ACell, a Current Review of Applications in Hair Transplant Surgery

[CIT_Girl]

To clarify, he's skeptical of the 'plucking' concept and ACell as it relates to that but he's very optimistic that ACell has other beneficial applications for the hair transplant industry. He's been using ACell in conjunction with CIT procedures since early 2010 and seen numerous benefits, particularly related to healing (detailed in his original post).

[mlao]

hello all -- last spring Dr. Cole performed micro-needling with PRP /Acell on my crown. I was generally pleased with the amount of regrowth. I'm hoping to undergo another treatment with Dr. Cole to achieve higher density in the crown as well as gain some in the front were I have a number of grafts from CIT. I will also add that i had some grafts in the front last spring and Dr. Cole use PRP / Acell on the grafts. The result was a higher yield of follicles. Once a graft began to grow - 3-4 new hairs grew in around the transplanted hair. this was great news and very welcomed.

So the above poster is saying that he had re-growth with just micro-needling and the combination of Acell and PRP on his crown. If I am reading it correctly, He did not have any grafts placed there?

[KeepHoping]

Dr. Hitzig...

One of the pictures shown on your website shows a man who received 500 grafts over a large balding area of the scalp and the growth seems to be impossible for such a small number of FU's. Do you think Acell/PRP (Or your special version of PRP with the isolated growth factors that you're using now) is the answer for those with diffuse thinning in a MPB pattern. I'm 23 years old and have diffusely thinned on top but still have the back and sides, with those kind of results, it would seem I could only use like 500-1000 grafts and use PRP/Acell and get amazing results with excellent coverage for the time being.

I read a while back that you're going to post more results of your procedure done with Acell/PRP and show the amazing growth you've seen, I'm excited to see the results. Thank you for your research and for all the work you're putting into the hair loss community, it is greatly appreciated.

[Gary Hitzig MD]

Keep Hoping

If I am thinking of the right patient you refer to, he was indeed a Class 7+ that I would have been reluctant to transplant prior to ACell. We transplanted the frontal third area of his scalp only. The afters are 6 months post procedure and are indeed "robust". There is no question in my mind that the ACell Mixture that we injected was responsible for the quick intense result. I believe the key is pre-mixing the Matristem with one's own concentrated Adult Stem Cells using the correct size particles and the correct formula and then injecting this "pre-activated" progenitor suspension into the wound sites we create.

The Holidays are both gladly and sadly over- so now back to work and yes further examples are forthcoming.

[KeepHoping]

Acell/PRP

As you said before though, you are seeing a 3x or more than the amount of hair transplanted... Does that mean this is actually waking up dormant follicles and making them terminal hairs again? If that's the case then shouldn't just injecting Acell along with PRP without transplantation be a solution for diffuse thinners to strengthen their follicles that have miniturized and wake up the dormant follicles that are lying in the scalp?

[HairRobinHood]

stem cells in bald vs. non-bald scalp

As you said before though, you are seeing a 3x or more than the amount of hair transplanted... Does that mean this is actually waking up dormant follicles and making them terminal hairs again? If that's the case then shouldn't just injecting Acell along with PRP without transplantation be a solution for diffuse thinners to strengthen their follicles that have miniturized and wake up the dormant follicles that are lying in the scalp?

I think you refer to the NEW study by Dr. Cotsarelis & team?

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/44478

Related article:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/uops-mpb010311.php

btw - GREAT work, Dr. Hitzig!

[KeepHoping]

Questions...

I saw that news earlier today on a different forum, it seems we all, including those who have MPB, have the same amount of stem cells remaining in the scalp as those who do not so I was wondering if a mixture of Acell and PRP could in fact assist in the activation of stem cells converting to progenitor cells and reawakening the dormant/miniturized follicles throughout the balding scalp?

Disclaimer: I'm totally curious about this and do not have much background in cellular biology, this is nothing more than hypothesis but the fact that there are reports that people are getting 3x the amount of hair than that was transplanted when the FU's are moved into a recipient area that was treated with PRP/Acell would mean it is either creating brand new follicles or reactivating dormant ones to become terminal again...

Any thoughts?

[Gary Hitzig MD]

My Thoughts

No, the multiplication far exceeds the number of catogen or telogen (dormant) hairs that could normally be accounted for. We believe these are new "cloned" hairs. We also believe that without proof that the ACell + PRP acts as an androgen receptor competitive inhibitor, that perhaps it acts by resetting the time clock by which the follicles react to the DHT. Time and further work will tell. I hope what we are doing inspires others to help prove the answer. In the meantime, the progress and excitement continues. In my 35 + years in this field, this has been the the most exciting time I have been fortunate to be a force in.
GH

[Gary Hitzig MD]

To Hair Robin Hood

This is a great Article (Journal of Clinical Investigation) and may offer additional insight into the reason why the addition of ACell is so significant with PRP in injections as well as in the Surgical Transplant Process.

Thank You

[KeepHoping]

Dr. Hitzig

Thanks for responding Doc, I'm looking forward to the new pictures and the results. My last question is do you think with this technology doctors can and or should start transplanting more aggressively, lower hairlines, better coverage with less FU's?

[Gary Hitzig MD]

Aggressive Transplanting?

I believe Doctors can try small areas of more aggressive transplanting and compare results to surrounding areas. We have certainly been more aggressive; however it took a long time and careful evaluations for this to occur. Doctors need to learn how to use Matristem first-you can't just read the label like a microwave dinner and expect it to work.
As far as hairlines go, you can always lower a hairline but it is near impossible to raise it once transplanted ,so safety in choosing the hairline level is always paramount.

Once again Happy New Year

GH

[HairRobinHood]

Body hair has taught me to be careful with any predictions with regard to new treatment modalities. My single criticism of Dr Woods is that he practiced body hair transplantation for many years, but did not reveal that the results were not consistent. Such a revelation would have been important information to both physicians and patients. His failure to report this was negligent in my opinion. If he has a method, which I can not imagine, that results in consistent yields from body hair, then he has an obligation to present such a method. My first body hair transplants were a great success, but some follow up transplants resulted I poor yields and a poor coverage.

Just for the record (from another hair loss board) …
-------------------------------------------------
» Dear x_man,
» I am glad that you have found solution for your hair regrowth problem.
» It is not really my place to debate Dr. Gho's methods because I am not
» privy to the details of his work.
»
» However, I would look forward to see results for any claims from anyone,
» Dr. Gho included, in any method of hair regrowth.
» Regards and best wishes,
» Dr. A

Dear Dr. Arvind,

There’re always a plenty of people out there who are interested in body hair transplants (BHT), but simultaneously they are always concerned about BHT.

Recently, Dr. Cole mentioned the following concerning BHT:

Dr. Cole: “Body hair has taught me to be careful with any predictions with regard to new treatment modalities. My single criticism of Dr Woods is that he practiced body hair transplantation for many years, but did not reveal that the results were not consistent. Such a revelation would have been important information to both physicians and patients.
His failure to report this was negligent in my opinion. If he has a method, which I cannot imagine, that results in consistent yields from body hair, then he has an obligation to present such a method. My first body hair transplants were a great success, but some follow up transplants resulted I poor yields and a poor coverage.”

Anyway, there’re also a plenty of people who claim that you’re a skilled body hair transplant doctor as well – and actually, I have no doubts about that. But I think the same here: Where are your revelations concerning BHT?


Concerning HST …

http://www.hasci.com/uploads/downloads/dad01225-0ceb-4a30-90c4-771ed900f25aHSI%20-%20Artikel_Gho%20Neumann.pdf

HST is a scientifically proven HT technique and has found its place in the medical literature:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20388024

But besides that, and what’s actually more important, Dr. Gho’s clinics work along ISO 9001:2000 guidelines, and since 2005, they always work under the supervision of the inspection of the health organization in their country; and neither they, nor Gho’s patients, reported ever any complaints. Zero.

And now, please let me ask you one simply question:

I’m pretty sure, that you have no problems to obtain such 0.5 and/or 0.6 hollow-needles, as described in Dr. Gho’s study. So do you really think, that HS readers or an average skilled person is thinking, that an experienced and skilled physician like you is unable to check FOR HIMSELF, as well as within a few minutes + 1-2 weeks, whether or not something is growing back (including the same hair characteristics) or not, IF someone like you is removing FU’s in such a (simple) way, as described in Dr. Gho’s study?

Have a nice weekend, Dr Arvind.
-------------------------------

Again - Just for the record ...

[Gary Hitzig MD]

Confused

?--Is there a question---?

[Westonci]

?--Is there a question---?

Hello Dr. Hitzig, thank you so much for your contributions to finding a cure for hair loss.

From what ive heard about PRP alone is that it works best in the crown, okay in the mid scalp, and not so good in the hair line.

My question is would Acell + Arterial Blood/PRP work just as well on the hairline as it does on the mid scalp and crown?

Thanks again.

[rapunzal]

Aggresive Transplanting

I believe Doctors can try small areas of more aggressive transplanting and compare results to surrounding areas. We have certainly been more aggressive; however it took a long time and careful evaluations for this to occur. Doctors need to learn how to use Matristem first-you can't just read the label like a microwave dinner and expect it to work.
As far as hairlines go, you can always lower a hairline but it is near impossible to raise it once transplanted ,so safety in choosing the hairline level is always paramount.

Once again Happy New Year

GH

Dr Hitzig, first can I say thank you for the work you are doing in this area.

Have one point for clarification, what do you mean when you say you have certainly been more aggressive ? Are you suggesting because you are starting to become confident that donor supply is becoming less of an issue that you can commence being a little more aggressive in your transplants ?

Cheers