HairDX- New Genetically Therapy for Female Hair Loss
Written by Forhair Thursday, 16 October 2008 16:10
IRVINE, Calif., Oct 07, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pharmacogenomics research and development innovator PharmaGenoma, Inc. and its subsidiary HairDX, LLC ( www.hairdx.com), today announced that it has received institutional review board (IRB) approval to begin a clinical trial of a genetically tailored therapy for female baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia).
"Our goal is to revolutionize the field of dermatology by innovating genetically tailored treatments to common skin disorders," said Andy Goren, Chairman and Chief Strategist of PharmaGenoma, Inc and HairDX, LLC.
HairDX will soon begin recruiting post menopausal women as patients for the study. Women who qualify for the study will undergo genetic screening. If they exhibit a particular genetic variation in their Androgen Receptor gene, they will receive a drug that may potentially re-grow their hair. The trial is expected to start in the early Fall.
"To date, no systemic drug treatment is available for Female Androgenetic Alopecia. The HairDX drug trial may usher a new era in the treatment of Female Androgenetic Alopecia," said Antonella Tosti, MD, Professor of Dermatology at the University of Bologna in Italy.
"Dermatologists often prescribe women drugs for the treatment of hair loss; however, only a fraction of women respond to the therapy. If the HairDX clinical trial proves successful, dermatologists will be able to individually tailor treatment for hair loss based on a woman's genetic makeup," said Professor Doron Lancet, Head of the Crown Human Genome Center at the Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science.
Earlier this year, HairDX became the first company to market genetic tests that predict an individual's risk for the male or female versions of Androgenetic Alopecia. The test is available through physicians.
HairDX uses a CLIA certified laboratory (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) to perform the genetic analysis, offering physicians a powerful screening test for Androgenetic Alopecia before any visible signs of hair loss. The HairDX test results can assist a physician in choosing a course of action as to maintain a patient's hair.
More information at HairDX.com
Hair Transplant Photos Korea
Before & After
Donor Recharging
With FUE or CIT, there is often a concern that the donor area may be depleted, or that too many grafts will be removed, leading to a thin or patchy look. Over-harvesting may occur if the patient has very low donor density but still demands hair transplant surgery, or if an inexperienced surgeon does not realize the consequences of aggressive, early hair transplantation. Patients with fairly advanced hair loss will often find themselves in a balancing act between adding enough hair to the balding area, and leaving enough in the donor region to avoid a thin appearance in the back and on the sides.
There are a number of advantages to opting for donor recharging, a technique used to achieve partial donor replacement. Body hair can be extracted and used to fill in gaps in the donor area where scalp hair has already been harvested. This is a great use for body hair because it disguises the appearance of thinning in the back and sides of the head, it adds backs some of the pigment that is lost when scalp hair is harvested, and it may allow for more scalp hair to be taken in the future if the balding process advances. It can also help lessen the appearance of “white dotting” that may remain where scalp hair has been harvested.
This hair transplant procedure is ideal for those with more advanced degrees of hair loss and those who wish to get the maximum amount of scalp hair from their donor area. We are pleased to offer donor recharging: one more potential solution for hair loss sufferers.
Donor Recharging - Examples
This is an example of a Norwood Class 6 patient who had almost 6,000 scalp grafts harvested via CIT. A little more than 50% of the donor extraction sites were then grafted with CIT donor recharging. The result is that the patient is able to wear his hair very short without any evidence that surgery has occurred. This hair style would not be an available option to the patient if he had this amount of grafts harvested with strip method, even with optimal strip scar healing.
Here are close up images of one of the first patients to have CIT donor recharging. The auricular donor areas were treated with CIT donor recharging. He was also a Norwood Class 6 who needed a lot of donor to be able to reach his hair transplant goals. Almost 20% of the existing hair in these auricular areas has been harvested, yet even upon up-close examination, it seems that nothing has ever been done. In this area, body hair grafts were placed in 90% of the scalp hair extraction sites using the CIT donor recharging method.
Plug Redistribution
Outdated and unnatural hair transplant techniques, such as the old “plug” style of large grafts, can cause extreme distress and emotional pain in hair loss patients who may have had their first (and sometimes, last) hair transplant procedure many years ago. These grafts were harvested using large punches, as big around as a pencil, and then placed in the balding areas. Although these grafts may have given the impression of good density initially, as the surrounding hair was eventually lost, the patient was left with an embarrassing and unnatural “corn row” or “doll’s hair” appearance. As techniques improved, smaller grafts became the standard but were still, by no means, natural in appearance. Thus, we still see patients with larger, inappropriately placed 2, 3 and 4-hair grafts on the frontal hairline.
The development of CIT hair transplant, along with the tools the technique utilizes, has made it possible to correct such poorly planned and executed hair transplants. Prior to CIT, the only ways to repair these cases were to cut out a “strip” across the hairline to remove the “pluggy” appearance (which, of course, left a linear scar right across the front of the head, requiring many single hair grafts to even attempt camouflage), or to use a small punch to core out and “dig” out the grafts (a crude method at best).
Now, with CIT, we have the ability to re-harvest each of the large grafts, or the individual follicular units (hair groups) from within larger plugs. This repair procedure may sometimes take more than one or two “passes” but it can truly transform a patient’s appearance and restore their self esteem.
Scar repair Resources
Plug Redistribution Results- Examples
Scar Grafting
As we noted in the section on strip hair transplants, the strip method results in a linear scar on the back and sides of the head. In some cases, this scar may widen significantly, sometimes to disfiguring proportions. This may occur due to an overly tight scalp, too low a placement, or poor surgical technique. In some cases, these scars may be concealed by hair, but for others, the scars can be obvious and cause great embarrassment and emotional distress. For a long time, the only treatment option for this was a scar revision. Scar revision is simply another surgery designed to remove the existing scar, with a scalpel, and close the wound again with sutures or staples. Unfortunately, this method often resulted in a scar just as prominent, and sometimes even larger, than the original one.
Thankfully, there are now other, more consistent, methods for dealing with linear scars. It is now possible to camouflage the scar by transplanting hair, from the scalp, body or both, into the scar. We recommend utilizing scalp hair taken by the CIT hair transplant, rather than body hair, as scalp hair tends to yield better and more consistent results. Sometimes, when there is an inadequate donor supply of scalp hair, body hair will be the only option. It is unnecessary to achieve the same density found in the area around the scar, only to add enough hair to break up the appearance of the straight, shiny scar.
It is important to understand that scar tissue may not grow hair as well as virgin scalp regions. In other words, the growth yield may be lower than with a regular hair transplant. Additionally, it will often take more than one procedure to achieve the level of density needed to fully hide the scar. For some patients, this procedure requires patience and diligence in order to achieve the desired final results.Camoflaging Strip Scars
Scars in the donor area from strip harvests may be problematic for many men. They may be short or run from ear to ear. Sometimes they widen over time, occasionally to more than two centimeters, which is deforming. This is usually due to an overly tight scalp, too low a placement, or poor surgical technique. They also change the direction of hair growth below the scar, relative to above the scar, which may cause a “shadow” of the linear scar to be evident even with the hair grown out somewhat.
IN order to minimize the appearance of scars, several strategies are available. There are cosmetics such as Dermatch, which may help disguise the scar. The hair may also be grown out fairly long to attempt coverage. This, of course, may not be an option for those with an over harvested donor region.
Surgical scar revision may be attempted, often without success. This consists of excising the scar and them suturing up the wound, hoping that the resultant scar will look better than the original one. This can work in some instances; however, if the condition that led to the scarring is not remedied, then even the best revision may fail.
Grafting into the scar is another option. Because yields tend to be lower in scars, this may take more than one surgical procedure over many months to have a significant cosmetic effect. Either body or scalp hair may be used; scalp hair is generally a better choice if it is available.
Scar repair Resources
Scar Repair Results- Examples
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