High-tech hair growth
Non-drug options are flourishing.
Technology to the rescue. Those words may offer hope to countless individuals diagnosed with alopecia. With a rise in emerging technologies for the management of the condition, Saturday’s session, U040 – Medical and Technological Advancements for the Management of Complex Alopecias, served as the backdrop for a robust discussion of what’s new and what’s to come.
More than medication
Session director Ronda S. Farah, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, explored the role that certain diverse technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), platelet rich plasma (PRP), photobiomodulation (low-level light therapy), hydradermabrasion, hair transplantation, and research in regenerative medicine, play in growing hair and outpacing drug therapy.
“Hair technologies are flourishing. Scalp health is of great interest to consumers and physicians. Dermatologists are taking this to the next level by studying the microbiome,” Dr. Farah said. “Also, we are so excited to be working with the industry to launch new hair lasers. In the past, we have worked with photobiomodulation and found in our data that the combs work well in men and women.”
Transplant solutions
During the session, Marc R. Avram, MD, FAAD, clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, discussed the benefits of hair transplantation. According to Dr. Avram, hair transplantation produces consistently natural-appearing hair for women and men. He credits that to FUT and FUE — two state-of-the-art techniques used to harvest hair from the donor region in the posterior scalp of women and men. During the harvesting consult, the dermatologist will determine which procedure is best. However, both create a natural look, and require a team of skilled surgical assistants.
Additionally, Dr. Avram said long-term medical therapy is important to achieve maximum density from the procedure.
“While a transplant will add density and more hair, it will not stop underlying thinning,” he said. “The majority of our hair transplant patients are on long-term medical therapy such as oral finasteride or minoxidil, PRP, or topical minoxidil and finasteride.”
According to Dr. Avram, hair transplantation can be performed to restore eyebrows as well as repair lost hair from scarring alopecia.
A dream come true
Although most of the session focused on technology, Dr. Farah discussed the integration of oral minoxidil as part of a treatment plan, as it can be beneficial.
“In the last few years our experience with minoxidil has soared. We are excited to share our dosing and starting criteria,” she said. “Hair loss medicine and technologies are rapidly evolving. Hair loss is no longer a visit with few tools. It’s a visit that the dermatologist will find fulfilling for everyone. We have so much to offer our patients.”
