Hair Restoration Blog

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Kirk Has Hair : Bay Area Hair Transplant With Drs. Lieberman & Parikh

13 June,2019 Lieberman & Parikh

How about that result?!

That’s balding me, Kirk Peffer from 94.5 Bay FM, on the left, and me, six months after my FUE hair transplant with Drs. Lieberman & Parikh on the right.  It’s been an incredible transformation, and the best part is that I have a totally new head full of my own hair.

Seriously, how good is my result?
Drs. L&P are hair wizards and hands down the best hair transplant docs in the Bay Area.

If you want more hair, don’t wait to get a FUE hair transplant. Call Lieberman & Parikh Center For Hair Restoration at 650-327-3232 or send them a quick email  for your hair consultation.

Tell them Kirk from 94.5 sent you and they’ll waive your consult fee. Trust me, you won’t regret meeting Drs. Lieberman & Parikh and finding out how you can have more hair.

Lieberman & Parikh
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Am I A Good Candidate For A Hair Transplant?

20 September,2017 Lieberman & Parikh

Chances are, if you’re visiting our website dedicated entirely to hair loss and hair restoration, you’ve probably experienced some of the devastating effects that hair loss can have on a person – a loss of confidence, being treated unfairly because of the way you look or simply not feeling like yourself.

If this is the case, it is absolutely appropriate to schedule a consultation with a hair loss specialist like Drs. Lieberman & Parikh, to see if you are a good candidate for a hair transplant. And, if not, what other procedures and hair-growth options could be available to you.

Have You Considered Nonsurgical Options?

At Lieberman & Parikh Center for Hair Restoration, we make sure our patients are aware of all nonsurgical options available. Topical products, supplements, and other therapies can provide robust results for some patients. Because of the efficacy of the nonsurgical hair growth products, we usually recommend them to our patients who go forward with a hair transplant.

Must Be Voting Age But Not Already Bald

Age and the stage of hair loss are the next most important factors physicians consider when assessing potential hair transplant patients. Before a person reaches 18 years old, it is very hard to know if their hair pattern has fully developed or if they have immature hair loss that will eventually grow in. A hair transplant could cause awkward hair patterns as their growth matures.

On the flip side, if a person’s hair loss has progressed so far that they are bald or almost bald, the patient probably does not have enough donor hair to harvest for an effective hair transplant. This is the case with Dr. Lieberman who lost all of his hair before the latest hair restoration techniques, including NeoGraft, were invented. When a man has progressed to Class 6 on the Norwood Scale or a woman to Class 3 on the Ludwig scale, it is probably too late for a hair transplant.

Men and women over the age of 30, who have experienced thinning hair or pattern baldness for about five years, tend to be the best hair transplant patients. By this age, if they are not already bald, the loss pattern has been established and a specialist can harvest enough grafts to provide a long-lasting and natural-looking transplant.

Is Your Hair Healthy Enough for A Hair Transplant?

Since a hair transplant involves harvesting hair from existing hair follicles, it is important to look at the health and density of a patient’s existing hair. The best person for a hair transplant procedure has a lot of thick hair in the occipital area with patches of thinning on the crown or hairline.

When the hair loss is consistent across the entire scalp, as is the case with patients who have Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA), the patient won’t have enough hair density in the donor area to warrant a transplant. A hair transplant procedure could be potentially dangerous and will definitely be a waste of time and money.

Similarly, if a person has very fine, straight hair, the appearance of baldness will be more difficult to conceal. Thick hair, especially thick, curly hair, provides better blockage and doesn’t require as many grafts to conceal thinning areas.

Are Your Expectations Realistic?

Finally, having a realistic expectation about how much density you can expect from one hair transplant is key. Every person has a finite amount of donor hair and only so many of these follicles can be safely harvested for transplantation. In addition, the hair loss pattern in the recipient area will also dictate how much coverage the donor follicles can provide.

Hopefully, your hair loss specialist will use a simulation tool to show you exactly how he or she will use your existing hair follicles to mask areas of the scalp. But remember these are just tools and while highly-advanced, they cannot be fully relied upon to show an accurate portrayal of the expected result.

Your best bet is to find out if you are a good candidate for a hair restoration procedure, is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified hair specialist.

At our practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, we offer consultations to men and women interested in learning more about hair loss options.

Disclaimer: The content within this site is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or specific medical advice. The products and claims made about specific products and treatments through this article have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Please consult with a NeoGraft Certified Physician or other healthcare professionals regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis.

Lieberman & Parikh
Featured

How To Stop Hair Thinning Non-Surgically

11 September,2017 Lieberman & Parikh
Drs. Lieberman & Parikh -stop hair thinning non surgically
Drs. Lieberman and Parikh NeoGraft’s September Spotlight

We see a lot of men and women in our practice who want to know all of the options for how to stop hair thinning non-surgically. While there are many nonsurgical hair replacement options on the market, only a few of them are FDA-approved and effective.

In our practice, we’ve found the best nonsurgical treatment for hair thinning is a combination of multiple nonsurgical treatments, carefully customize for each patient. Check out our article on nonsurgical options for hair thinning on the NeoGraft website. And if you have any questions about finding a multi-pronged approach to your hair thinning, we’d be happy to give your personalized advise.

Schedule your hair thinning consultation with Drs. Lieberman and Parikh by calling our practice at (650) 327-3232 or send us an email.

Lieberman & Parikh
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Hereditary Hair Loss & The 7 Most Other Common Causes

22 May,2017 Lieberman & Parikh

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Male and female pattern baldness, also known as hereditary hair loss and androgenic alopecia (AGA) is often assumed to be the only cause of hair loss. AGA causes visible signs of loss, thinning areas, and bald patches and affects some people at a very young age.

Such was the case with Dr. Lieberman who began losing hair during his first year of college at Stanford University. Hereditary hair loss impacts about 70% of all men in the United States, as well as tens of thousands of women.

FUE Doctors

As two of the leading providers of NeoGraft Hair Restoration, Drs. Lieberman & Parikh were asked to contribute an article to the website, FUE Doctors. They explain hereditary, male / female pattern hair loss, as well as the seven additional reasons why you may be losing your hair.

Read the full article here.

Lieberman & Parikh
Featured

Hair Loss After Chemotherapy – Meet Andrew, Real Patient / Real Story

27 April,2017 Lieberman & Parikh
Real Patient after NeoGraft Hair Transplant by Drs. Lieberman & Parikh

Hair loss after chemotherapy is normal and usually in two to three months after the last treatment, a patient’s hair regrows exactly the way it was. Occasionally, the new hair will temporarily be different in color and or texture. People who had straight, dark hair before chemo might have wavy, grey hair afterwards.

After chemotherapy, our patient Andrew’s curly hair returned but it didn’t come back nearly as full. His hairline receded dramatically and he lost a lot of fullness at the crown. While permanent, hair loss after chemotherapy is rare, hair follicles can get burned after many years of the strong treatment and sometimes some hair follicles never return to the active phase of growth.

Hair loss after chemotherapy and having thinner hair rocked Andrew’s confidence in a way that he never would have expected, but fortunately he found a solution.

Here is his story.

Lieberman & Parikh
Featured

March Madness – NeoGraft Special!

8 March,2017 Lieberman & Parikh

March Madness – NeoGraft Special!

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Lieberman & Parikh has a serious case of March Madness with really good deal on hair transplants! Book your NEOGRAFT hair transplant during March and we’ll offer you $5.25 / graft instead of the standard price, $8 / graft. You must book a minimum 1000 grafts and schedule the procedure before May 1, 2017.

Call (650) 327-3232 to reserve your appointment.
Lieberman & Parikh
Featured

What You Need To Know – Planning a NeoGraft Hair Transplant

14 December,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

Lieberman & Parikh Center for Hair Restoration - crown of headWhile the NeoGraft system is  a semi automated hair transplant system, it is not a machine that just anyone can use. A lot of thought should go into planning a hair transplant and choosing a board-certified surgeon with a keen aesthetic sense will make the difference between an awkward or very natural end result.

 As you can see in the photo above, Drs. Lieberman & Parikh added a few grafts to the crown of this gentleman’s head as it is the most aggressive place of hair loss. However, the majority of grafts were implanted in the patient’s hairline, temples, frontal and mid-scalp regions. Why? The frontal areas frame the face and establishes a healthy hairline. No one speaks to the back of your head.

Lieberman & Parikh - Areas of frontal scalpFor this particular patient, about 2200 grafts were harvested from the back of his scalp and focused mostly in the frontal scalp, frontal mid scalp, temples and hairline. A few grafts were transplanted around the crown to make it slightly less bare. A hair transplant has it’s highest impact when it is transplanted along the front and sides of the hairline and along the temples.  In a few months, this patient will see considerable hair growth in these areas which will make him look a whole lot younger.

Lieberman & Parikh - hairlineConsidering the hairline may be one of the most artistically challenging and rewarding parts of a hair transplant. Everyone has an irregular hairline and the tell-tale sign of a poor transplant (and improper planning) is a straight line around the forehead. The hairline is like a coastline – it’s always jagged near the shore but as you go deeper into the ocean, or further back on your head, everything becomes more uniform. Drs. Lieberman & Parikh take many factors into account and go to great lengths to design a hairline that naturally frames a person’s face in an irregularly, regular and natural-looking pattern.

js-hair-1With proper planning and execution, nobody should be able to tell that you had a hair transplant. You may not end up with a full head of hair like you did at age 12, but like this patient, the hair growth can be considerable and your appearance transformed.

If you think you might be a good candidate for a NeoGraft hair transplant, call to schedule a free consultation with Drs. Lieberman & Parikh – (650) 327-3232

Lieberman & Parikh
Featured

Eight Common Causes of Hair Loss

6 December,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

2weeksafterneograftjourneyMale-pattern baldness may be the most talked about and dreaded cause of hair loss, but there are many other reasons why you may be losing your hair (we won’t even get into toddlers and teenagers). Bay Area hair experts Dr. David Lieberman and Dr. Sachin Parikh regularly see patients who suffer from hair loss due to a variety of other causes which is why we emphasize the importance of first figuring out the root of the problem, and only then talking about possible solutions.

Of course, the most complained about cause of hair loss is male pattern baldness, also known as hereditary hair loss and androgenic alopecia. It frequently causes visible signs of loss and impacts about 70 percent of all men in the United States, as well as tens of thousands of women. Here is more information on that condition, as well as seven more to watch for if you’re wondering what is causing your hair loss.

  • androgenic alopecia: This cause is typically identified by its predictable pattern of progression. In men, loss appears as a receding hairline and a bare patch on the back of the head. Women typically experience increasing overall thinning. A hair transplant that gathers healthy grafts from loss-resistant areas of the scalp and fills in areas where too much skin is showing is a common and effective method for combatting this problem.
  • natural, daily loss: Often overlooked as a cause of hair loss, the natural life cycle of a hair ultimately involves each hair falling out at some point to make way for new growth. While the rate of replacement is nowhere near fast enough to account for thinning, it can cause stray strands to appear on pillows, in combs and hairbrushes, in shower drains, and elsewhere. If this is found to be the case, no treatment is recommended or needed.
  • hormonal imbalances: Major fluctuations in body chemistry can trigger hair loss, and many of them have to do with significant life events, such as getting pregnant, giving birth, or entering menopause. While those are all women-focused hormone shifts, men go through a transition known as andropause. Fortunately, a shift may be due to something as simple as diet. Unfortunately, testosterone, estrogen, and other chemicals may be off-kilter due to any of a variety of medical conditions, including thyroid problems.
  • medical conditions: Autoimmune diseases like lupus can account for hair loss, making a medical diagnosis particularly important in many cases. Most hair-loss-causing health conditions, such as diabetes, also have other symptoms, so a doctor should consider the patient as a whole when determining the cause of loss.
  • infections: Ringworm—a fungal infection that doesn’t actually involve worms—can cause hair to fall out if it develops on the scalp, and it’s not the only skin condition that can lead to bald patches. In the case of infections, no hair transplant is needed. A good antibiotic will do the trick.
  • injuries: Anything that damages the skin can temporarily or permanently damage a follicle’s ability to produce hair. Burns, cuts, and scrapes can remove hair and prevent its replacement from growing, and resulting scar tissue can also be an impediment to new growth.
  • medications: Chemotherapy is the most obvious example of this problem, possibly sitting as the second-most discussed (and feared) reason for hair to fall out. As with many other points on this list, no hair transplant or similar procedures are required to restore a full head of hair. Natural growth typically resumes after the treatments resolve, whether they’re regular doses of chemicals to fight cancer or herbal remedies intended to help with pain.
  • traction alopecia: Men who have hair long enough to put into a ponytail or wear a similarly pulled-back style may lose hair to the act of gathering the hair together and tugging it tight into a band.

If you have questions about your hair loss, Drs. Lieberman and Parikh would happy to discuss them with you. Set up an appointment by calling (650) 327-3232 or emailing.

Lieberman & Parikh
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What Happens After The Hair Transplant?

9 November,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

day-of-5-days-afterIt’s true that a NeoGraft Hair Transplant with Drs. Lieberman & Parikh will solve your hair loss woes and restore your confidence in the long-term. But, what happens immediately after the hair transplant when insecure feelings about thinning hair only intensify when people realize you had a cosmetic procedure to cover it up? Or maybe you just don’t want to answer questions about such a personal issue.

The first thing to know is that most people return to their normal activities in about three days – photo above shows a patient immediately after surgery and five days post-op.

If you would feel comfortable with a few additional concealing tactics in your back pocket, here are some to consider:

LOOSE FITTING HATS

For the first 24-hours after transplant, you will wear bandages around your head to keep the donor area clean so the follicles start to heal. The second day, the bandages won’t be necessary and you can wear a loose-fitting hat or cap. Toupee, anyone? 

STRATEGIC HAIRCUT

female-6m-hair-up-1Hiding the donor area with a strategic haircut is another way to go. If you already have short hair, consider shaving the back one week prior to the procedure but fade the hair upwards so it’s still longish on the top. After the procedure, the harvested area and redness will be concealed with the short hair regrowing in the back and the longer hair in the front can be combed forward to hide recently implanted grafts.  

If your hair is long, you will most likely be able to hide both the shaved area and the transplant area with other layers of hair and / or styling.

POST-OP SELF CARE

The day after FUE, some redness and scabbing will occur and many patients report that this is the harder part to conceal.

As the site begins to heal, scabs will form around the implanted grafts. The scabs will itch and become hard and crusted over if not washed off frequently. Keeping the scalp moist after surgery will prevent this from happening. Once scabs have formed, day1neograftjourney-500x225they are much harder to get rid of because scrubbing them will also dislodge the grafts. If scabs do form, you’ll have to wait 10 days for the grafts to become permanent before removing the scabs.

If you’ve had a hair transplant, how was your post-op experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

To schedule your hair transplant consult with Drs. Lieberman & Parikh, please call our office at (650) 327-3232 or drop us a note here.

Lieberman & Parikh
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How Long Will My Hair Transplant Last?

3 October,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

img_0096 This is a really good question for anyone considering a hair transplant.

While a NeoGraft hair transplant with Drs. Lieberman & Parikh will offer you the most effective and natural results currently available, it is impossible to stop the body’s hair loss process. However, knowing the facts about alopecia and the limits of a transplant will help you and your provider set reasonable expectations when deciding on a treatment plan.

  • What stage of the Norwood Scale most accurately reflects your hair loss?

ira-ryan-20150731111515583-20160803130722133If you have a receding hairline or balding around the crown, (Norwood Scale 2 – 4), then in the short term, a hair transplant can be very effective for restoring a full head of hair. However, when or  if the balding process continues, you may begin to lose additional hair in the areas not treated by FUE, resulting in awkward patches of missing hair. At some point you may want to consider an additional procedure to fill in those gaps.

Always discuss your particular balding pattern and the number of procedures potentially needed during your initial hair consultation.

  • What are your goals and expectations for a hair transplant?

Drs. Lieberman & Parikh know that achieving a healthy, natural-result is very important to their patients, but if you begin at a 4 or 5 on the Norwood Scale, your hair loss might be too significant to achieve optimal fullness with one transplant. It’s important to know the limits of a hair transplant and set reasonable expectations.

Continued use of over the counter treatments can help thinning hair grow in both women and men.

  • How much donor hair do you have?

Considering the amount of donor hair you have and how many grafts will be harvested to achieve your goals is key when considering FUE. Everyone has a finite amount of donor hair that can be taken from from the back of the scalp. Depending on how thick your donor hair is will affect how many grafts can be harvested and transplanted into the thinning areas.

So, how long does a hair transplant last? There is no one answer, as each person has unique goals, expectations and biological factors that affect the duration and success of a hair transplant.

If you’d like to discuss your particular hair loss situation with the hair transplant experts, Drs. Lieberman and Parikh, please contact our office at (650) 327-3232 or email info@fortheface.com

Lieberman & Parikh
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In Silicon Valley, Hair Transplants Give Tech Execs an Edge Over Competition

7 September,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

 

Lieberman & Parikh Facial Plastic Surgery and Center for Hair Restoration has seen a dramatic rise in tech employees wanting a hair transplant to boost confidence. 

Dr. David Lieberman and Dr. Sachin Parikh–PALO ALTO, CA — Sept. 7, 2016 – Drs. David Lieberman & Sachin Parikh, Bay Area leaders of NeoGraft™ hair transplant and facial rejuvenation, have seen a recent increase in the number of tech workers coming to their practice for a boost of self-confidence through a hair transplant.

“There’s a lot of pressure to be the best of the best here is Silicon Valley, more than anywhere else,” said a recent hair restoration patient and CEO of a large tech startup who did not feel comfortable giving his name. “There are sixteen year olds starting-up billion dollar companies in Palo Alto so everyone is looking for that slight edge to get them noticed.”

A hair transplant with the NeoGraft™ Automated Hair Transplantation system allows Drs. Lieberman and Parikh to harvest a patient’s own hair from the back of their head and transplant individual follicles into areas of thinning hair. The results from this procedure, known as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), are very natural because the patients’ own hair follicles are used, and unlike the previous hair transplant method, Follicular Unit  Transplant (FUT), no incisions or stitches are necessary.  

Natural-results with a quick recovery is what appealed to this patient who wanted to look his best, and have the most confidence before entering a season with multiple investor meetings.

“When you go into these investor meetings with big companies you analyze everything to help you make the sell. You want the highest degree of self confidence possible, so I wanted to take care of what I didn’t like, which were the thinning spots of hair,” he said.

The patient during the harvesting phase of a NeoGraft Hair Transplant
Real patient during follicular unit extraction, (FUE). Results may vary.

At first, the patient admits that he was skeptical of the FUE hair transplant because he didn’t know if the technology would really work, but after Drs. Lieberman and Parikh showed him the before and after photos of patients they had previously treated, the patient was convinced to give it a try.

Drs. Parikh and Lieberman say that this patient is not alone. Since launching a content-rich  website dedicated to NeoGraft hair transplant – forthehair.com – three months ago, the practice has since seen a dramatic increase in the number of young tech workers coming to their practice for hair transplant consultations.

“What we find is that in the Silicon Valley workplace there is pretty significant pressure to maintain a youthful appearance,” Dr. Lieberman said. “For many men, and some women, hair loss can be a primary contributor to a more aged appearance. Performing a successful hair restoration procedure with minimal scarring is a very exciting way to reframe a face in a natural, youthful and vibrant way.”

It is too early to see any results of the patients recent hair transplant, but his first investor meeting was five days after his hair transplant and by that time there were no visible signs that he had anything done. Drs. Lieberman and Parikh expect to see more tech workers, like him, looking to have a fuller head of hair to boost confidence as the tech industry continues to boom.

To schedule a complimentary consultation for a hair transplant with Drs. Lieberman or Parikh, please call our office: (650) 327-3223

 

Lieberman & Parikh
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Its Not Just Men Who Get Hair Transplants

29 August,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

portrait-1571542_1280When it comes to hair transplants in the San Francisco Bay Area, we see mostly men at our practice, but we know that our patient list does not reflect the full scope of people in the Bay Area and beyond who could benefit from a hair transplant.

About three quarters of the surgical hair transplants reported by American Society of Plastic Surgeons members in 2015 were performed on men. That means, of course, than one quarter of the hair transplant surgeries were performed on women. With about 15,600 total hair transplant procedures reported, the data reveal that more than 4,000 women in the country experienced hair loss that prompted them to seek out a surgical solution.

While those numbers are significant, they do not represent the larger demographic figures related to hair loss. The American Hair Loss Association reports that 40 percent of sufferers are women. Put that together with the ASPS’s stats, and it’s apparent that far more women experience hair loss than seek effective treatment for it.

By digging a little deeper, more specific statistics come to light. Many major media outlets, including the New York Times, have reported that about 30 million women in the United States deal with hereditary hair loss.

IMG_0101-2Just more than .01 percent of women in the United States who struggle with hair loss sought surgical treatment—at least from ASPS surgeons—in 2015.

Note that those numbers don’t include hair loss attributable to other causes, such as hormone fluctuations, stress, or physical damage from pulling hair back into a ponytail. For those conditions, a change in environment, balanced internal chemistry, or even a simple shift behavior may be enough to prompt hair to regrow. Hair loss can also be an indication of an underlying medical problem, so it is especially important to get a diagnosis before deciding on a specific course of action.

For hereditary loss, patients have choices. Solutions include topical therapies applied directly to the scalp and newer, innovative treatments.

From a surgical standpoint, one of the most common and reliable solutions is a hair transplant.

There have been many hair transplant-related-developments over the years, but the most recent is NeoGraft®, which draws on long-used methods and improves them by eliminating some of the drawbacks historically associated with surgical hair transplant procedures.

NeoGraft® works by collecting thousands of hair grafts from around the head, automating and improving the speed and precision of a process that can also be done by hand. The more modern method reduces the invasiveness of the overall hair transplant procedure, which translates into less scarring on the scalp and a reduced recovery time afterward.

The NeoGraft® system is also unique in that gathers follicles from a variety of places on the head, whereas earlier hair transplant collection methods involved cutting an entire linear strip out of one particular section of the scalp, ultimately leaving a scar in the form of a line. This tactic leaves only a very small mark in the form of a dot wherever a follicle is extracted. These dots are scattered and camouflaged under a patient’s existing hair.

Drs. Lieberman & Parikh both have an artistic eye coupled with the medical knowledge and experience to offer men and women natural-looking results that are indistinguishable from a pre-loss head of hair.

For your consultation, please call our office at (650) 327-3232

Lieberman & Parikh
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Alopecia – Hair Loss 101

27 June,2016 Lieberman & Parikh

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With the launch of this new site ForTheHair.com, a content-rich resource for anyone experiencing hair loss, we’ll start with the basics on alopecia, or hair loss – who experiences it, why, and most importantly, what you can do about it.

  • What causes hair loss?

Hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors –  genetic, hormonal, environmental – or a combination of all three. But, the most common cause of form of hair loss is Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) which happens when one’s body becomes sensitive to androgens, the family of hormones that includes testosterone. Androgens regulate hair growth, among other things.

  • Wait, I thought my hair loss was my mother’s father’s fault…

It is true that a key gene for baldness is on the X chromosome, which you inherit from your mother, but that is not the only genetic factor in play. Now that we know more about genetics, it has become clear that the gene leading to hair loss can be inherited from either parent.

  • Do women get androgenetic alopecia ?

Yes. Many falsely believe that AGA is the same thing as Male Pattern Baldness, but androgenetic alopecia also affects women. Since females generally have lower levels of testosterone / androgens, they often experience a milder version of this kind of hair loss. By the age of 50, approximately 50% of men and 20 – 53% of women are affected by some type of hair loss.

  • How does hair loss happen?

Each strand of hair sits in a follicle, a tiny hole in the skin. Over time, due to many factors (see above) the follicles shrink, and shorter and finer hairs grow out of them. Eventually the follicles become so small that no new hair growth occurs. But the follicles remain alive, which is why FUE works and is so effective. 

  • When does hair loss happen?

For men, hair loss can occur as early as the onset of puberty and as late as retirement. One of the first signs that AGA is happening is when thick hairs turn into light, thin hairs (vellus hairs). Women generally experience AGA at the onset of menopause.

  • Is androgenetic alopecia a medical condition and who treats it?

If your hair loss occurs in an atypical pattern, happens very fast, begins after you start a new medicine, it may not be related to androgenetic alopecia and you should get in touch with your primary healthcare provider.

But if your hair loss sounds like what we’re talking about and follows this pattern, it can have serious psychological and social effects on a  your life. Most people are unhappy and distressed when they start to lose their hair and would do anything to change it. If you believe you have this kind of hair loss, you should set up a consultation with one of our dual board-certified surgeons, Dr. Lieberman or Dr. Parikh to discuss your personal situation. 

  • What can you do about it?

There are several over-the-counter medications that can stimulate hair growth, but they only work as long as you continue to take or apply the medication.

A more permanent and effective way to treat hair loss is through a NeoGraft hair transplant.

Please explore our brand new site, let us know what you think and should you have any further questions, please get in touch with us here.

Lieberman & Parikh

The Lifecycle of a Hair Follicle

14 May,2021 Lieberman & Parikh

Hairs appear in drains and on shoulders, on combs and in brushes, on bathroom counters and shower floors. They’re stray hairs, and the sight of them can prompt people to worry that they’re losing their hair for good, sending them to contort themselves in the mirror to spot the telltale skin of a beginning bald patch and start researching hair restoration treatments. San Francisco Bay Area surgeons Dr. David Lieberman and Dr. Sachin Parikh specialize in hair restoration—but they also work to educate men and women about how hair works. In many cases, it’s just time for a hair to fall out.

Did you know it’s not uncommon to lose 50 hairs a day? Not only that but some people shed 100 hairs (or even more) every 24 hours.

Hair turnover is natural and represents the end of a hairs’ life cycle. Our job as hair restoration surgeons is to educate our patients about how hair works as well as look for the root cause of each patients hair loss.

Every person has approximately 5 million hair follicles on their body with about 100,000 of them on their head. All 5 million follicles go through its own four-stage life cycle before it falls. This is why all of your hair doesn’t usually fall out at the exact same time.

Exogen phase is the beginning of the cycle which is marked by both an ending and a beginning. An old hair falls out, pushed from the follicle by a new hair beginning to grow. The new hair signaled by the shedding of the old then enters the longest phase of its lifetime.

The anagen phase is next which is when active growth begins. At any given time, about 85 percent of the hairs will be in the angen phase.  As the hair grows over the course of years. The typical length of this phase is two to six or even eight years, during which a single hair can grow roughly six inches a year.

As a growing hair approaches the end of its life, it enters the catagen phase, a transition period that lasts one or two weeks. During this time, the hair’s follicle shrinks in size as it readies itself to eject the old hair, which separates from its source of blood and moves upward.

Finally comes the telogen phase, when the follicle rests for a few months as the disconnected hair sits in place. As the follicle regains energy to begin new hair growth, it ultimately pushes the hair out. Exogen is achieved once again, and the cycle continues.

This exogen-prompted shedding is responsible for many of the stray hairs found around the house.

People should note that a mass resting phase can be triggered by a sudden shock or stress, whether viral, physical, or even emotional. Everything from an expected event (such as childbirth) to an unexpected event (such as an accident) to an internal problem (such as an infection or diet change) can be a contributing factor. Known as telogen effluvium, this event can impact up to 70 percent of all of a person’s hair, leading to a mass fall-out—sometimes weeks or even months after the catalyst itself.

Typically, this development is not a permanent one, as follicles will return to a more normal cycle and begin producing new hairs over six to eight months.

While knowledge of a hair’s life cycle can help to ease worries about hair loss, some people still find comfort in seeking the help of a professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating hair loss. A range of other factors—from illnesses to hormone imbalances—can also cause hair loss, so it’s important to visit a doctor if there is any cause for concern that the shedding could be due to something serious.

To learn more about hair loss and the options, if necessary, for hair restoration, San Francisco Bay Area facial plastic surgeons Dr. David Lieberman and Dr. Sachin Parikh can help. Contact the Lieberman & Parikh Center for Hair Restoration by calling (650) 327-3232 or sending us a quick email.

Lieberman & Parikh

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