Braids, cornrows, and weaves may cause peripheral hair loss.

Traction alopecia is the slow but steady loss of hair resulting from scalp trauma, inflicted by constant forceful pulling on the hair. Typically caused by specific hairstyles, traction alopecia is most common among African American women. It begins at the periphery of the scalp, including the anterior and posterior hairlines and behind the ears, and gradually recedes back until hair loss is noticeable.

Hairstyles That Cause Traction Alopecia

With constant or frequent wear, the hairstyles that most commonly result in this hair loss condition are:

• Braids
• Cornrows
• Weaves
• Extensions
• Ponytails

The abrasive hair pulling caused by these hairstyles exacts trauma to the scalp, leading to a diffuse scarring that results in permanent hair loss. Many women who notice traction alopecia starting feel trapped in a cycle, needing to continue with the braids, weaves, and extensions to conceal the hair loss that has begun. Ironically, this is the worst response, as it only worsens the condition. If traction alopecia is caught early, hair may have a chance to grow back.

FUE Hair Transplant Reversing Traction Alopecia

If you frequently wear abrasive hairstyles, the best way to reverse traction alopecia is to keep an eye on your hair health. If the hair seems to be thinning along the edges, immediately discontinue braiding, weaving, etc.

For people who decide to seek a solution too late, the only treatment is surgical hair restoration. Follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant is the leading method of hair transplantation in the hands of an experienced surgeon. Unlike other popular methods, FUE hair transplant harvests donor hair one follicular unit at a time, which minimizes scarring and maximizes hairline design. This is ideal for African American patients—the most common sufferers of traction alopecia—because of their tendency to have adverse scarring outcomes (namely keloiding) in response to wound healing.

Advanced FUE hair transplant, performed by a knowledgeable and skilled surgeon, additionally means there will be no linear scar a result. Linear scarring occurs with the popular strip harvesting method, wherein donor hair is harvested by excising a strip of flesh from the mid-rear scalp. This has become a commonly recognized pitfall of strip surgery. FUE avoids this pitfall while also proffering:

• Quick healing and recovery
• Natural-looking results
• Even coverage/density
• Discreet donor harvest (especially for female patients)

FUE is defined as a hair transplant technique in which a small round punch is used to extract follicular units (meaning groupings of 1, 2, 3, and 4 hairs) from a patient’s bald resistant areas. These grafts are then transplanted into a patient’s balding areas. In the state of California for example, the punch cutting of each hair graft by the FUE technique is considered surgery and must only be performed by a licensed doctor. The success of the procedure lies in respecting the integrity of each and every graft from the point of extraction to the point of implantation.  Any rough handling of the grafts or air drying of the graft would compromise the integrity of the graft and the success of the procedure.

Neograft is a device currently being marketed as an FUE tool. The premise on which such machines work is based on speeding up the delicate process of FUE. The principle is based on a 3 step process:

1. A electromechanically rotated punch cuts around the follicle to separate it from surrounding attachments
2. Next, a suction mechanism sucks out the separated graft to a receptacle were it is stored.
3. Next, using a pneumatic (air) system the graft is pushed into premade slits in the balding area.

In the opinion of Dr Sanusi Umar who is a pioneer and world renowned leader in the field of FUE hair transplantation; these principles upon which the neograft and similar machines are based upon could constitute a problem to the integrity of the graft hence the success of the procedure. He states that points of concern for him include:

1. The use of air suction to transport the grafts from the cutting end to the receptacle poses a potential threat to the survival of the graft. He states that the most common cause of graft death is air drying. For that reason, the use of a method that literally air dries the graft even for a few seconds is potentially deleterious to the graft “we are suppose to baby in the FUE method”.
2. The air suction method would potentially strip the graft of some of the tissue surrounding it. This tissue serves as a protective buffer from inclement elements like air, dryness and trauma. Removing this buffer is potentially deleterious to the survival of the graft
3. As the graft is forced by suction forces through a tube that leads to the receptacle, it will be exposed to further trauma
4. Any process that is based on air used in pushing grafts into the balding area again introduces the potential for deleterious drying forces and may harm the survival of the FUE process

The net result is a graft that has been through the ringer. It has been subjected to deleterious drying forces, stripped of some of its protective tissue coating and banged and knocked about tube walls. Time would tell if the survival of grafts that are extracted using devices like the neograft would compare favorably to FUE grafts that were treated more delicately.

Dr Umar’s views regarding the neograft have been voiced by Dr William Rassman and Dr Robert Bernstein who were the first to coin the term Follicular Unit Extraction – FUE.

Dr Umar advices that all patients seeking FUE must ask the clinic or Dr to provide ample pictorial and / or video evidence of patient results that they have done using the FUE device in their arsenal. Very that  you are not shown at HT results performed by the strip method that is being passed off as FUE.

Dr Umar, mentions that the claim made by the proponents of neograft in that it is good for performing body hair transplantation aka BHT needs to be proven. Dr Umar who is perhaps the world’s leader of body hair transplantation with a very impressive portfolio of BHT based results states that the grafts derived from the beard and other body locations are more delicate when compared to head derived grafts, and would be less resistant to the destructive forces of air drying to which that grafts produced by neografts and similar devices could be subject. Dr Umar again advices patients to ask for proof of BHT results before committing to surgery by any clinic or individual. If they claim to be capable of performing BHT, ask them to show you results on patients they have performed BHT on using the neograft machine. In the case of BHT; ask to see these patients. Examine the beard and body areas from which the grafts were extracted.

Finally Dr Umar states that there are reports of the vendors of some of these touted FUE machines  supplying novice clinics with a retinue of non physician trainers that in some instances end up performing the FUE procedure in the clinic on an as- needed basis. However, in many states of the United States, that would be illegal. Unlike the traditional strip method of transplantation, each FUE graft must be punched out individually, one at a time directly from the scalp of a living breathing patient. This is considered surgery. Hence the removal of even a single FUE graft by person (s) not licensed to perform surgery in the state or country of jurisdiction would be illegal and must be reported to the controlling medical board for the offense of the practice of medicine by unlicensed persons. The clinics and / or doctors condoning such a practice would be liable to sanctions by their governing medical boards which in some instances might include license suspension or revocation. It is thus in the interest of the public that such practice are not condoned. Potential patients must ask the clinic or doctor before booking for the surgery for a written assurance that all surgical aspects of the procedure would be performed by a person who is licensed to perform surgery in the location of the clinic. Ask the doctor at consultation who would be performing your surgery.  Obtain the names of the persons performing your surgery for future reference.  This concern for the marketing hype heralding the neograft and its potential for its use in performing poor quality transplants by novice clinics and doctors or worse non-doctors is supported by the observations of Dr William Rassman.

Dr Umar opines that neograft as an FUE tool has lot of room for improvement and at this time is not the FUE answer. A device that avoids the use of air and avoids the banging of the grafts against narrow tubes and stripping it of its protective coating would be a step in the right direction and right now, neograft is not it. “The best way to perform FUE is to train with some of us that have been performing the procedure for years with a track record of consistent results.” It is a skill dependent procedure that has a mandatory doctor input that cannot be abdicated wholesale to vacuum device or non physicians.

Sanusi Umar, MD is a board certified dermatologist and the owner of the DermHair Clinic in Redondo Beach California. He is a faculty at the Harbor UCLA dermatology Division in Los Angeles.

You’ve probably heard about a relatively new hair restoration method called Follicular Unit Extraction – FUE for short. It’s an innovative approach in hair transplant technology that surgically restores hair without leaving the linear kind of scarring common with the “strip harvesting” approach. Instead of taking strips of scalp from one part of the head for insertion into another, the FUE approach relocates the units one group of hairs at a time. It’s a delicate, demanding procedure, but the results are worth it.

Recently, the Neograft device, a vacuum-based machine, has exploded on the scene due to heavy marketing. Consumers should make informed choices based on diligent research, rather than TV shows endorsements. Some HT experts have cautioned about potential problem areas with neograft or devices using suction as part of their technology in FUE. There are reports that some of these machines are being marketed to novice clinics and doctors with no formal training in either basic hair transplantation, let alone FUE techniques.

Dr. Umar is troubled by the reports he’s received of failed FUE procedures done by persons in no way qualified to perform them who are using the Neograft machine. Instead of physicians conducting the FUE, Neograft technicians are sent to clinics to perform the actual procedure while the doctor looks on. A patient shows up for surgery expecting his doctor’s hands-on expertise ends up getting operated upon by someone who may not be licensed to perform surgery in the region the clinic is located.

Remember, FUE is a surgical procedure. Every single graft extraction involves cutting the skin. Because it is surgery, it is critical that a FUE hair transplant be done by an experienced, licensed medical doctor. Because it is surgery, it is illegal in many states in America for an unlicensed person to perform FUE transplant. This author opines that when a mass-production device like the Neograft is used by unlicensed personnel to perform a delicate procedure demanding a high level of skill, the potential for disaster is exponential.

Yet, thanks to an aggressive media and marketing campaign, the Neograft machine is hailed as the best solution to FUE procedures, despite the alarm raised by experts such as Dr. Umar. Other pioneers in the field of FUE, such as Dr. William R. Rassman and Dr. Robert M. Bernstein, share Dr. Umar’s concerns about the increasing use of this machine by unqualified, unlicensed persons as well as the flaws inherent to the device even in the hands of experienced FUE doctors.

The precision required for a FUE procedure leaves little room for novice errors. Although specialized technicians do play an important role in hair transplant procedures, their function is non-surgical. Remember, FUE is a surgical procedure; it involves penetration of the tissues of the body in order to directly insert the grafts into your head. Throughout the United States, as here in California, a license from the state medical board is required before a person is allowed to legally severe or penetrate the tissues of a human being in the course of treating diseases, injuries, deformities, and other physical and mental conditions.

In other words, FUE procedures must be restricted to those licensed to practice medicine. Clinics and doctors who support FUE procedures conducted by unlicensed persons could be liable to sanctions by their governing medical boards. This is not something often pointed out in the aggressive marketing campaigns.

It can be very difficult for a consumer to cut through the noise of an advertising campaign to find the truth. But there are steps you can take to help ensure that you have a safe procedure with the best possible end result.

• Learn a little bit about the FUE procedure and what it involves. By reading this post, you have already taken a necessary step to becoming informed!
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the person who will perform your surgery. When you go in for your consultation, ask about – and write down — the names, qualifications and license information of everyone to be involved in your surgery. Find out exactly what each person’s role will be. You are the patient. You have a right to ask.
• Ask the doctor if the device uses vacuum/air suction. A yes answer to this question is a problem in this author’s opinion.

For medical professionals, the answer is also simple. Physicians looking to incorporate FUE into their practice should take time to learn from their colleagues who have the experience and proven track record in the procedure. There is no substitute for this.

Male pattern baldness is a genetic condition that can be worsened by other preventable factors, such as:

• Drug abuse
• Sleep deprivation
• Infection
• Stress
• Malnutrition
• Bad blood circulation

These added irritants are easy to avoid with a healthy diet and lifestyle, ample sleep, and the right vitamin and mineral supplements.

The Basics Of Hair Transplantation

Many men have resolved their pattern baldness—and restored their confidence—through hair transplantation. But all hair transplantation methods were not created equal. Some are better than others. Here is a quick rundown of the two most popular hair transplantation techniques:

Strip Surgery Hair Transplantation

Also known as follicular unit strip surgery, or FUSS, this technique has become known as the “traditional” method of hair transplantation. Using this hair transplantation technique, a surgeon will excise a strip of flesh from the donor area of the scalp, being the mid-back of the head. That wound is closed and stitched, and the flesh taken for donor hair is then divided up into follicular units—natural groups consisting of one to four hairs. The follicular units are subsequently implanted into the balding area of the scalp. This hair transplantation method is known for leaving an obvious and embarrassing linear “strip scar” in the donor area and for resulting in a harsh hairline.

FUE Hair Transplantation

Follicular unit extraction, or FUE, is now the gold standard of hair transplantation. This technique requires a more advanced practitioner with a higher skill set, as FUE hair transplantation is a more labor intensive and precise. With this technique, the surgeon makes miniscule incisions around the carefully selected follicular units—one by one. Each unit is extracted for transplant to the balding area. FUE hair transplantation leaves no linear scar, only tiny individual scars that are hardly visible once healed. FUE hair transplantation is also a less invasive surgery, which minimizes recovery time. An additional advantage to this technique is that it opens up the possibilities to body hair transplantation in the hands of expert and advanced FUE practitioners like Dr. Umar, infinitely widening the pool of donor hair for severely bald men.

If you would like additional information about Dr. Umar and his procedures for hair loss, please contact the DermHair Clinic in Los Angeles. A hair restoration consultation can easily be arranged online via for free. For an in-office appointment, please call the office at (310)318-1500 to check about appointment availability. In-office schedules for the most part are a bit more limited, so any information you can provide over the phone is great.

Novice FUE hair transplant practitioners might need to perform an FUE test to ensure that they can extract your grafts intact consistently. Most experienced FUE practitioners would not require a test to make a determination. Dr. Umar uses proprietary tools to perform FUE credibly and consistently in the vast majority of patients. According to Dr. Umar, a proportion of patients of African descent may not be great candidates for FUE. In this group he recommends a test procedure before proceeding full throttle. He maintains however that he has performed the FUE procedure successfully in several patients of African descent, even in instances where other clinics have failed.

So when is a pretest needed before FUE?

1. In patients of African descent with tightly curly hair and/or tough skin-hair attachment.
2. Novice FUE practitioner/clinic.
3. Certain disease conditions such as lupus erythematosus. A test here is to determine the viability of a hair transplant. Any kind of hair transplant.

The following is a video highlighting the performance of an FUE procedure and results in an African American patient by Dr. Umar, following a successful test FUE. The patient had a failed FUE procedure at a novice clinic prior to seeing Dr. Umar:

One of the major benefits of an FUE hair transplant is that the scarred area heals faster than it does with the “strip harvesting” method.

Once an FUE procedure has been performed it is unlikely that the hair in the donor area will begin to thin. Also, there is no strip scarring as a result of this type of hair transplant.

On average, the patient’s donor zone will stay healthy for many years. FUE is a safe hair transplant procedure that minimizes downtime post-surgery. Additionally, since FUE hair transplantation is minimally invasive, many patients are able to resume daily activities as normal, within only days of surgery. Hair loss victims no longer need worry about the unsightly strip scar that comes with the traditional strip harvesting method of hair transplantation. FUE yields a much more cosmetically appealing result, free of obvious scarring.

Why postpone returning your hair to the state it belongs? Look and feel younger than ever today by undergoing an FUE hair transplant procedure, and you will be glad you did! If you are interested in learning more about hair transplantation and fighting hair loss, schedule a free consultation with world-renown dermatologist, Dr. Umar.

Using Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), a minimally invasive procedure that does away with outdated approaches to hair transplant by providing a true solution instead of an illusion of restored hair. No scalpels, strip mining or stitches are used in this approach, which leaves the patient free of scars and on the path back to self-esteem.

Through FUE, donor hair is moved in natural follicle groupings one at a time from the donor areas anywhere on the head, face or body to the restoration area, leaving a natural look with full coverage and no scarring. Transplanted hairs begin to take root and grow continuously over your lifetime. It also gives you maximum flexibility to express your personal style; hair restored with FUE can be comfortably worn short or long.

This approach is a great advance over the traditional strip surgery, which usually requires cutting strips of flesh from the back and side of the head, resulting in a linear scar that can widen overtime, and forcing you to continually find ways to hide it. The older method also limits the donor supply to 5,000-7,000 hair follicles, a huge waste.

Typically, there are no signs of surgery within a week of the Follicular Unit Extraction procedure.

Dr. Umar is a pioneer in FUE, which was first documented in medical reports by Rassman and Bernstein in 2005. If you are someone who is suffering from continuous hair loss due to a previous hair transplant, or have scarring from a failed transplant effort, you may be someone who is caught in the vicious cycle of traditional strip surgery hair transplants. It’s time to look into other options.

Have more questions about reliable hair transplant options? Contact Dr. Umar for a free online consultation today.

Dr. Umar used 1,000 grafts from the nape of the patient’s neck and head to create a more natural look through Follicular Unit Extraction. In the video below you can see the results about one year later.

Have more questions about reliable hair transplant options? Contact Dr. Umar for a free online consultation today.

Generally speaking, Asian people have thicker hair follicles but less hairs per centimeter of scalp. This means the hair has the illusion of greater density, but in fact there’s not as much there to work with as it seems. The lower hair density requires great care when doing the transplant, and larger donor region must be used to obtain the hairs needed for the procedure. Another important factor to be aware of is that Asian people have a higher chance of developing keloids as a response to skin injury, which is why your history of keloids should be explored as part of the evaluation process.

See photos of one patient’s success, and watch a video featuring another lovely result.

Dr. Umar – board certified and with years of hands-on experience – has restored the hairlines of every ethnic group, and understands the individual needs required. Hair restoration is for everyone, as his track record proves.

Have more questions about the role of ethnicity in hair loss? Contact Dr. Umar for a free online consultation today.