According to this study
Fezza JP, Klippenstein KA, Wesley RE. Cilia regrowth of shaven eyebrows. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 1999 Jul-Sep;1(3):223-4.
eyebrow regrowth after complete shaving is possible. Five brave patients had one eyebrow shaven and within 4 months all but one had full regrowth. The fifth patient required an extra couple months for full regrowth. Because of the small sample size, no conclusions can be drawn as to the implications for widespread eyebrow shaving. However, this should debunk the commonly held myth that eyebrows don't grow back.
Showing posts with label hair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Hair transplants in areas of scarring
The question came up today about whether or not hair transplants are feasible in areas of scarring. I found a number of studies addressing surgical repair of cicatricial (scarring) alopecia, in which the hair follicles are destroyed and replaced with scar tissue, so these studies should be relevant for any type of scarring on the scalp.
The older studies discuss surgical techniques including free flaps and tissue expansion. Tissue expansion involves using silicon implants to stretch skin where there is hair growth and create enough skin with naturally occurring hair follicles to use as a flap and replace the scarred scalp. It is difficult to just transplant hair/follicles into the scarred skin because of the decreased blood supply in scar tissue relative to normal scalp. This has a double-edged effect on the graft survival rate. Decreased blood supply means it is harder for the hair follicles to survive and grow, but also, the traumatized skin is more susceptible to infection and necrosis. Using flaps and skin grafts is risky because the procedure involves traumatized blood vessels for both the grafting site and the grafted skin, making it difficult for the new skin to survive.
New techniques use lasers to help with both preparation of the scarred skin and hair implantation, eliminating the need for a skin graft (which is really the riskiest part of the old procedures). A carbon dioxide laser was used to burn tiny holes into the scarred scalp, causing angiogenesis and increased blood supply to the scalp. In this case report, the success of the hair transplantation was attributed to the new vasculature. In another study, an Er:YAG laser was used to form the implantation holes for the hair follicles. Using the laser minimized trauma to the implantation site and was credited with a successful transplantation.
In summary, technology for hair transplants in scarred skin is quickly evolving into less risky and more successful procedures.
Kwon OS, Kim MH, Park SH, Chung JH, Eun HC, Oh JK. Staged hair transplantation in cicatricial alopecia after carbon dioxide laser-assisted scar tissue remodeling. Arch Dermatol. 2007 Apr;143(4):457-60.
Neidel FG, Fuchs M, Krahl D. Laser-assisted autologous hair transplantation with the Er:YAG laser. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999 Dec;1(4):229-31.
The older studies discuss surgical techniques including free flaps and tissue expansion. Tissue expansion involves using silicon implants to stretch skin where there is hair growth and create enough skin with naturally occurring hair follicles to use as a flap and replace the scarred scalp. It is difficult to just transplant hair/follicles into the scarred skin because of the decreased blood supply in scar tissue relative to normal scalp. This has a double-edged effect on the graft survival rate. Decreased blood supply means it is harder for the hair follicles to survive and grow, but also, the traumatized skin is more susceptible to infection and necrosis. Using flaps and skin grafts is risky because the procedure involves traumatized blood vessels for both the grafting site and the grafted skin, making it difficult for the new skin to survive.
New techniques use lasers to help with both preparation of the scarred skin and hair implantation, eliminating the need for a skin graft (which is really the riskiest part of the old procedures). A carbon dioxide laser was used to burn tiny holes into the scarred scalp, causing angiogenesis and increased blood supply to the scalp. In this case report, the success of the hair transplantation was attributed to the new vasculature. In another study, an Er:YAG laser was used to form the implantation holes for the hair follicles. Using the laser minimized trauma to the implantation site and was credited with a successful transplantation.
In summary, technology for hair transplants in scarred skin is quickly evolving into less risky and more successful procedures.
Kwon OS, Kim MH, Park SH, Chung JH, Eun HC, Oh JK. Staged hair transplantation in cicatricial alopecia after carbon dioxide laser-assisted scar tissue remodeling. Arch Dermatol. 2007 Apr;143(4):457-60.
Neidel FG, Fuchs M, Krahl D. Laser-assisted autologous hair transplantation with the Er:YAG laser. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999 Dec;1(4):229-31.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Do you have cancer? (Alopecia Areata)
A lot of kids with alopecia areata get asked that question. Why else would a child be losing his or her hair?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease where your lymphocytes attack your own hair follicles. This results in patchy loss of hair all over the body, including head hair, eyebrows, arms, and legs. It is usually a disease of childhood and presents as round patches of smooth hair loss. For most people, the hair grows back and another patch may appear somewhere else. Eventually, most kids grow out of it. But for some, it progresses to alopecia totalis (complete loss of head hair) or alopecia universalis (complete loss of body hair).
Treatments include topical or intralesional steroids, but these are not cures and do not have great efficacy rates.
Because AA is not known well among the public, this can be a difficult disease for kids and adults alike. There were a number of campers with AA last week, and they had lots of stories about being stared at in public, kids making fun of them, and people asking them if they had cancer. They discussed different hair accessories (like hats and bandanas) to cover up their heads. For this group of campers in particular, I think it is therapeutic to be around other kids like themselves and to talk about they're good days and bad days with AA.
The National AA Foundation has a great website, check it out.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease where your lymphocytes attack your own hair follicles. This results in patchy loss of hair all over the body, including head hair, eyebrows, arms, and legs. It is usually a disease of childhood and presents as round patches of smooth hair loss. For most people, the hair grows back and another patch may appear somewhere else. Eventually, most kids grow out of it. But for some, it progresses to alopecia totalis (complete loss of head hair) or alopecia universalis (complete loss of body hair).
Treatments include topical or intralesional steroids, but these are not cures and do not have great efficacy rates.
Because AA is not known well among the public, this can be a difficult disease for kids and adults alike. There were a number of campers with AA last week, and they had lots of stories about being stared at in public, kids making fun of them, and people asking them if they had cancer. They discussed different hair accessories (like hats and bandanas) to cover up their heads. For this group of campers in particular, I think it is therapeutic to be around other kids like themselves and to talk about they're good days and bad days with AA.
The National AA Foundation has a great website, check it out.
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