Always good to hear from you friend! A couple questions, if you're able to answer -
1) Has he discussed his technique in application to removing hair from the top of the scalp, in regards to unwanted hair, due to hair transplant and
2) even more interestingly to a wider demographic of people - has he discussed using his technique as a permanent "hair removal system" in areas where hair is less desirable
3) One the instrumentation has entered the dermal area, how far can he go with it to extract grafts? For example could he make an incision at one point and extract grafts 5 inches away?
4) Precisely, how big is the incision area?
Sorry for all the questions, I am just curious. I am sure you could refer me to come literature, or I could just research it, but I would rather hear about it from someone that has personally encountered his technique. Plus, I am just too lazy right now. :P
12-07-2015 06:01 PM
tedwuji
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesst11
Always good to hear from you friend! A couple questions, if you're able to answer -
1) Has he discussed his technique in application to removing hair from the top of the scalp, in regards to unwanted hair, due to hair transplant and
2) even more interestingly to a wider demographic of people - has he discussed using his technique as a permanent "hair removal system" in areas where hair is less desirable
3) One the instrumentation has entered the dermal area, how far can he go with it to extract grafts? For example could he make an incision at one point and extract grafts 5 inches away?
4) Precisely, how big is the incision area?
Sorry for all the questions, I am just curious. I am sure you could refer me to come literature, or I could just research it, but I would rather hear about it from someone that has personally encountered his technique. Plus, I am just too lazy right now. :P
Interesting questions.
12-08-2015 02:40 AM
Occulus
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesst11
2) even more interestingly to a wider demographic of people - has he discussed using his technique as a permanent "hair removal system" in areas where hair is less desirable
There are already far less invasive, and I imagine far less expensive ways of achieving permanent hair removal that undergoing surgery to remove hair one follicle at a time. You can purchase devices over the counter for <$500 (Silk'n, Tria, etc.) that will achieve permanent hair loss.
12-09-2015 03:38 AM
doinmyheadin
Artista, realistically when will Pilofocus be available to the general public? Would it be possible to use this proceedure for grafting into a strip scar?
12-09-2015 03:37 PM
kirklandism
Quote:
Originally Posted by doinmyheadin
Artista, realistically when will Pilofocus be available to the general public? Would it be possible to use this proceedure for grafting into a strip scar?
I don't wish to answer on behalf of Artista but I have interviewed Dr. Wesley about piloscopy re: the rollout of the procedure and can give you some info. Realistically, piloscopy, as a hair transplant treatment that can compete with FUE/FUT in terms of effective coverage in a single treatment, will not be available as a general treatment for at least a few years. This is both a timeline suggested by Dr. Wesley himself and evident by Artista's most recent treatment with Dr. Wesley. Artista's recent treatment, where 23 out of 523 grafts were harvested by piloscopic method, demonstrates that the current instrumentation used in the piloscopic surgical technique needs further refinement. Currently, Dr. Wesley is working with a team of engineers on developing the surgical tools required for this method. The tools have to be refined to the point that: a) they can be used to harvest a similar number of grafts in a similar timeline when compared to FUE/FUT; b) they can be pragmatic for other doctors to both be trained on and use if they wish to adopt this method.
Let's be clear: the piloscopy surgical method is a very ambitious undertaking. Other doctors before Dr. Wesley have either tried the technique but found it too slow/inefficient to use as a practical treatment for hair transplantation or have not even attempted the method at all given the many hurdles to overcome. Dr. Wesley has taken on a large and ambitious project by bringing this treatment to market. He is effectively building the treatment from the ground floor up. While it has long been known that there is a 'gap' underneath the follicles that allows for instruments to harvest the follicles from below, the instruments required to do so, and to do so quickly and without damaging them, requires time to develop, refine and then train on.
So, even as the instruments become more refined to the point that Dr. Wesley himself is satisfied, he will still have to train a small number of doctors on the instruments to see how they interact with them. It is likely that, at that stage of testing, there will be further iterations required such that a larger number of doctors can be trained on the technique. At each level of testing, such as with Artista, more information is gathered on what is working and what still needs refinement. Then another round of testing is required with the upgrades on the instruments.
When (not if because I sincerely believe that Dr. Wesley has committed himself professionally and financially to the technique to the point of no return) he gets piloscopy to market, it will be a game changer. True scarless HT's will be available and the possibility for limited donor regeneration will be another advantage of the technique.
Given all that, I do not see piloscopy as a widely available treatment for at least 4-5 years (this is my own opinion).
12-09-2015 05:50 PM
barfacan
maybe by 2020. PILLOW focus; it means in your dreams mother****ers
12-09-2015 05:53 PM
Occulus
Quote:
Originally Posted by kirklandism
Given all that, I do not see piloscopy as a widely available treatment for at least 4-5 years (this is my own opinion).
Given all the new protocols for hair loss that will come on line in the 5-10 year range, he may miss the window to really profit.
12-09-2015 06:00 PM
Trouse5858
Not to be a pessimist but I just don't quite get the hype for this technology. Speculative donor regeneration and no scarring in 5 years?! Even IF this tool can yield cosmetically viable donor regeneration and that's a big if, it will be irrelevant if other superior maintenance options are already on the market for the top of the scalp. Not to mention who are these men who are still victims of visible scarring after a FUE transplant? If you invest the money and go to a private doctor with actual skill that's becoming less of a problem every day, even with relatively short hair on the sides and back. I applaud this guy for having the vision to undertake this project but it just seems barring some breakthrough, it will be too little too late.
12-09-2015 06:58 PM
joachim
like said a few times already, pilofocus will be a huge dissapointment, and even more if it doesn't get released within 1 or 2 years. when replicel, histogen, SM and others are available within 3 or 4 years, then pilofocus is totally pointless. it's ridiculous.
12-10-2015 11:07 AM
Hemo
Quote:
Originally Posted by joachim
like said a few times already, pilofocus will be a huge dissapointment, and even more if it doesn't get released within 1 or 2 years. when replicel, histogen, SM and others are available within 3 or 4 years, then pilofocus is totally pointless. it's ridiculous.
Not entirely. If those with the money prefer to have a 1 or 2 time treatment and not do much else for awhile (even though I would never get a HT and not take fin or something), they may still opt for a transplant.
It will also benefit those who are close to or already too far gone for fin/topicals. It's all speculation on if/when these other treatments may make it to market anyway.
Of course, fewer people will probably opt for transplants, but they will probably still be in demand. Agreed that piloscopy will probably come towards the end of when hair transplants are the best long term solution, though (I hope, anyway).
