Miniaturization test?

I've heard that there are many doctors that do not map the scalp for miniaturization. From what I can tell it is a relatively easy procedure but is not often done or even made available to prospective patients, and is basic to using medications like Propecia, in determining the health of the donor area, and in developing a long term Master Plan for the patient. If the Dr does not use a high-powered magnifying video device to examine the patients hair I'm told that they will miss things like diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA) on many patients who have it. As I understand it, if surgery is performed on a patient with DUPA, there is high probability it will harm them.

So, when attempting to find a good HT Doctor, should one that doesn’t do a complete examination of the scalp (including a miniaturization test before they go forward with hair transplantation surgery) be a strong factor in determining whether to use them?

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Originally Posted by Marchap

I've heard that there are many doctors that do not map the scalp for miniaturization. From what I can tell it is a relatively easy procedure but is not often done or even made available to prospective patients, and is basic to using medications like Propecia, in determining the health of the donor area, and in developing a long term Master Plan for the patient. If the Dr does not use a high-powered magnifying video device to examine the patients hair I'm told that they will miss things like diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA) on many patients who have it. As I understand it, if surgery is performed on a patient with DUPA, there is high probability it will harm them.

So, when attempting to find a good HT Doctor, should one that doesn’t do a complete examination of the scalp (including a miniaturization test before they go forward with hair transplantation surgery) be a strong factor in determining whether to use them?

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Marchap,

You are correct in your asseesment and importance of evaluating for miniturization and the extent of its impedence in the scalp. I use two types of equipment, the video telescope and the desiometer, a simple hand held instrument that can be purchased at Radio Shack for US $20.00

The scope runs approximately $1700.00 US. But it is extremely accurate. It just cannot predict the rate of future caliber loss in hair shaft diameter.

It's not so much that a patient with a formal diagnosis for DUPA could be harmed by HT surgery, it's more that someone who truly has the condition does not have what is considered terminal hair in the donor zone. The implications are that the transplant will eventually stop yielding hair for someone who has DUPA.

Thanks Gillenator for your reply.

You say that you use the video telescope and the densiometer - are you a HT Doctor or do you mean you just use these to assess yourself?

I was also concerned about this because I thought it might be useful for a Dr to use it to compare the test results from before using Propecia and then after say a year using it, to try and determine if its working or not.

If evaluating for miniturization is important, I guess I'm concerned as to why many Drs don't do this routinely as part of their consults or at the least offer it as an option?

Thanks Gillenator for the reply, had the same question and now it's a little bit clear for me