesia and offer immense facial aesthetic benefits.
A major study in Reuters explains: “One of the shining examples of [modern medical advancement] is the global market for hair transplant. According to the research report by MRFR (Market Research Future), this market will develop at Godspeed during the forecast period of 2017-2023”.
Barring exceptional cases of the hair transplant black market, the steadily increasing success rate of hair transplants (both FUE and FUT) has contributed to a growing demand for hair restoration services. Clients can effortlessly and confidently obtain sexy beard transplants, thick eyebrow transplants, full hair transplants and more. Embracing medical aids to enhance facial aesthetics is no longer a stigma-bearing activity, rather it is the way of the future. Enhancing facial and body aesthetics is not just an exclusive activity for celebrities anymore, but an integral part of modern self-help.
“According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), there were over 133,000 people who had hair restoration in the U.S. in 2016, and that was a 18% increase over the prior year,” writes the Medical Daily.
Some of the advancements taking place in the art of hair transplantation include:
Methodological Advancement: The ultimate end and aim of hair transplant work is to produce a natural looking hairline. Dr. Yazdan at Modena Hair Institute, for example, has developed and refined an advanced micro-punch device which harvests with minimal scarring and graft wastage. Advanced micro incisions also produce cleaner and faster graft extractions which result in more affordable and effective procedures.
Increased Hair Density: On top of a natural-looking hairline shape and growth pattern due to expert angle and direction determination, modern hair restoration specialists use powerful new tools to accurately understand hair shaft diameter, curl and texture.
Time and Healing: Decreased post-operative pain and a lack of visible scarring has allowed some patients to return to daily activities 1 to 2 days after the procedure.
At Modena Hair Institute our stringent process and careful handling ensures higher graft survival rate and thicker hair density. When grafts are planted between existing hairs, our hair specialists can clearly see the natural angle of hair growth and can perfectly position each graft to match the existing ones. This eliminates the risk of planning grafts too close to existing hair, giving patients a more natural look that lasts.
As the 2018 year comes to a close, we find ourselves very excited for the future of hair transplantation in 2019.
For all matters hair contact one of our offices at 888-717-5273 or visit Modenahair.com.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and an advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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Modena Hair Institute’s Short Guide to Female Hair Loss

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Surprisingly, female hair loss treatments are on the rise in America. The causes behind this trend may be related to the increased stresses of everyday life, increased use of heated appliances when styling, the use of hair extensions and poorly managed diets. Society tells us that we should all aim to have a full head of flowing locks, but unfortunately this isn’t always a given.
Beyond the controllable factors of stress and diet, one of the most common conditions affecting women is Female Pattern Hair Loss, or Androgenetic Alopecia. This hereditary condition causes thinning hair which can be found around the top of the head and crown area, while the density of the hair from the sides and back of the scalp will remain unaffected. As first signs of hair loss women may notice more shedding than usual, and their parting becoming wider. Female hair loss may also cause a receding hairline, where hair thins around the temples.
At Modena Hair Institute we deal with as many ways as possible to counteract every element that causes women’s hair loss.
So what can be done? If you’re suffering from female hair loss then there are a great many options available to you.

  • Hair Growth Products – There are some quality hair restoration products we are able to recommend that will help reduce female hair loss. These include stimulants to encourage hair growth and topical solutions which can be used to thicken your hair.
    • Shampoo & Conditioner: Designed for every hair type, GroMD™ has specially formulated shampoos and conditioners to help maintain one’s hair and scalp in a healthy and vibrant state. Their shampoo and conditioner is equipped with Argan oil, Biotin, Niacinamide and other essential elements to protect and nourish for a healthy scalp. You can also work the GroMD™ follicle activator spray through the ends of your still damp hair. This will have the added effect of keeping hair supple and shiny.
GroMD Shampoo, Conditioner, & Follicle Activator Spray
  • Hair Restoration Therapy
    • PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Therapy: A breakthrough in non-surgical hair restoration, PRP has been known to stimulate cell regrowth, slow hair shedding, and aid during the hair restoration process. Acell enhanced PRP injections from Modena help patients with thinning hair by increasing their hair count, thickness, and growth speed.
    • Laser Therapy: Low level laser therapy, or LLLT, can help to promote hair loss stabilization and regrowth and is particularly beneficial when used as part of a combination treatment course consisting of the primary medications for hair loss. With laser hair therapy, patients enjoy a safe, proven, and effective hair loss treatment known to improve hair volume by more than 50% in the very first year.
  • Hair Replacement Treatments – Surgical hair replacement is the most tried and true solution for filling in areas of thinning hair or baldness. This has been our area of specialization for over a decade and we have helped numerous patients with women’s hair transplants. The two most popular procedures are FUT (follicular unit transplantation) and FUE (follicular unit extraction).
    • FUT is the more classic procedure, which involves removing a strip of skin from the back of the scalp and removing the hair follicles to insert into another area of the scalp. At Modena we usually find this procedure works best.
    • FUE involves removing hair follicles directly from the scalp for transplantation to other areas using a specialized punch less than 1mm in diameter.


Until recently many people believed hair transplants were only available for men, but with the steady increase in female hair loss in America, hair transplants among women have become more common.
When you visit Modena Hair Institute, board-certified physician Dr. Amir Yazdan will recommend the most suitable and effective treatment course components for your particular condition, based on factors including your medical profile, hair loss condition, and stage of shedding.
When following a Modena hair loss treatment course – whether laser therapy or hair transplantation – it’s important to keep in contact with one of our centers, so our specialists can ensure your hair is being treated as safely and successfully as possible.
As you continue on your hair restoration journey, know what to look for and what questions to ask. Your hair, your appearance and your confidence deserve to be in the most capable of surgical hands.
For all matters hair contact one of our offices at 888-717-5273 or visit Modenahair.com.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and an advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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The Importance of Expert Design in a Hair Transplant

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Dr. Amir Yazdan consulting Coutness Vaugn on The Doctors TV Show

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the success of a hair transplant procedure depends essentially on the artistic ability of the operating physician. By artistic ability we mean a careful eye married to a flawless surgical hand. Like a world-renowned painter or sculptor, a world-renowned hair restoration surgeon has a picturesque vision, fine instrumentation, and a masterful guiding hand.
Hair transplantation is an intensely delicate, laborious, and intricate affair, and as with any complex cosmetic procedure, transplantation of hair follicles is as much an exercise in aesthetic sense and design capability as it is in surgical skill.
Why highlight and stress the design aspect of hair transplantation? Because extraction of the hair follicles is only a small part of the job. The truly difficult part of the procedure – the part that distinguishes masters from merely competent practitioners – comes when the physician must assess hairline shape, angling, grouping design, and other key elements to finally design a totally dense and natural looking hairline.
The results from FUE and FUT hair transplantation procedures performed by board-certified physician Dr. Amir Yazdan always mimics the patient’s original hair growth pattern and natural hairline structure.
Dr. Yazdan’s Unique FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) Method:

  • Micro incisions 0.8mm (Most clinics use 1.2mm)
  • Accurate Depth Control
  • Graft Survival Rate up to 99%
  • Gentle Graft Extraction
  • Recipient sites created with natural hair line design by Dr. Yazdan

It’s paramount to keep in mind that hair restoration is a medical ‘art’. Medical art combines medical knowledge, mastery of advanced surgical skills, as well as a keen eye enabling the accurate reproduction of what occurs naturally. Many consumers falsely assume that artistic ability is simply a given resulting from education and practice of established surgical techniques. Art and surgery are separate skills, and this must be taken into consideration when evaluating a doctor for your hair restoration surgery.
As you continue on your hair transplant journey, know what to look for and what questions to ask. Your hair, your appearance and your confidence deserve to be in the most capable of surgical hands.
For all matters hair contact one of our offices at 888-717-5273 or visit Modenahair.com.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and an advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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Read This Before You Have a Hair Transplant

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Read before you get a hair transplant
We have more hair transplant clinics today in 2018 than we have ever had before. Yet, modern hair transplant patients are receiving some of the worst results the industry has ever seen. We don’t need to remind you that quantity does not entail quality. In this article we will explore why, with the great proliferation of hair restoration clinics across the nation and the world, has there been a rise in botched jobs and damaged hairlines.
As hair transplants and hair restoration practices grow in popularity and accessibility there has sprung up a dangerous class of hair transplant practitioners and technicians. For many this comes as a shock, that in 2018, with all of the scientific and technological advancements taking place in medical care, the hair transplant industry can be so infested with shady malpractice.
For one thing, as witnessed with pharmaceutical and other major industries, innovation and advancement of product inevitably means there will be those trying sell knockoffs and cheap substitutes.
This dangerous and greedy class of hair technicians seek to capitalize on a service so many people genuinely desire and need. Using flowery marketing tactics and savvy sales campaigns, these inexperienced and unskilled physicians lure in customers for cheap and faulty operations. Many crooked hair transplant clinics will sucker clients in with seductive-looking technology and highly scientific sounding brochures. An obvious fallacy, as we all know that having the best stereoscopic dissecting microscope or other fancy instrumentation does not confer ability or experience on the operating physician or technician. Yet most people often cannot help wanting to take advantage of a seemingly good deal and are thus caught in the trap.
British celebrity and MTV star, Kyle Christie, notoriously underwent an embarrassing and cosmetically gross hair transplant. A devastated but hopeful Christie now speaks about the importance of finding a proper physician who is ethically and technically pure.

kyle christie hair
Christie’s unappealing, pointy, and pluggy looking hairline

Media personality, Yousef Erakat (stage name Fousey), who began experiencing male pattern baldness in his early 20s sought to recover his healthy hair look with scalp micropigmentation (SMP), but also suffered at the hands of an inexperienced and unethical clinic. After his scalp procedure, Yousef rushed to book another appointment at a different clinic to salvage what had been needlessly lost. In an interview following the incident Yousef’s words are an urgent reminder: “I made an appointment [but] I didn’t do any research, I didn’t check any reviews, I didn’t think about it.”
Fouseytube Hair tattoo
Yousef removes head tattoo immediately after getting it

This abuse of hair restoration promises has crushed the spirit and confidence of so many people that it is causing industry outrage. The emotional toll and psychological repercussions of inexperienced and faulty hair transplant work has caused many men (and women) to spiral into a constant battle of obsessive perfectionism and low self-esteem.
Kyle Christie and Yousef Erakat suffered under bad clinics residing in America and the UK, but many who seek a cheaper alternative overseas are even more likely to experience dissatisfaction. Many individuals have been seduced by low prices and sweet promises by foreign hair transplant clinics as well: Turkey Hair Transplant Gone Wrong.
Perhaps most importantly, however, these surgical abuses and empty promises seriously impact and undermine the brilliant hair transplant work performed by ethical and leading hair care physicians.
The hallmarks of a bad hair transplant procedure are always coarse, scarred, uneven, and fake looking hair. The hallmarks of a good hair transplant, however, are much harder to spot, because the best physicians will give clients the most natural-looking hair possible. A seasoned hair transplant surgeon will consistently produce ultra-refined, dense, and natural looking hairlines. Expert clinics and expert physicians are rare, but they’re worth the research to find.
The best hair transplant doctors will also work tirelessly over many years to perfect their FUE and FUT method. Board certified physician Dr. Amir Yazdan, for example, developed his own propriety FUE extraction method and personalized set of instruments over the course of a decade. With every operation he continually refined and improved his method in order to provide patients with the greatest possible aesthetic outcome.
The Doctors TV show
Dr. Yazdan on ‘The Doctors’ TV show

Dr. Yazdan also oversees the entire hair transplant procedure to guarantee proper graft orientation, prevent hair graft loss, and ensure natural hair grouping design. Dr. Yazdan, like other top doctors in the industry, adamantly promote the ‘doctor only’ model of hair transplantation, and stress the importance of expert oversight from start to finish and even during post op.
True veteran hair transplant doctors will carefully assesses hair density, hair angle variance, hairline shape, hair grouping design, and other key elements in order to determine exact graft selection and placement sites.
Luckily, there are strong ways of separating the experts from the imitators. Highly reputable medical forums and review boards such as realself.com are indispensable.
realself website
Read our breakdown on how to vet hair transplant physicians and what to ask them: Choosing the Right Hair Transplant Surgeon
As you continue on your hair transplant journey, know what to look for and what questions to ask. Your hair, your appearance and your confidence deserve to be in the most capable of surgical hands.
For all matters hair contact one of our offices at 888-717-5273 or visit Modenahair.com.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, and an advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

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Avoiding a Botched Hair Transplant

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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


 

Case Results

Case Study – Botched Strip Transplant Corrected using FUE and Strip Combination

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This patient had a 3,000 graft Strip/FUT hair transplant done previously at another clinic which resulted in an oversized, irregular scar from ear to ear as well as poor results. It also left him with damage to the donor zone and decreased density of hair follicles. While hair transplant surgery is minimally invasive, it takes a highly skilled hair transplant surgeon with advanced equipment and a great team to minimize the probability of a botched surgery like you see in these photos.

The patient wanted to have better results as his hair was still very thin in the hairline all the way back into the crown. Because of the damage done to the patients donor zone in his previous surgery, his density was only about 20 grafts per square centimeter. It was calculated that doing a 2nd strip procedure would only yield roughly 1,000 viable grafts which would not be enough to get the patient dramatic results. It was therefor decided to do a combination of Strip and FUE to maximize the number of grafts we could obtain in 1 surgery.

The large strip scar was excised yielding 1,082 grafts and closed with a better technique improving the overall appearance and leaving him with 1 incisional line vs 2. The FUE method was then used to extract the hair follicles above the Strip scar. A total of 1,043 FUE grafts were extracted resulting in a total of 2,125 grafts. The grafts were then transplanted into the patient hairline, midscalp, and crown as show.

If you’d like to hear more about Strip and FUE combination options and benefits- please feel free to call one of our conveniently located offices in Irvine, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas 1-888-717-5273

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Is it possible to get a hair transplant with someone else’s hair as the donor area?

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This is actually a rather common question we receive on the message boards. Whether an individual lacks quality donor hair or just doesn’t like the color and texture of their hair, some wonder if they can have hair transplanted that is not their own.
While this may sound like a nice solution to a problem, it unfortunately is not possible. If we were to transplant hair into your scalp that is not your own, it would initiate an immune response that would not only reject the hair but also leave the scalp in a very unpleasant, infected state.
If you are interested in hair transplant surgery, but concerned about the quality of your donor hair area, you may have other areas on your body hair can be extracted from other than that most commonly used back of scalp. Body hair transplants are a viable option for many individuals seeking hair transplantation with an insufficient scalp donor area.
If you are interested in hair transplant surgery because you are not fond of your natural hair or texture, you have not found a proper treatment in hair transplantation. Hair transplant surgery is designed for those suffering from hair loss or for those looking to add hair to an area without (such as lowering the hairline). Hair surgery is not a viable option for those wishing to change their hair’s texture. For this, you will likely need to discuss options with an experienced hair stylist. There are many hair treatments such as keratin therapy that can alter the hair’s textures.
If you are interested in hair transplantation for hair loss, and would like to find out more information, such as if your donor health is sufficient enough for transplantation, give us a call today.

Case Results

Case Study – FUE Hairline Hair Transplant

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This patient came to us after doing lots of research on hair transplantation. This 45 year old male patient desired more density in his hairline and crown. After getting a graft quote and cost estimate, the patient decided to get the hairline done now in one procedure and the crown done in one year from now in a second procedure. Dr. Yazdan transplanted 1500 grafts into the hairline through the FUE method of hair transplantation. Below are before and after pictures illustrating the patient’s results.

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When is it time to start considering a hair transplant?

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The best way to prevent hair loss is to catch it as early as possible. With information widely available on the internet, we’re getting more patients coming to us earlier in their loss. This is great news – since there’s more options available to treat hair loss the sooner the symptoms are recognized.
If you’re one of the growing number of individuals who have caught their hair loss early, you may be wondering when the right time to consider a hair transplant is. The timing of hair transplantation depends on a variety of factors such as age, stage of hair loss, family history of hair loss, cause of hair loss, and so on.
Below, we break a few of the most common contributors to determining your candidacy for hair transplantation to help you figure out the best time to start investing in your hair.
Age
It is not uncommon for individuals to begin noticing signs of hair loss in their early 20s. For these patients, we begin with exploring what we call medical maintenance options. Examples include laser treatment, PRP therapy, prescription medications, and over-the-counter hair loss solutions which can help protect the current hair, ward of future loss, and even reverse hair loss if its recent. We go to these routes first because starting a patient on hair transplantation at such an early age can cause them to have to get multiple surgeries through out their life to maintain their desired look, costing them lots of money and jeopardizing the health of their donor area.
Stage of hair loss
If hair loss is in its beginning stages, it may not be time for a hair transplant just yet. Hair transplantation is most effective in those patients who are in more progressive stages of hair loss. Those in early stages have many options for hair restoration outside of hair transplantation.
Cause of hair loss
There are many causes of hair loss. While the most common is age and genetics, side effects of medications or diseases are pretty common as well. If it is suspected that a medication or disease may be causing your hair loss, it is best to explore this cause more. In some cases, simply changing medications or treating a disease can eliminate the hair loss.
So, when is the right time for surgery? To determine the best time for hair transplantation it is best to meet with an experienced hair restoration surgeon who can do a full analysis of your hair loss and explore all of your options with you. If you’d like to find out if you’re a candidate, give us a call today.

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No shave November – tips for keeping your beard professional

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Want to participate in no shave November, but have to keep it professional for work? We understand the struggle. It used to be that beards weren’t professional and weren’t allowed as employees at nicer firms, restaurants, or businesses. But in 2017, a lot has changed, and there’s a lot more freedom now when it comes to personal expression in the workplace.
That’s why we’ve created some tips to help you keep your beard prim and proper, so you can keep your professionalism.
Trimming doesn’t count as shaving. While we’re all for indulging in no shave November, trimming is an exception. Trimming your beard will allow you to keep your beard looking nice and tidy, and in turn more professional. There’s just no way to make scraggly hair look professional.
Keep your lines tidy by trimming edges around the cheek and neckline. Keeping these lines straight will keep your beard looking purposeful.
Treat your beard like you treat your hair. If you’re going to be growing your beard as long as (or longer than) your hair, then you should be treating it with the same care. Shampooing, conditioning, moisturizing, and even styling isn’t just for your scalp hair. If you want your beard to look nice then treat it nice. Cleanliness and moisturizing will keep your beard hair look soft and healthy (rather than old and dingy).
Keep your scalp hair neat. Life is about balance and so is the art of no shave November. Don’t over-do it by growing your head hair out as well as your beard hair. Tidiness in your head hair will help you to maintain a professional appearance.

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Is hair transplantation a cure for hair loss?

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We get this question a lot – is hair transplantation a cure for hair loss or a treatment? The difference between treatments and cures can get a little confusing so let’s break it down.
Treatments
Treatments are medications, therapies, or surgeries that help address the issue at hand. In this case, treatments like Finasteride, minoxidil, laser therapy, and PRP therapy address hair loss in individuals. These treatments may help prevent hair loss, slow its progression, or address an immediate concern (scalp buildup, infection, promotion of healing or growth factors, etc.).
Cures
Cures solves the problem at hand. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for hair loss at this time. There is some promising research, and scientists believe they’re close to curing baldness, but at the present time, the aforementioned treatments will have to suffice for those suffering from hair loss.
So which is hair transplantation – a treatment or a cure?
This is where it gets tricky. Despite what many believe, hair transplants don’t cure hair loss. They may solve the immediate problem at hand (filling in an area of baldness), but the root of the problem is not solved. In other words, your hair loss will progress through your native (non-transplanted) hair as you age despite getting a hair transplant. While you can rest assured the transplanted hair is here to stay (not effected by hair loss progression), if you only rely on hair transplantation to solve your hair loss woes, you’ll be playing a costly game of catch up for the rest of your life.
This is why we recommend a multi-method approach to addressing hair loss. Choosing an effective treatment to work alongside hair transplantation will extend the life of your hair and buy you more time before your next hair transplant.
If you’d like to find out more about hair transplantation and if you’re a candidate for this procedure, give us a call today.

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Should you consider an eyebrow hair transplant?

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Hair transplants aren’t just for your scalp. Many individuals get hair transplants for facial hair help as well. Mustache, beard, and eyebrow hair transplants have increased dramatically over the past ten years, also doubling in occurrence.
Facial hair transplants are very similar to scalp hair transplants. Hair follicles are extracted from a healthy donor area (often times the back of the scalp) and placed in an area lacking hair.
While both men and women get eyebrow hair transplants, the majority of patients are women. This is likely due to beauty trends placing a high amount of emphasis on brows. Women have been seeking ways to give themselves full, shapely brows in a more permanent way than temporary and smear-prone make up.
Eyebrow hair transplants are a great, permanent option for those seeking to have natural, full, shapely brows. While there are other options for eyebrows available, they have their downfalls.
Permanent eyebrow tattoos often look black. Once they heal, they turn a gray-green color and lack the natural feel of eyebrow hairs. Eyebrow tattoos have been becoming decreasingly popular due to the unimpressive results both short and long term.
Microblading involves pigment applied to the skin in ‘hair-like’ strokes. While they look natural and shapely, they are not permanent and will need to be redone yearly.
Eyebrow transplants are not only permanent but are your actual hairs being transplanted. But, eyebrow transplants are not without their downfalls. If done improperly by an unskilled surgeon, you can end up with some pretty whacky brows. Eyebrows must follow a distinct angle in which they grow in, as well as a particular face-fitting shape and density. If the angle, shape, or density is messed up, you could be left with permanent undesirable brows.
Here at Modena, we stress the importance of researching thoroughly prior to picking a surgeon. If you’d like to find out more about this procedure, give us a call today!