Tag Archives: modena hair institute

Blog

Hairline Design: How Hair Restoration Specialists Acheive Amazing Results

April 20, 2020 admin Leave a comment

We all agree that first impressions matter. Your hairline, in a very real way, makes your hair’s ‘first impression’ to the world and has a profound effect on your facial appearance. As such, the Modena Hair Institute’s team has extensive experience helping patients to conquer hair loss with the latest cutting-edge surgical treatments. As always, individual factors will play a role in determining the course of your treatment. Age, gender, facial shape, racial and/or ethnic background, and the extent of the hairloss are all factors which Dr. Amir Yazdan at Modena Hair Institute will take into careful consideration when planning your individualized course of treatment. With a little consideration anyone can achieve remarkable, natural-looking results through surgical restoration and recreation of their original hairline.
How Hair Restoration Specialists Acheive Amazing Results
There are many ways in which hair transplant surgeons may design and recreate a patient’s thinning hairline. Consulting past photos of patients before their balding is an invaluable reference point for achieving optimal results. These old photos will be studied to achieve a better idea of what your hairline was like. Consulting reference photos are a great help in producing natural results and in convincingly recreating your appearance.
Proper hair density also must be taken into account. As your hairline is your hair’s ‘first impression’, specialists may focus first on the density of your frontal hairline rather than on the crown of your head to achieve ideal results. The hair grafts must be staggered too, rather than distributed evenly, for natural and aesthetically pleasing results.
Finding your restored hairline’s ideal position is also important and there are many key decisions to be made. A hairline placed too high or too low on the forehead will lead to unappealing results. Individual hairlines are also seldom perfectly straight and our specialists have found that often angling the restored hairline up or down is necessary for achieving the most natural looking results.

In designing the curve and overall shape of your hairline, specialists will also take into account the shape of your face. For example, people with wider faces tend to have better results with a wider arching hairline. Conversely those whose facial features are more narrow often find that ideal results are achieved by designing a narrower curve for the hairline. The most natural looking results occur when the hairline compliments the natural shape of a patient’s face and our specialists are here to help you find the ideal aesthetic proportions of your restored hairline.
The angle of the individual hair grafts can make all the difference when it comes to natural looking results. If the hair grafts are poorly placed, the hair may seem to sprout in all directions. Carefully considering the angle of the hair in a given part of the scalp can help improve the overall results of the restoration procedure and make the hairline look totally natural.
Along with designing the ideal shape of your restored hairline comes the proper placement of the individual grafts. Proper placement of hair grafts is one of the most important factors in achieving natural looking results. Poorly placed hair grafts will seem to grow in all directions. Consequently, at Modena Hair Institute in Southern California and Las Vegas, we take the angle of hair into careful consideration when working on your hairline to ensure that the results look completely natural, healthy and aesthetically pleasing.
Experience Matters
Hair restoration is a science and an art. With the many factors and considerations that come into play, it’s vital that you work with the best hair restoration specialists In pursuing the course of your treatment. Years of experience in the aesthetic process of hair restoration will help our team of specialists to design the best restored hairline for you. Their equally extensive experience in the particular and practical aspects of hair restoration surgery will then easily make that design, and your hair restoration dream, a reality.
Contact an experienced hair restoration specialist today for more information about hair restoration surgery and how it can help you and your hair achieve their best look for your best life. The team here at Modena Hair Institute looks forward to your visit and to discussing these issues with you in a personalized consultation session.

Blog

Monthly Hair Growth Rate of Following Hair Transplantation

April 13, 2020 admin Leave a comment

Hair transplants are one of the most effective options available for those pursuing surgical hair loss treatment. Here is some important information to consider should you embark upon this course of treatment. While many patients are well pleased by the excellent results yielded by hair transplants, it is still good to keep in mind that the treatment’s full results will take several months to become noticeable.
Knowledge is power and knowing what to expect, especially after a surgical procedure, can help remove any worries you may have. Patience pays off, and most doctors and patients agree- the results are well worth the wait. With this in mind, let’s have a look at the monthly growth of hair transplants after surgery.
This information pertains on a general level to the monthly growth cycle of both follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedures.
In the initial weeks you may experience some temporary hair loss of the newly transplanted hair following surgery, but don’t be alarmed! This is very typical, and no cause for concern and the hair follicles will begin a new growth phase in the coming months.
Generally speaking, patients should expect to notice new hair growth about three months after the procedure. Every case is unique, so some individual’s growth may occur sooner than three months following treatment while, for others, initial growth may occur slightly later.
The thinner density and lighter color of the new hair growth as compared to your donor sample is a natural part of the restoration process. This, quite simply, means that the new transplanted follicles are healthy. Color, thickness and quality of the hair will continue to increase in the coming months.
Around the six or seven month mark after surgery, you should notice a clear improvement in follicle strength and quality, as well as steady hair growth in the transplant area.
At around eight months after surgery some patients may even achieve their final results, others may require a few more months. However, all patients should expect a steady improvement in hair quality throughout the coming months.
Final results should be apparent about one year after surgery as transplanted hair should achieve it’s full and final density. This is the moment you have been waiting for! Telogen effluvium and density related issues and any other side effects should all be resolved by this point.
So in summary:
Stage 1: The Initial Phase of Telogen Effluvium – After the first two months upon a successful operation, patients will experience a temporary hair fall, a condition called Telogen Effluvium.
Stage 2: Steady hair growth (2 – 5 months) – Beginnings of new hair growth! These hairs are very soft and look like new baby hair. Patients should not weary as it is a natural process of growth, which will invariably become thick in subsequent months.
Stage 3: Consistent Hair Growth phase (6 – 7 months) – At this phase, there is a noticeable consistent hair growth with a better texture. It is not the final stage; however, patients will still experience an improvement in the growth and texture of their hair.
Stage 4: Phase of Remarkable Density (8 – 9 months) – After 8 months, patients will experience a drastic improvement in the growth and quality of their hair. Some can get the ultimate growth at this phase, even without the assistance of their physician.
Stage 5: Full follicle growth achievement (10 – 12 months)
Dr. Yazdan’s unparalleled skill and experience in hair restoration procedures has helped many of our patients achieve the full head of hair they desire.
We invite you to contact Modena Hair Institute to Learn More.
If you are interested in learning more about your hair restoration options, schedule a consultation at our practice. Dr. Yazdan can design a personalized treatment plan to address your needs and concerns.

Blog

The Importance of Direction and Angling in Hair Transplantation

February 17, 2020 admin Leave a comment

Hair transplant experts pride themselves on creating hairlines which are natural and elegantly undetectable.
Creating such a cosmetically flawless hairline requires mastery of hairline design, something our own Dr. Yazdan has been internationally recognized for. Artistry and care must be used to decide where the grafts are placed. For men, this involves angling the transplanted hair forward and in a pattern that is consistent with the existing hairline.
Dr. Yazdan explains: “The directional growth of transplanted hair is dependent on the direction of the incision and placement of that graft.”
Hairline incisions are made in the exact direction the hair at the frontal hairline naturally grows, which is angled. This will give a natural and undetected appearance. If the incisions are created improperly, it will give a manufactured look.
As such, the surgeon you choose to go with must be a technical expert and follicular artist who is very methodical in the directional placement of each graft. Hair grows at different angles in various areas of the scalp, and it is up to the surgeon to angle the incision appropriately for each area.
For example, when transplanting hair for the crown, recreating a whorl or cowlick will require some of the most technically precise work in hair transplantation. Recreating a cowlick is very careful and exacting work wherein every receptor incision is precisely angled around the spiral axis matching every subtle shift in angulation. See some of Modena’s best examples below:

Anytime there is a whorl such as those that occur in the crown, more scalp shows through because of the natural separation of hairs. Thus, when restoring a cowlick, higher density is required to hide the scalp than if the hairs are all transplanted in the same direction. This all being said, cowlicks, undulations, and widow’s peaks are the ‘elegant’ details of a handsome hairline, and when they are reproduced accurately some of the best-looking hairlines results are achieved.
At Modena Hair Institute in Orange County, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, we believe that the best hairlines are recreated only by observing the highest artistic principles of graft direction and angulation.

Blog

How Much Density Will a Hair Transplant Give Me?

December 16, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Perhaps the most pressing concern for potential hair transplant patients, besides the safety and permanence of their procedure, is the amount of density they can achieve. Most men and women want to return to the density they had when they were in their late teens or early 20s. While this is usually an impossible ideal, an experienced and highly skilled hair transplant surgeon can add a great amount of density to give a strikingly full appearance.
When considering the question of density, the amount a surgeon can transplant is determined by many factors. Including the hair thickness and quality, donor density, age and family history of hair loss. A conservative approach to follicle extraction is always best as one should preserve the donor site for future sessions as one ages.
The color of the hair is also important in contrast to the color of the scalp. The more contrast, the more hair is required to achieve optical density. Dark hair on a Caucasian scalp is going to appear thinner or sparser than lighter color hair such as blonde, gray, or white. The same is true of lighter color hair on an African-American or darker pigmented scalp. The quality of the hair is also important for determining density. Hair that is curly or wavy appears to achieve more optical density since it camouflages the skin to a greater extent than straight hair. In the 1970s men would perm their thinning hair to reduce the visual contrast between hair and scalp.
The texture of the hair is one of the most important factors influencing the number of grafts required for a specified area of the scalp. Hair shafts can either be very fine, fine, medium, medium-coarse, or coarse. The difference is in the width of the hair; the wider or thicker the hair, the more optical surface density will be visualized. As follicular unit grafts heal, as in any skin graft, the skin contracts or shrinks to its center. The result of this contraction leads to small gaps between each graft which can be improved during a second surgery to fill in these spaces.
Techniques for density creation vary from surgeon to surgeon. At Modena Hair Institute, Dr. Yazdan utilizes an extremely fine 0.7mm punch and implantation technique that allows for density optimization and a natural looking hairline. This not only reduces the risk for scarring, but reduces the risk of shock loss in surrounding follicles.
Patient Warning
Find a board-certified hair transplant specialist who is highly experienced in adding the kind of density you desire. It is of the utmost importance to conduct thorough research and find an experienced and technically advanced hair restoration specialist to diagnose and treat your specific hair loss situation. A veteran hair transplant physician or surgeon will be able to accurately assess and evaluate your individual hair loss needs and provide the best surgical outcome for you.

Blog

Hair Transplant Surgery Guide: FUE and FUT

December 16, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Information	FUT	FUE
Type of extraction	A small strip of hair is extracted. No trimming of the donor hair region.	Hair at the donor site is trimmed to approximately 1mm and individual hair follicles are finely and carefully extracted directly from the hair extraction zone with a special instrument.
How long does the extraction last?	Around 30 – 45 minutes.	Several hours.
What level of hair density is possible?	A high level of density is possible because the extracted follicles are of high enough quality to ensure a high growth rate.	A high level of density is possible because the extracted follicles are of high enough quality to ensure a high growth rate.
How does the preparation work?	The groupings of hair follicles are individually extracted from the hair strip and prepared and organized with the use of specially designed microscopes.	Each individual hair follicle removed by Dr. Yazdan’s advanced specialty instrument is examined and prepared under a high-resolution microscope. Depending on the scope of the procedure, this process can take several hours.
When will you be ready to go out into the world again?	After a few days. Since the hair doesn’t need to be shaved down, the treatment is barely noticeable after around 3 days.	After a few days. By that point the trimmed hair on the back of your head will have grown back.
When will you be able to partake in sport again?	Approximately 3 weeks after a treatment.	Approximately 2 weeks after a treatment.
How long does a procedure with approximately 2,000 FUs last?	Approximately 4 – 5 hours	Around 6 – 8 hours, although in larger procedures the time-intensive procedure can take more than one day. Viz. more than one session.
Do you need to shave the back of your head?	No	Yes
What scars will be present in the donor-hair area?	One long and thin scar that is cosmetically sutured and usually not visible over time.	Thousands of extremely fine, round scars that close after a brief period of time. Barely visible, if at all.
How long does it take for the donor-hair area to heal? How?	The suture is removed after a week or so.	It heals on its own after a few days. Small raised red bumps will disappear on their own after 1 – 2 weeks.

Blog

Postpartum Hair Loss: Causes and Solutions

December 14, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Everything seems to be going well with life as a new mother, when slowly you begin to notice increased hair loss. It could be extra strands of hair on your pillow or more loose strands during washing, which could progress to hair falling out in clumps. You may change your shampoo or try various hair tonics, but you start to panic about going bald.
As a new mother it’s important not to fall into distress – the above scenario is very common.
Causes
There are many possible causes of hair loss, generally known to dermatologists and hair restoration specialists as alopecia. In postpartum hair loss, we are dealing with a very specific type of alopecia known as telogen effluvium, and it is one of the most common conditions treated by dermatologists.
For the majority of individuals, 5 to 15 per cent of the hair on one’s scalp is in the telogen phase, meaning that these hairs are in their resting phase. Telogen effluvium is triggered when a physiologic or hormonal change causes a large number of hairs to enter telogen at one time. Shedding does not occur until the new anagen hairs begin to grow, which usually takes two to three months. The emerging hairs help to force the resting hairs out of the follicle, which is why most people notice a sudden increase in hair fall a few months after delivery, or after an acute illness. The good news is that the prognosis is excellent and in almost all cases, recovery occurs within six months. Often, no specific treatment is required.
Unlike some other animals that shed hair, human hair growth is asynchronous, which means that there are hairs in different stages of the growth cycle at any one time. Normal hair grows in cycles and goes through three stages:

Anagen: growing phase
Telogen: resting phase
Catagen: falling phase

Therefore, the effect of normal or physiological hair fall is usually not too obvious because about 80 to 90 per cent of our scalp hairs are in the growing anagen phase at any given moment. Thus, it is normal for a person to lose as many as 50 to 100 strands of hair daily, and these usually show up on a comb, brush or on the bathroom floor, especially after washing your hair.
Solutions
As a first response to excessive hair fall in newly made mothers, supplements are occasionally prescribed and, in some cases, medical topical therapy as well, taking into account whether the mother is breastfeeding or not.
At Modena Hair Institute in Orange County, we generally advise patients to use a doctor-developed conditioning shampoo like groMD, as well as minimize activities that might result in excessive hair loss, such as rough combing and brushing of the hair, or tying it into very tight braids or buns. It’s uncommon for hair loss associated with pregnancy to persist unless there are other medical issues involved such as iron deficiency or thyroid disorders. If symptoms of excessive hair fall continue beyond six months, you should seek medical counsel.
In summary, there are a number of modalities which combat the specific form of telogen effluvium that is postpartum hair loss. Patients may try one modality at a time, beginning with the least involved and add or replace modalities as they see results. Each has positives and negatives and not all will be equally effective. Hair transplantation is the final and most definitive solution, however this should be delayed until you have reached a stable hair pattern. This is due to the fact that the transplanted hair is permanent and if you have not reached a stable pattern you can expect further losses and the need for more grafting to avoid the appearance of a double hairline (grafted hairline followed by losses and the receding natural hairline)
Conclusion
The crucial first step before considering various treatments is establishing the underlying cause. In most cases, as discussed previously, hormonal changes associated with pregnancy are a likely suspect. Given enough time, most of the hormonal effects caused by child birth are transient and will balance themselves out in six to eight months. If no response is noted, a medical workup is recommended. Once these issues have been properly addressed, the mother should consider the above listed modalities and decide where to get on board with the help of a hair restoration specialist.

Blog

How to Conceal Hair Transplant Scars

October 28, 2019 admin Leave a comment

**Top left:** Patient with wide donor scar performed overseas **Top Right:** Closer look at right side of donor scar **Bottom left:** donor scar after SMP at Modena **Bottom right:** Right donor scar after SMP at Modena.

Hair transplantation is a common way hair loss patients introduce coverage around thinning areas of the scalp to recreate a fuller and more youthful looking hairline. Hair transplants come in different forms and are executed using different techniques. Strip excision (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE) are the two most popular and effective hair transplant techniques used today. Although certain procedures can leave scars, some are significantly more noticeable than others.
The strip method is a method of obtaining follicular units from a donor strip taken from an area of the scalp at the back or sides of the head, removing the grafts from the strip using a microscope, and then transplanting the grafts in the thinning areas. This is a method of obtaining grafts from the donor area whereby a strip of skin is removed from the donor area. The donor site incision is finally stitched closed.
A long and possibly wide linear scar is created with this technique (FUT), which can be noticeable for those who prefer shorter hairstyles. Fortunately, if you have a linear scar from a past hair transplant there are a few options you can use to conceal your scar.
Concealing Hair Transplant Scars: FUE Transplant and Scalp Micropigmentation
FUE procedures can help hide scars from previous hair transplants. The FUE technique removes the hair follicle directly from the scalp using sharp instruments such as punches and forceps. These hair follicles are then placed on to or near previous scars to help hide their appearance.
FUE does not produce any additional linear scars. It can also be performed so that growth of hair follicles are preserved in the donor region. This will help to maintain good coverage in the donor area as you wait for your hair to grow back.
Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is another technique that can be used to cover scars. SMP involves medical grade tattooing of the scalp to replicate tiny hairs. Micro-dots approximately the size of a ball point pen and the color of the patients’ scalp are meticulously placed in a pattern similar to previous hair density. This procedure can be used either to fill in between thinning hairs or to add the impression of more hair between transplanted hair.
These are just a few of the techniques that can be helpful to hide scars.

Blog

Is a Hair Transplant the Best Option for My Hair Loss?

October 21, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Is a hair transplant the best thing to do for my hair loss? Am I a good candidate for the procedure? Since hair loss is progressive, leading some to experience widespread baldness, hair transplantation might not be the immediate best option for people experiencing hair loss. Even those who are experiencing a reasonable amount of hair loss and are technically feasible to treat don’t always make for suitable patients. The social and psychological aspects of hair transplant surgery – and indeed hair loss itself – should be taken into account.

In this article we will review some of the factors or conditions that make someone an ideal candidate for hair transplantation.

There are a few key variables that any potential hair transplant patient must assess and consider:

Do I have sufficient donor hair of a reasonable quality?
Do I have a good understanding of all the processes involved (e.g. my surgeon is involved in every aspect of the procedure and does not delegate to technicians)?
Does my surgeon understand the current stage of my hair loss (Norwood Scale)?
What are my reasonable expectations?
Do I have a healthy psychological profile, and are free from obsessive or body dysmorphic issues?

In certain cases, unsuitable patients may slip under the radar, which can be problematic for both them and the surgeon. At Modena Hair Institute in Orange County, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, we would advise any doctor or clinic to spend as much time as possible analyzing and understanding the potential patient before agreeing to carry out any surgical procedures – it’s not a process that should be rushed by either patient or surgeon.

Patients must also need to have frank, honest conversations with their surgeon so they have realistic expectations about their transplant and its results. It’s also the patient’s responsibility to consider all the facts, the procedure itself, and its outcome, so they can make a comprehensive decision about their surgery.

If all these points are addressed and adhered to, the long-term benefits will be greater for all.

Blog

Is My Hair Loss Hereditary?

October 17, 2019 admin Leave a comment

One of the first things a person checks when they notice hair loss is the status of hair loss in their parents or grandparents. When did my father start to bald? What about my grandfather, what was his hairline like? Although examining the hair loss of your ancestry can reveal part of the truth of your own hair loss, it’s only half the story.

A son might begin balding at half the age of his father or he might bald decades later than when his father or grandfather did. If your parents show thinning on the scalp, it does not mean that you will too, but it can be suggestive of your predisposition to future hair loss.

While not the only reason, genetics plays the biggest role in determining whether men will experience hair loss.

Over 95% of men experiencing hair loss will have inherited a sensitivity to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a sex hormone that causes hair follicles to shrink. The androgen receptor gene is behind the receptor on your hair follicles that interacts with the DHT – and if your receptors are particularly sensitive, it can cause hair loss.

Now, this gene is found on the X chromosome – the female chromosome – which is why it’s assumed that it’s passed down through the mother’s side. There are, in fact, around 200 genes that are involved in regulating hair growth, meaning that DNA does play a big part in pattern baldness, but it’s not just down to one specific balding gene.

There’s no definitive age when male pattern baldness (or androgenic alopecia) will start creeping in – even if your father’s hairline started receding at 20, it doesn’t mean that yours will necessarily follow suit – but around a third of men will experience some hair loss in their thirties, creeping up by around ten per cent for each decade. Hair loss can be extremely gradual, but the biggest giveaway of pattern baldness is a receding hairline and thinning temples.

How to Combat Hereditary Hair Loss
While you can’t change your genetic makeup and hereditary history, if you do start to notice hair loss, you can take strong proactive steps to manage and decelerate loss. There’s no permanent answer to pattern baldness, but it can be countered, reversed and managed.
Treatments for pattern baldness consists of either surgical solutions or medical therapies. Surgical solutions for pattern baldness are permanent and typically classed under two types:

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT/Strip)

The FUE and Strip surgeries are minimally invasive outpatient procedures performed under local anesthesia. Hair transplant surgery uses a patient’s own natural DHT-resistant terminal hairs to restore the thinning or balding areas on the scalp. With the FUE procedure, hair follicles are removed one-by-one from the donor site, then transplanted individually to the thinning or balding areas of the temple or crown. If done by a master specialist, this method leaves no visible linear scar.

With the FUT or strip method, a thin strip of scalp is removed from the back of the head containing numerous hair follicles. These follicles are then transplanted one-by-one into the balding area. This method leaves a very thin linear scar at the back of the head which is rendered non-visible once the hair grows back.

Hair transplants can aesthetically transform your hairline and can be a permanent solution to hair loss.
Medical therapies for the treatment and management of pattern baldness may be classified into four types:

Minoxidil (Rogaine)
Finasteride (Propecia)
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) with ACell
GroMD and Nizoral Shampoo

Finasteride is a prescription medication for men that is administered orally. Research has indicated that the majority of men who use the medicine consistently demonstrate a deceleration in hair loss and a re-growth of withering follicles. Minoxidil is an over-the-counter topical medication. Research has indicated that the majority of men who use the medicine consistently demonstrate a deceleration in hair loss and a re-growth of miniaturized follicles.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) with ACell, involves drawing a small amount of blood from the patient’s body and processing it in a centrifuge in order to extract a rich plasma serum. This serum is then injected into various strategic recipient sites on the scalp.

PRP is loaded with growth factors that promote rapid angiogenesis and localized cell growth, which can increase both the size and healthiness of hair follicles that have begun to shrink as a result of androgenetic alopecia.

Lastly, there is the simple and easy-to-use shampoo and conditioner hair restoration systems of GroMD and Nizoral.

These doctor-developed DHT-fighting solutions contain a wealth of natural, potent and effective ingredients which restore and reset the scalp environment back to its natural state. With regard to GroMD, their solution is a fortified and expertly refined DHT-blocking formula that is enriched with growth-factor peptides and proteins, as well as anti-inflammatory mediators and anagen growth stimulators.

These shampoo and conditioner systems feed your hair with essential nutrients, providing it with nourishment at the roots so your hair is ready to grow at its optimal speed and length.

We may not be able to predict what the future holds for our hair, but we can help restore it to its former glory. If you want to survey your options and see what hair restoration solutions can help you, contact Modena Hair Institute for a free consultation today.

Blog

Separating Fact from Fiction: The Real Causes Behind Hair Loss

September 27, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Prime Culprit: Hormones
The premier cause behind hair loss in both men and women is hormonal. Hormonal changes, deficiencies and excesses are the main cause behind pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia. The male-sex hormone behind pattern baldness in men is DHT. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a by-product of testosterone, which can stimulate the receptors in your hair follicles, causing them to shrink, weaken and eventually stop producing hair altogether. At present there is no final cure for male pattern baldness, but hair loss medications like Propecia and Minoxidil can help arrest further hair loss, and hair transplants offer a permanent solution to the problem. Non-surgical and non-medical hair restoration shampoos like groMD and Nizoral are also known to lessen DHT levels in the scalp and strengthen hair overall.
Father Time
Not every person will lose their hair – even if your close relatives have gone bald, there are no guarantees that you will too. However, with age usually does come some degree of hair loss or thinner quality hair. By the age of 60, around two-thirds of men will have some hair loss, and around 70 per cent of women will experience hair loss around the age of 70. Depending on the cause of the hair loss, it may be treatable, so if you have any concerns, get in touch with our Modena Hair Institute team.
Stress
You might not have known or even believed this, but high stress, even in short episodes, can directly cause hair loss in individuals with no previous hair loss experience. Telogen effluvium – trauma or stress-induced hair loss – is a result of your fluctuating hormones sending the hair growth cycle into a state of shock, forcing the hair to go into a resting phase. Many follicles can be affected at the same time, which is why it may seem like you’re losing a significant amount of hair. As with post-natal hair loss, it’s usually only temporary, so focus on maintaining good habits with sleep, exercise and diet to keep your stress levels down in the meantime.
Harsh Weather and Excessive Sun Exposure
A change in weather can bring a change to your hair condition – and hydration is usually the culprit. Hot summer days or harsh winter nights are not always your hair’s best friend, as harsh weather exposure can damage your hair, making it dry and brittle. The UV radiation of the sun can damage the proteins that the hair is made from, so if you know you’ll be spending a lot of time outside, invest in a good hair follicle spray like groMD. Thankfully, if you do get sunburned on your scalp, although you may lose a few hairs if your scalp peels, the chances are it will grow back.

Blog

The Problem with ‘Hims’ and ‘Keeps’ Hair Loss Solutions

September 23, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Whether on social media or on billboards downtown, you’ve likely come across the now famous beige logo of Hims or the nation-wide ad campaigns of Keeps. Both brands boast of easy and effortless hair restoration solutions, ‘prescribed’ by a certified physician online.
Targeting millennials with sweet-sounding wellness rhetoric and youthful philosophy jargon, many hair loss sufferers think they’ve struck follicular gold.
Nothing could be farther from the truth, as all of the products and items aggressively sold to you by these companies have been on the market for decades. Seductively packaged in hair loss ‘kits’ and hair restoration ‘bundles’, the finasteride, minoxidil, biotin supplements and other items traditionally prescribed in-person by hair restoration specialists, are branded as revolutionary new solutions.
What consumers of such advertisements are unaware of is that Hims and Keeps are bypassing perhaps the most important element of a person’s hair loss experience – the conversations one has with their board-certified hair restoration doctor.
Medical solutions like minoxidil and finasteride have important side effects that must be discussed with a doctor who has conducted a formal evaluation and analysis of a patient’s hair loss history, patterns and physiology.
Such hair loss medications have always been prescribed based on a patient’s particular needs and medical history. Board-certified physicians will often combine such medications with other hair loss modalities in order to maximize the effectiveness of treatment. Online prescriptions deprive patients of the essential component of hair loss reversal and restoration.
An expert specialist will build a thorough understanding of your needs and options, and recommend treatments based on specific variables – things which an online service can never capture.

This relationship between a patient and doctor is an invaluable part of the hair loss treatment process, and one that you will not receive through online medical treatments. If you would like more information about the diagnosis and treatment of hair loss, an excellent resource is www.modenahair.com

Blog

Choosing the Right Hair Transplant Clinic

September 13, 2019 admin Leave a comment

The internet is an unparalleled resource for checking surgical reputations and verifying a practice’s skill and success. Medical practices the world over have recognized this shift in patient knowledge capabilities and have sought to give the discerning public unfiltered access to their purported talents, surgical history, and client testimony through their own personal websites and reputable online forums (RealSelf, Bald Truth Talk and others).
FUE and FUT/Strip procedures (the gold standard for hair transplantation) have radically evolved beyond the simple plug and graft techniques prevalent in the 1990s and early 2000s. Yet many clinics, locally and abroad, continue to operate in an outmoded way, putting patients in serious aesthetic and medical jeopardy.
An extensive and detailed scientific study published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology for the National Center for Biotechnology describes the very technical and highly skilled nature of the FUE procedure, and the expert requirements needed to perform the surgery well:
“Lack of due diligence while performing such extractions can lead to subluxation of the grafts into the subdermal layer of scalp. Overtumescence of the scalp donor area, use of blunt punches and trying to ‘core’ out the full thickness grafts can all contribute to this.” (Poswal, et al.)
Although it can be tempting to go for a cheap deal at a general clinic (who often have technicians preforming the surgery), choosing the right clinic comes down to exacting research and scrupulous inquiry.
Asking critically relevant questions of the different hair restoration practices you survey is the first major step towards weeding out superficial offers. The key questions to ask a hair restoration surgeon are:

Do you specialize in hair transplant surgery?
How many years of specialized experience do you have performing FUE and FUT surgeries?
How much actual work is done by you during the hair transplanting process?
Are you certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgeons?

The hair transplant surgeon you are considering should be affiliated to a standard-setting organization such as the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (IAHRS). Take a look at their qualifications and further training – do they regularly attend seminars? If so, they are more likely to be up to date on the latest medical technology. Going to a clinic that makes clear the role of the surgeon in the procedure – complete presence from start to finish – is paramount.
A good surgeon will also have a range of before and after photographs of patients to demonstrate their work. Be wary of lighting differences that some sites use to make the transplants look better than they are, such as overly bright before photos and dimly lit after photos. Another misleading aspect is when the photographs are not of exactly the same pose or position completely distorting the before and after difference. The best clinics will show extreme close-ups of their artistic hairline work for close scrutiny, so you can get a better idea of the kind of results the clinic might be able to achieve.
Any reputable surgeon will insist on a face to face consultation on a prior date to that of the hair transplant surgery or treatment. An engaged specialist will conduct a thorough review of your medical history, an examination of your current hair loss, a discussion on available options, the pros and cons of each procedure, what results you can expect, and a clear idea of the costs involved.
At Modena Hair Institute, Dr. Amir Yazdan meets with every potential patient for as long as is necessary to ensure total understanding and satisfaction with procedural expectations. As a top RealSelf doctor and only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas area, Dr. Yazdan performs and oversees the entire surgery, beginning with pre-op prep and through to post-op care. No assistant or technician is ever allowed to operate on a patient.

Blog

Medical Board Issues Warning to Doctors Delegating Hair Transplant Surgery to Technicians

September 11, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Through the combination of public-wide media coverage (pioneered by Spex and others), state-of-the-art surgical advancements and general cosmetic awareness among men suffering from hereditary hair loss, the hair transplant industry has seen a remarkable rise in inquiring and passionate patients.
Dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons and other doctors have, as a result, sought to add hair transplantation to their menu of cosmetic and surgical offerings. This is deeply problematic for two reasons:

General cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists very often lack the years of specialized experience and practice required to perform Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT/Strip) properly and with care.

Aware that hair transplantation demands years of rigorous and technical mastery, general cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists will bypass such proprieties by delegating hair transplant surgery to technicians using surgical devices.

It is this second reason, growing more common in American states lacking austere medical laws, with which we are here most concerned. A lack of political and legal monitoring and auditing of such clinics has led to numerous cases of patient abuse, mistreatment and out right cosmetic disaster.
More worryingly, the vast majority of patients undergoing this procedure do not realize they are being treated by untrained, illegal and often dangerous practices. Aside from post-surgical infections and botched scalps, patients’ lives are at stake, as hair transplantation is nothing like the simple cut and plug operation many clinics will have you believe. If a patient has heart disease or other special medical condition, for example, there is a very real danger of serious injury or even death.
An expanding network of unlicensed clinics are opening up across America, Europe and the middle east, under the aegis of indiscriminate surgical device brands and avaricious doctors. These clinics are profiting from visitors with little to no knowledge of the background science, art and proprietary measures of premier hair transplantation.

Hair transplant surgery can only be legally performed by licensed and properly trained surgeons and physicians. The California Medical Board has issued a stern and timely statement commanding the following:

“Companies may be marketing surgical devices to physicians indicating that hair restoration surgery is a delegatable procedure.”

“Physicians may not delegate hair restoration surgery to medical assistants, who are unlicensed individuals with a very limited scope of practice.”

“Medical assistants may not perform invasive procedures such as creating holes or slits in a patient’s scalp with a needle, scalpel, or other device.”

“California’s Business and Professions Code section 2052 prohibits the practice of medicine by unlicensed individuals, as well as aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine.”

Modena Hair Institute in Orange County, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas has issued numerous warnings for patients to be critically aware of the great risks posed by ill-trained, unlicensed and non-specialist cosmetic clinics.
At Modena’s state-of-the-art facility, Dr. Amir Yazdan limits himself to performing only one hair transplant per day, for the explicit purpose of total operation oversight and meticulous aesthetic success. No assistant or technician is ever allowed to operate on a patient. Dr. Yazdan performs and oversees the entire surgery, beginning with pre-op prep and through to post-op care. Patient safety and patient care are the pillars of our trade, and every precaution is taken to ensure that a person’s scalp is protected and perfectly enhanced.
Following a decade of follicular research and technical refinement, Dr. Yazdan has come to be recognized as an innovator in the field of hair restoration. He is also the only surgeon in the Orange County and Las Vegas area to be inducted into The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS). Known as the hair restoration gold standard (FUE), Dr. Yazdan only conducts manual extractions using the smallest possible punch, for purposes of maximum accuracy, aesthetic precision and natural-looking design.

Blog

Correcting Bad Hair Transplants

August 28, 2019 admin Leave a comment

hair transplant repair orange county — Botched Strip Hair Transplant NOT Conducted at Modena

Contemporary hair loss sufferers are quite spoiled for choices in today’s hair transplant marketplace, as surgical advances in FUE and FUT have resulted in much more refined and natural-looking outcomes. With the exception of black-market clinics, the potential hair transplant patient today faces a renaissance of robust procedural options.

But this was not always the case. Prior to the refined and exacting technical FUE advancements of the 21^st century, the ‘plug’ method of hair transplantation was ubiquitously employed in hair restoration clinics across the world.

Hair plugs were widely used until they were replaced by newer transplant techniques in the late 1990s. The plug technique involves small, circular pieces of tissue – each containing 20 or more hairs – being removed from the back of the scalp using a clunky punch tool. Slightly smaller circular sections would then be cut out of the balding areas of the scalp, before the hair plugs were transplanted into the holes.

There were several flaws with this technique. For a start, when the plugs of hair were removed from the back of the head, the patient would often be left with tell-tale circular scars. Worse still, the hair plugs would grow in an unnatural pattern, often clustered together in bunches, not unlike dolls’ hair.

In every case regarding an experienced and skilled hair transplant, the end result ought closely to align with what was discussed during the initial consultation between the doctor and patient. It is also during this time that the doctor will be able to outline any potential issues that could arise due to circumstances unique to the patient. A relative lack of available donor tissue, for example, could make it difficult to deliver the appropriate degree of coverage in the recipient site.

Modena Hair Institute’s Corrective Treatments
The best way to address and repair any problem with a previous hair transplant is to seek out the assistance of an experienced and reputable hair transplant surgeon who possesses a substantial track record of successfully performing hair transplant repairs.
This includes problems associated with a lack of adequate coverage or problems associated with a failed hair transplant in which far too many grafts failed to take root in the patient’s recipient site.

Patients with inadequate coverage but sufficient donor tissue available can easily address their hair transplant issue with additional sessions of FUE or FUT. Needless to say, patients requiring multiple sessions of hair restoration should have been informed of the need for more than one transplant right from the outset during the initial consultation process, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Finally, patients who are dissatisfied with the result of their hair transplant due to the failure of the grafts to take root can also undergo additional sessions to achieve the coverage they initially sought, provided, of course, that there is sufficient donor tissue still available for use in future sessions.

Blog

Warning Against Medical Tourism and Black-Market Clinics

August 26, 2019 admin Leave a comment

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

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

Blog, Featured Articles

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

August 5, 2019 admin Leave a comment

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

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

Blog, Featured Articles

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

August 4, 2019 admin Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog

Is Hair Transplant Surgery Safe and Effective?

July 23, 2019 admin Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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