I had an opportunity to chat with Dr. Wesley on October 1 and here are some of the highlights of the interview:
- best case scenario, piloscopy begins to roll out in 2 years. It will be a controlled release, meaning that Dr. Wesley will start training a couple of trusted doctors, get their feedback on the instrumentation and technique, make adjustments if required, then continue to add doctors to the training sessions until such a time that he feels that most of the current hurdles have been overcome.
- I can assume that these hurdles are primarily with the instrumentation. He is creating new instruments that will improve upon the technique. The engineering involved is complicated, there are many variables at play in doing piloscopy and each iteration of engineering the instruments overcome each variable.
- there is no guarantee of donor regeneration with this technique but given that existing studies show that when transecting a follicle, some growth from the donor site does occur, there is a reasonable assumption that, with this technique, there will be some regeneration. They quality of that regeneration was not discussed but again, given the existing studies, we can presume that the donor hairs will be thinner and finer than the original ones.
- piloscopy is likely a game-changer in the HT field just like FUE was. Some doctors have already attempted taking grafts from underneath the scalp using endoscopic techniques but the method was too time consuming and too awkward. With new instrumentation, the technique should be viable for extracting large numbers of grafts in a single session. However, it will take time since it requires new instrumentation to pull it off. Both a significant amount of time and money has been expended towards creating these new instruments.
10-05-2015 12:47 PM
joachim
OMG, this is crazy. another 2 years for the roll out as best case? so it's safe to say we can add another 6 to 12 months for "unexpected" delays, and here we are. 3 years from now. and dozens of further iterations go improve the instrumentation. i understand that endoscopic instruments, especially new ones, are hard to develop. but after years of development now adding another 2 to 3 years? pfff...
pilofocus is definitely a write-off, sorry.
10-05-2015 02:06 PM
john2399
Quote:
Originally Posted by kirklandism
I had an opportunity to chat with Dr. Wesley on October 1 and here are some of the highlights of the interview:
- best case scenario, piloscopy begins to roll out in 2 years. It will be a controlled release, meaning that Dr. Wesley will start training a couple of trusted doctors, get their feedback on the instrumentation and technique, make adjustments if required, then continue to add doctors to the training sessions until such a time that he feels that most of the current hurdles have been overcome.
- I can assume that these hurdles are primarily with the instrumentation. He is creating new instruments that will improve upon the technique. The engineering involved is complicated, there are many variables at play in doing piloscopy and each iteration of engineering the instruments overcome each variable.
- there is no guarantee of donor regeneration with this technique but given that existing studies show that when transecting a follicle, some growth from the donor site does occur, there is a reasonable assumption that, with this technique, there will be some regeneration. They quality of that regeneration was not discussed but again, given the existing studies, we can presume that the donor hairs will be thinner and finer than the original ones.
- piloscopy is likely a game-changer in the HT field just like FUE was. Some doctors have already attempted taking grafts from underneath the scalp using endoscopic techniques but the method was too time consuming and too awkward. With new instrumentation, the technique should be viable for extracting large numbers of grafts in a single session. However, it will take time since it requires new instrumentation to pull it off. Both a significant amount of time and money has been expended towards creating these new instruments.
Does this mean 2 years for other doctors? Will he be doing the procedure in his practice beforehand?
10-05-2015 03:53 PM
Renee
How do we know this statement by a new forum member is accurate? Dr wesley knows he has to act quick if he wants to make money cause lauster, jahoda/Higgins/christiano, tsuji, shisheido etc are racing towards finding a cure to baldness.
10-05-2015 04:08 PM
kirklandism
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee
How do we know this statement by a new forum member is accurate? Dr wesley knows he has to act quick if he wants to make money cause lauster, jahoda/Higgins/christiano, tsuji, shisheido etc are racing towards finding a cure to baldness.
I'll assume you're referring to me.
10-05-2015 04:16 PM
allTheGoodNamesAreTaken
Two years is fine. It won't be cheap. I imagine most will need some time to save up money to get it done anyway.
10-05-2015 04:27 PM
garethbale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee
How do we know this statement by a new forum member is accurate? Dr wesley knows he has to act quick if he wants to make money cause lauster, jahoda/Higgins/christiano, tsuji, shisheido etc are racing towards finding a cure to baldness.
Dr Wesley has plenty of time on his hands.
Those others you mention will be years before their methods get to market, if at all.
10-05-2015 07:20 PM
barfacan
maybe by 2020.
10-06-2015 02:53 AM
Swooping
Quote:
Originally Posted by garethbale
Dr Wesley has plenty of time on his hands.
Those others you mention will be years before their methods get to market, if at all.
Agree. Hair transplant doctors are currently sitting in a very favorable position for the next coming years.
Even if it will take 2 years from now which is a bit of a disappointment Dr. Wesley has enough time. Also I think that it's better to have everything perfected before releasing the device.
10-28-2015 10:45 AM
tedwuji
Quote:
Originally Posted by barfacan
maybe by 2020.
I've been saying since July to wait until 2017, and then we will know more. You can't rush these things...
